Heading North

jimricho · Guru

Heading North

aussietraveller · Guru

I am looking for some advice as we are planning to leave the Blue Mountains within the next two weeks for north Queensland for a few months, we will be going up through the New England area and keeping to the inland route till we reach Charters Towers then not sure yet which way we will go but eventually want to get to CookTown.

What are the main times that grey Nomads head north and do many take the route we are planning, We plan to travel down the coast during July/August. Both directions we will be using Camps five for free camping but is there a need to book for nights in Caravan parks, we would also welcome any recomendations of must do's

thanks

gypsy rover · Senior Member

Spend a couple of days in sunny Townsville. The weather here is fantastic at this time of year. Stroll along the Strand, view the city from high up on Castle Hill and dip you feet in the refreshing waters of Crystal Creek (about 60k's north). There is also a camping area at Crystal Creek, not sure about caravan access though, you would need to check with the Info Centre. Further north again and Paronella Park is an absolute must for anyone heading north. Admission fee there includes overnight camp in their camping area.

Cheers

Chris

PS Forgot to add free camps Townsville area Blue water Park Rest Area and Toumulla Beach, both a little bit north of the city.

-- Edited by gypsy rover on Tuesday 1st of May 2012 10:55:32 AM

jonathan · Senior Member

Hi David ...

Jim is spot on there .. the basic variations would be to see something in particular that takes you off these routes .. but you could always modify your return trip to suit ..

Very hard to say which I prefer as I also like to vary my trip (3rd one to Nth Qld for the winter) each time I travel ..

enjoy !

Jon

ParamountCruiser · Senior Member

Nicholstones wrote:
The Gregory Developmental Road north from Charters Towers is only single lane bitumen, so you have to move over when traffic comes the other way. There is quite a bit of truck traffic down there, so be prepared for a slow journey.

When we travelled that road in June 2010 there was extensive road works being undertaken over much of the road.

If you have a UHF radio there is a call system in place, so you know when a mining truck is approaching.

Would go that way again without hesitation.

-- Edited by ParamountCruiser on Tuesday 1st of May 2012 05:44:37 PM

aussietraveller · Guru

Thanks heaps for the advice please keep it coming and we will be on the forum as we travel also seeking advice, we are interested in possibly going from Charters Towers along the Gregory developmental road to the Oasis Roadhouse and then up the Kennedy highway can anyone tell us what the road is like.

Keep an eye out for us it would be great to say gday to other forum members we have a forum sticker on the back of the van

Thanks
david

Willow · Veteran Member

Hi David, I'm sure you will love it up here in NQ. I travel the coast regularly and you will find a few tips in my little budget guide at
www.squidoo.com/camping-in-queensland-australia
You will also find links to the Townsville - Mt Isa road there.
Townsville is a great place especially the Northern Beaches. I recommend Toomulla as the bet camp in Townsville.
Say Hi if you come to Whitsunday.
Willow.

Nicholstones · Guru

The Gregory Developmental Road north from Charters Towers is only single lane bitumen, so you have to move over when traffic comes the other way. There is quite a bit of truck traffic down there, so be prepared for a slow journey.

ken thomas · Guru

Will be heading north soon,and these places will be of interest
Ken

jonathan · Senior Member

ken thomas wrote:

Will be heading north soon,and these places will be of interest
Ken

Might see you up there Ken ..

Jon

Weedy Pigeon · Senior Member

We're in Cairns and have done the Bruce Highway so often that we use the inland road if possible. If you want to get to Cooktown you may as well just go due north from CT. Coming across to Townsville just means you have to get back to Mareeba to drag a van to Cooktown. Last I heard the Bloomfield Crossing was only just very temporarily repaired. Road was closed Laura to Coen again today. CT to Mount Garnet is as a previous comment said, fairly slow going ( plenty of bitumen with quite bad shoulders ) but better than a massive detour through Townsville. Maybe depends if the coast north of Townsville is of any interest to you .
Garnet to Cooktown is good road now.

Cruising Granny · Guru

Hi Willow and welcome. I hope you enjoy your stay on GN.

aussietraveller · Guru

Thanks every one I new I could rely on forum members for help, any more advice will be most welcome

Weedy Pigeon I cannot find Bloomfield on my maps what is it near

-- Edited by aussietraveller on Wednesday 2nd of May 2012 10:32:07 AM

Sheba · Guru

Forgot to mention that I wouldn't dream of taking a Caravan that way. I came down to Cairns over that road when it was still very new, and it was no picnic then, in a 4x4 Tojo.

The Wujal Wujal crossing is Tidal, and you used to have to cover the front of the vehicle before going through.

Cheers,

Sheba.

-- Edited by Sheba on Wednesday 2nd of May 2012 05:46:13 PM

Sheba · Guru

Cross the Daintree River going North, and you're heading for Bloomfield.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Weedy Pigeon · Senior Member

As Sheba says, once you cross the Daintree on the ferry you're then headed to Cape Tribulation, this is the coast road to Cooktown, quite OK, but I don't know about pulling a van through there. Keep going and you will cross the Bloomfield River at Wujal Wujal, this was a new crossing untill the Yasi cyclone wet season 2011.

You'll miss the Lions Den pub by not going north on the Cape Trib road but you can get there from the Cooktown end of the coast road.

jimricho · Guru

I agree with Sheba about not taking a van up the Bloomfield unless it is only a small camper trailer and in dry conditions. It is only a short detour from the main road (Mulligan Highway) to the Lions Den, turn right after crossing the Annan River about 30k from Cooktown.

Dreamcaster51 · Senior Member

Watch the road between Goondiwindi and The Gums, (Leichart Highway) that road is a killer, big dips and big ruts on side of the road reduces it to one lane. There are bloody big trucks up that way too. We were towing a 24ft van and the dips really bothered us.

wendyv · Guru

You definitely do not want to be towing a van on the track through the Daintree. If you wish, whilst at Cooktown, can do a day trip down some of it, from the north. (We once drove from Cooktown to Wonga on the track, and back, in a day - due to me leaving a dozen eggs in the van that was going to be stored at Wonga for a couple of months! Not one of my more popular moments!)

Recommend you go straight north from Charters Towers - taking care and listening on CB for truck traffic on that section.

An interesting detour is to turn west and visit Mt Surprise and Undara Lava Tubes. Bedrock Village CP at Mt Surprise is excellent and they do a good tour to Undara. They also used to do one to Cobbold Gorge - would be worthwhile if still running.

Lots to see on the Atherton Tableland. We have used caravan park at Atherton for a base to sightsee the area, but there's lots of choice in the area.

Take the inland route through Mt Molloy to Cooktown. On the way back south, backtrack on that route and go down from Mt Molloy to Mossman. Couple of caravan parks at Wonga Beach are a good base from which to do day trips to explore the Daintree area to the north.

Then make your way south along the coast for as far as you want.

aussietraveller · Guru

confuse Once again thanks everybody for the great advice see you on the road biggrin biggrin