Western side of Cape York road advice

Submitted: Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 19:55

ThreadID: 87766 Views:5084 Replies:4 FollowUps:13

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BrownyGU

Hi All,

Probably a question for the more experianced Gulf Travelers

I'm Currently in Darwin on our trip around OZ, and not to far off from heading accross the Gulf through Borroloola, Burketown, Normanton etc, then up the Cape, I was hoping to head up the Burke development road through Stirling and Dunbar and hopefully get access to the Development road from that part of the Gulf if possible? From Koolatah is there a more direct route to the Musgrave Roadhouse on the Development road? Or do I have to wind back SE to Gamboola, then North through King Junction to Fairview?

Or is it possible to get to Weipa via the western side of the Gulf, Kowanyama,Pormperaaw,Aurukun etc? (Towing an off road van), capable Patrol with Snorkel,winch and Lockers etc, or do I need to get onto the Development road and head in from there?

Difficult rambling question I know, but any help/advice appreciated.

Cheers.....Browny

P.S. How good is winter in Darwin!!!!!

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Reply By: ctaplin - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 20:11

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 20:11

You can cross the Mitchell River near Dunbar and head up the Western side of the Cape over to the Peninsular Development road but this crossing would be very risky to do on your own without another vehicle to recover you if you get stuck. The water is very fast flowing with a sandy bottom and it is also a very wide crossing with crocs in it. We chose to continue east toward Chillagoe and cut through Palmerville where you join the road up the Cape just North of Laura. Later on we met someone who almost lost their troopy and trailer in the Mitchell at that crossing, so were glad we decided not the attempt that route!

Hope this helps,

Chris

AnswerID: 460814

Follow Up By: BrownyGU - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 21:57

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 21:57

Cheers Chris,

I wont be attempting the Mitchell river crossing untill at least late August early September, so do you reckon it may be a bit easier/lower by then? If not, I'm no daredevil, so maybe head further east as you mention, I just dont want to get virtually to Cairns before heading North if possible

Cheers....Browny

FollowupID: 734503

Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:11

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:11

Yes, that crossing at Dunbar will swallow you up. The station charges minimum $1000 for a recovery if you can't get yourself out.

We were there in September last year. There were tracks in and out and a bunch of people who looked like locals on the other side watching us, maybe hoping for an easy grand. We gave it a miss - went east to Gamboola then up to King Junction, Pinnacles and then on to the PDR at Fairview.

Folk at King Junction are really nice - happy to accommodate campers for a small fee if you need an overnight. There's a sign on the gate, so you're not intruding if you go in and ask.

Cheers

Frank

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Follow Up By: BrownyGU - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:16

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:16

Thanks Frank,

Browny

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Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:19

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:19

Browny, you posted just before me ...

In September last year the dry was really dry but the Mitchell was running pretty hard, maybe 600 deep, maybe more, maybe less. The dry sand on the bank on the south side was very deep, and you could see a big sandy bank on the other side, so I presume it would be deep and loose in the river bed.

At the time we were there the crossing was at least 100m wide.

Together with fast flowing water and crocs so you can't walk it we chickened out. (LC100 and a 120 Series Prado, no lockers, one winch, both with trailers.)

With the big wet they've had it might be different now, but be careful!

Frank

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Follow Up By: The Rambler( W.A.) - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:37

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:37

Take ctaplin's advice.

FollowupID: 734512

Follow Up By: ctaplin - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:41

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:41

Brownie,
If you continue further east to cross the Mitchell at an easier place, you could enjoy a great camp spot on the way at the junction of the Mitchell and Lynd rivers. Look for a track on the left about 100-200 metres from the bridge of the Lynd river and follow it to the end.
From the Lynd river, it's about 80km to where you turn off to the left through Palmerville station to join the road up the Cape, just North of Laura. We went this way about a month ago but had also done it 5 years ago and it is nice drive.

Cheers,

Chris

FollowupID: 734514

Follow Up By: BrownyGU - Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:56

Sunday, Jul 24, 2011 at 22:56

mmmm,

Seems unanimous to be very risky, thanks guys

and cheers Chris for the heads up for the camp site

Browny

FollowupID: 734515

Follow Up By: CSeaJay - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:57

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 11:57

Hi
You can NOT currently cross the Mitchel at Dunbar.
Was there on 5 July 2011
Saw a crocodile so was not game to walk the 100m of flowing water to guage depth, but I'd guess it would have been 2m+ in places.

See also sep reply to original Q

Cheers, CJ

FollowupID: 734540

Follow Up By: Been-Everywhereman - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 13:53

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 13:53

The road ctaplin mentions in his last post also had the best road i had ever driven in my life.
It had an amazing portion of dirt road with positive cambers one after another after another..... and so on.....

If it has been raining it can get greasy on some of the creek entrys and exits,,,but like Chris said a very good and easy road and you can poke your head out at Fairview on the PDR....

The road after Dunbar is quite bad after rains... Very deep clay...

Great camping at the Mitchell River crossing,,, but it is a long walk to the water...

Hey ctaplin, did you take a photo this year of the gate at Laura Station????

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Follow Up By: ctaplin - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 22:13

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 22:13

Hi there Been-Everywhereman,

Have you camped at the Lynd/Mitchell river junction much?

No photos at the Laura station gate this year, I don't take that many photos these days, especially when I'm revisiting places that I've been before. Where did you see my photos?

Your right that it's a long walk to the Mitchell especially through soft sand and the walk back felt longer because no fish chose to bite my lure!

Chris :-)

FollowupID: 734618

Follow Up By: Been-Everywhereman - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 22:09

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 22:09

I rekon you posted that photo on here a while back......
Pretty hard to hook a Barra this time of the year in that spot....
Mitchell/Lynd is a great spot, couple of nice little bathing holes there...
As safe as they seem we still never stop watching for crocs...

Yeah, that walk to the river is far..............

FollowupID: 734706

Reply By: SIF4X4 - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 07:02

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 07:02

Koolatah Crossing too risky even for a vehicle on its own. If you choose the wrong route across you may hit some quicksand. As stated, its $1000 for a tow out. Thats not expensive as Nolans Brook on the OTT is $5000 for a rescue from Bamaga...lol

Along the Burke Development Road.....a short time after you cross onto Highbury Statioin Lease (you will know when, as the sign state many NO doings)....you will see a sign 'Drumduff'. Take a left there and a couple of km down there is a concrete causeway. There is a nice little campsite for one vehicle and van at the approach to the crossing

For road updates for that region check here https://securespt.racq.com.au//ssl/road_reporting/cgi-bin/roadreport/0213_roadreport_text.cfm?s=racq&CFID=734186&CFTOKEN=13895104

AnswerID: 460837

Reply By: CSeaJay - Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:32

Monday, Jul 25, 2011 at 12:32

Browny

Was in Normanton/Karumba early in July 2011 and wanted to get up to the OTL on Cape York.
We headed to Dunbar, actually went to the crossing and it looked like this, after I surprised a saltie laying on the bank right in front of us

I discounted at the time the Kowanyama road, mainly because of time as it is a slow road so I did not research that crossing

Heading East, the first place we could cross the Mitchel was at Mt Mulgrave, north to Palmerville, north-east to meet the PDR just south of Hann Roadhouse.

Cheers,

CJ

AnswerID: 460866

Follow Up By: Josh-38 - Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 21:23

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 at 21:23

This is my first post so not sure if that photo will work or not but it shows my triton very stuck at the dunbar crossing. Going through Gamboola was told by farmer that we wouldnt get through ended up going through palmerville which was a good road but did have one boggy creek crossing.

FollowupID: 734700