Darling river Run Over Xmas ?

We also would like to read any responses. We are doing a short detour on our way home from Christmas and the sons place in Adelaide. On Boxing Day we are going to turn north up the eastern side of the Darling from Wentworth Pooncarrie and then head east to for a couple of nights at the Shearers in Mungo NP. Then its home via Ivanhoe etc.

Interested in traffic loads also.

Phil

Hi Mrbrush,

I had a look at the road conditions for that area on here (articles > road conditions > NSW >outback NSW), and see that a hell of a lot of roads in that area are closed. These reports were updated on 14th/12/2010.

Might be worth a look to see for yourself, as I am not familiar with the road names in the area, but did see Louth/Tilpa closed, along with many others. The article also has the phone number for road conditions in the area, for more current, exact details.

Hope it works out for you... we are planning to do the DRR next year (October).

Cheers and best wishes, Dave

Isn't this typical of the internet. You can check several claimed authorative sites and get different reports at the same time. Open, closed, don't know etc. The internet is good but for being up-to-date!!Well that's another matter.

For myself I will double check here for someone who has either local knowledge or has just been there to give a reliable report. And even then I will check from Mildura and be flexible.

Phil

Hi MrBrush (can I call you Basil ? Mr Brush)

The two routes along the Darling between Louth & Tilpa are, the North West side that is often closed or the South East side that is the route that most use that I am sure would now be open.

The latter did have a diversion in place just south of Louth that had a 10km section of fine bulldust but otherwise a good run for your rig.

IMHO Louth is a great place to stop and camp near the river overnight and partake of the Louth night-life at Shindys Inn, nice folk I find. The Tilpa pub can be, not so nice, depending on the MOOD of the landlord, nuf said.

Yes can be hot. But one January we did the run in the "Outback Subaru" and had fab weather and a wonderful trip without too many other travellers.

Menindee (Kinchiga Nt PK) is a must see as is Mungo but road conditions may be a problem still.

Enjoy your trip

I wouldn't advise this run at all. At the moment the Darling is about 9.5m and rising and is expected to peak around 12m over the next few weeks.
People don't realise that once the floods have come and gone from the headlines, then the Darling River gets the water.
I went past the Louth turn off last night and it was open however ANY rain at all closes that road immediatley. I believe The Tilpa end of the road is already closed at the moment.
At Louth you can opt-out and head down to Cobar however a single down pour would stop you as well.
We had a number of people get stuck out there at various times throughout the year and once your stuck, you are on your own. Local agencies won't even bother trying to get there and even farmers can be reluctant to try.
The coucil go quite hard on people who use the road in the wet as it means they have to re-grade it and costs them money in the long run. As a result of the river rising there are also plenty of snakes out and about, mainly those lovely brown coloured ones too. It also brings out all of the mozzies and believe it or not, sand flies as well.
You still have to bitumen way, Kidman Way to Cobar and then the Barrier HWY out to Broken Hill which "should" remain open however that is also highly dependant on how much rain we get.
The early forecasts were for a total of 9 days of sunshine for the entire month of December and a lot of cockies are talking about this summer being the "big one".
What ever you decide, have safe travels.
Tim