Stopover on the Gulf Development Road

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 13:41

ThreadID: 83994 Views:4144 Replies:7 FollowUps:4

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usguys07

Hi guys, can anyone recommend somewhere to Stopover for a night or two on the Gulf Development Road from Cairns to Normanton.
Will be leaving early June this year with our Gu and Ultimate in tow.
Thanks, Tim

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Reply By: Baz&Pud (Tassie) - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 14:09

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 14:09

UGs07
There is a rest area about 80ks west of Georgetown, think its the Gilbert River.
Cheers
Baz

Go caravaning, life is so much shorter than death.

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Follow Up By: woodie3 - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 14:43

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 14:43

There is also a rest area between Normanton & Karumba, from memory about 25 ks before Karumba on right hand of road, when we passed it July 2010 I don't think it was listed in any of the sites or books,

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Follow Up By: woodie3 - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 14:44

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 14:44

Got the stutters

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Follow Up By: Member - John B2 (VIC) - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 17:04

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 17:04

When we went along the Gulf Development Road in 2009, the Georgetown Info Centre sent us to here

Visit the Cumberland Chimney: built by Cornish masons, it is all that remains of a crushing plant, or mill, that contracted to surrounding mines to crush their gold bearing ore. The Cumberland Chimney sits next to a lagoon which was designed and built to collect water by establishing a series of earthwork channels and a dam. Today this lagoon is the home of bird life, which can be easily photographed. The Cumberland Chimney is approximately 19 kms along on the left hand side of the road going west towards Croydon. Part of the site is contaminated so care should be taken and signs observed.

We camped right down the back away from the chimney, nice spot.

Cheers,
John

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Reply By: cycadcenter - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 16:13

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 16:13

Why not take a bit of a detour and stop off at Cobolt Gorge

Bruce

AnswerID: 443548

Reply By: gbc - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 16:48

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 16:48

The mitchell and the palmer rivers join right near the D road.

Heading West as you cross the bridge you'll see tracks heading North to the junction area.

You can tow a camper in easily and there are a few campsites in there. It is not far off the road.

AnswerID: 443550

Reply By: Member - John and Val - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 17:08

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 17:08

Hi Tim,

Quite a nice spot near a bit of water at the old Cumberland Mine which is about 20km west of Georgetown.

Cheers,

Val

J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
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AnswerID: 443554

Reply By: wendys - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 17:45

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 17:45

We found Bedrock Village CP at Mount Surprise a great base to explore the surrounding area: Undara Lava Tubes, topaz fossicking fields at OBriens Creek, did a great day trip drive via back tracks to Einasleigh, did another day trip explore roughly along the Savannah lander route, tracked some of Leichardt's route in the area. Very pleasant CP too.
Strongly suggest you detour south from Georgetown and visit Cobbold Gorge - they have a camp area there and do boat trip up the gorge, which is very unusual and well worth seeing.

AnswerID: 443557

Follow Up By: Member - Tony S (WA) - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 18:35

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 18:35

Agree with Wendys.
If you wash your car, make sure you wipe the water off immediately.

The rig

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Reply By: Who was that again? (Vic) - Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 21:43

Sunday, Jan 30, 2011 at 21:43

Some nice spots across there. There are a couple of places by billabongs and across the Mitchell River, perhaps at Drumduff Road with it's concrete ford. Some people take two weeks to cross but we did the karumba to Cairns trip in two days.

The Mitchell must carry a huge amount of water in a flood with it's several hundred metre width causeway and flood plain. Was pretty warm late in September.

AnswerID: 443578