My northern itinerary is extremely flexible and Borroloola looked like viable detour, but rarely do I read of members going there and any reports.
Most seem to do Normanton and Karumba. Any comments for the detour will be most welcomed.
bill12 said
08:01 PM Jul 23, 2012
If you have a 4wd Then Boralloola is a great spot. You can get most things in town. About 50klms from town is a place called King Ash Bay, great fishing, and camping. Bing Bong is worth looking at, and if your vehicle and van can take it, the Nathan R. road through to Roper bar is worth doing. Stop in at Lorella springs, a million acre working cattle station, with a thermal spring right in the middle of the camping area, and brilliant fishing in Bessie ck, if you can get in. Take as many spares and tyres as you can as they are non existant, or very dear up there. Bill
Ole_Grizzly said
08:07 PM Jul 23, 2012
Heck Bill, thanks for the info, and now I'm hesitant.
I believe the major roads up to that area are sealed, be it narrow strips.
My outfit isn't able to venture far off that beaten track, so looks like I'll still head up as far as Bing Bong etc, feed a few fish by drowning the bait in the Arafura Sea.
Cupie said
08:13 PM Jul 23, 2012
Ole_Grizzly wrote:
I believe the major roads up to that area are sealed, be it narrow strips.
My outfit isn't able to venture far off that beaten track, so looks like I'll still head up as far as Bing Bong etc, feed a few fish by drowning the bait in the Arafura Sea.
When I was at Cape Crawford area in 2006, the dirt road to King Ash Bay was a terror. I reckon that the corregations were the deepest & worst I have encountered. Even the bypass through the bush alongside the road was terribly corregated. Might be OK after the road is graded I suppose.
The bitumen strip to Bing Bong was great, but not much at Bing Bong. The mining Company had the water access fenced off but there was a lookout so you could see what you couldn't get to. Though I didn't look too closely. Found a track on the Eastern side, that wandered thru the scrub and eventualy ended up at a concrete boat ramp & rough camp site on the river.
Borroloola was worth a look, though the locals were a bit out of control some days.
I came across from Daly Waters & left my van at Cape Crawford & toured in the Patrol from there. Then we traveled down past Brunette Downs to Barkly Homestead (good narrow bitumen road thru interesting country).
But then I'm not an off roader/bush camper these days.
Some fantastic country out that way though & certainly worth a look.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 23rd of July 2012 08:19:26 PM
Zoomtopz said
08:54 PM Jul 23, 2012
I used to go 'Walhallow' , which is about 1/2 way from Barkly Road house to
Heartbreak Hotel . As you said Griz , it was 'one lane' bitumen , I don't know
if it has gone two lane . I had no trouble going up there , then back to 'th
track' @ Daly Waters in a 'tripple road train , or on th Barkly stock route ,
but I had to wait 2 days for someone to come along , after I broke down on
'th barkly' . Make sure you tell someone where you are going if you go to
some of these places. Mate, I was only going from Walhallow to Eva Downs,
th manager knew where I was , I was only going to be 4hrs , did an airline
& sat out there for over 2 days . AND people knew I was out there
somewhere , but they forgot about me , until he needed his forklift ,
which I had , to unload at Eva Downs . Other than that I used to enjoy th
drive up there.
Richo.
Ole_Grizzly said
02:34 AM Jul 24, 2012
I don't know Richo, seems you have all the fun !
Struth, 2 days and were'nt missed...Guess you quickly worked out who your mates were...lol.
Thanks for the info..cheers
golivers travels said
10:43 AM Jul 24, 2012
Ole_Grizzly wrote:
Heck Bill, thanks for the info, and now I'm hesitant.
I believe the major roads up to that area are sealed, be it narrow strips.
My outfit isn't able to venture far off that beaten track, so looks like I'll still head up as far as Bing Bong etc, feed a few fish by drowning the bait in the Arafura Sea.
We stayed there last year and all roads were sealed And the road into Ash Bay was of no concern. We found it an interesting spot and glad we did the detour. Stayed at the caravan park, were handed some huge and I mean huge fillets of barra from a guy in the park.
Glenda
-- Edited by golivers travels on Tuesday 24th of July 2012 10:44:45 AM
Cupie said
07:19 PM Jul 24, 2012
golivers travels wrote: all roads were sealed And the road into Ash Bay was of no concern.
Was the road into KIng Ash Bay sealed? It was the only one of those I mentioned that was not ... way back in 2006.
I'd certainly recommend taking the detour.
glassies said
02:56 AM Jul 25, 2012
oh the nathan river road to roper bar love it what a place
Graygun said
04:06 AM Jul 27, 2012
We did the same trip as Bill King Ash Bay, Lorella Springs, Roper Bar then onto Katherine. It's been the best part of our trip so far. Although we got to nail's in two different tyres. Really enjoyed it. It's probably been the worst roads we saw until El Questro. We start the Gibb River tomorrow. So that will probably change again. Love Lorella Springs and King Ash Bay. Plus the free camp at the Butterfly Springs. Cheers Graysen
My northern itinerary is extremely flexible and Borroloola looked like viable detour, but rarely do I read of members going there and any reports.
Most seem to do Normanton and Karumba. Any comments for the detour will be most welcomed.
Heck Bill, thanks for the info, and now I'm hesitant.
I believe the major roads up to that area are sealed, be it narrow strips.
My outfit isn't able to venture far off that beaten track, so looks like I'll still head up as far as Bing Bong etc, feed a few fish by drowning the bait in the Arafura Sea.
When I was at Cape Crawford area in 2006, the dirt road to King Ash Bay was a terror. I reckon that the corregations were the deepest & worst I have encountered. Even the bypass through the bush alongside the road was terribly corregated. Might be OK after the road is graded I suppose.
The bitumen strip to Bing Bong was great, but not much at Bing Bong. The mining Company had the water access fenced off but there was a lookout so you could see what you couldn't get to. Though I didn't look too closely. Found a track on the Eastern side, that wandered thru the scrub and eventualy ended up at a concrete boat ramp & rough camp site on the river.
Borroloola was worth a look, though the locals were a bit out of control some days.
I came across from Daly Waters & left my van at Cape Crawford & toured in the Patrol from there. Then we traveled down past Brunette Downs to Barkly Homestead (good narrow bitumen road thru interesting country).
But then I'm not an off roader/bush camper these days.
Some fantastic country out that way though & certainly worth a look.
-- Edited by Cupie on Monday 23rd of July 2012 08:19:26 PM
I used to go 'Walhallow' , which is about 1/2 way from Barkly Road house to
Heartbreak Hotel . As you said Griz , it was 'one lane' bitumen , I don't know
if it has gone two lane . I had no trouble going up there , then back to 'th
track' @ Daly Waters in a 'tripple road train , or on th Barkly stock route ,
but I had to wait 2 days for someone to come along , after I broke down on
'th barkly' . Make sure you tell someone where you are going if you go to
some of these places. Mate, I was only going from Walhallow to Eva Downs,
th manager knew where I was , I was only going to be 4hrs , did an airline
& sat out there for over 2 days . AND people knew I was out there
somewhere , but they forgot about me , until he needed his forklift ,
which I had , to unload at Eva Downs . Other than that I used to enjoy th
drive up there.
Richo.
I don't know Richo, seems you have all the fun !
Struth, 2 days and were'nt missed...Guess you quickly worked out who your mates were...lol.
Thanks for the info..cheers
-- Edited by golivers travels on Tuesday 24th of July 2012 10:44:45 AM
Was the road into KIng Ash Bay sealed? It was the only one of those I mentioned that was not ... way back in 2006.
I'd certainly recommend taking the detour.