We will be heading up to Darwin from the NSW Central Coast next week. My daughter has just accepted a job there so we are escorting her up - we will have a hatchback plus a 4WD towing a 14 foot van. We would like to take the shortest route (Gunnedah, Moree, St George, Roma, Tambo, Longreach, Cloncurry, Mt Isa, Camooweal then up the middle). I have checked the NSW, QLD and NT road apps, and it looks to me as if the main highways are OK, with just the side roads under water. However, I have found I tend to use other sources in NSW as I find Live Traffic not always reliable . I have no experience in how reliable the Qld and NT apps are.So my questions are:
Has anyone driven this route recently, and can comment on the road conditions esp with respect to flooding?
What apps/websites etc do people use for reliable info re road conditions?
Welcome to the gang Camann, enjoy here and out in the playground.
I can't help much if at all really as haven't been that way to Darwin. Mmm, come to think of it, I haven't been to Darwin at all and really don't have plans to. Nothing against Darwinites though.
As for phone apps etc. I use each States roads and emergency apps and National weather apps and find them mostly good, at least so far in my 9 years out here in the playground. I found the VIC Emergency App fantastic during the resent fires as I was in NE VIC.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
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I would first contact Queensland, N.S.W and Northern Territory Police to ensure you have written permission to cross borders at the moment as I work in essential services and unless you are in that group, you cannot travel. I have attached an application form link for you for Qld, but you will have to do some homework on the N.T.
Your daughter will have exemption, but needs a permit to mobilise. Once you have your clearance/OK then I'd check Queensland Emergency Services app and ABC Radio which has updates on flooding. I would also invest in a UV Radio and tune into truck operators/essential services as they know what's coming ahead. The St George area is known to flood after severe drought, but the great thing about your chosen route is there are alternate options. I have a reliable hatchbatch but I wouldn't take it past the Camooweal into the N.T as most roadhouses and roadside assist is closed due to C.V 19. It's pretty exciting that your daughter is starting the new job, but you don't want to be stopped at the Queensland or N.T border at the moment. Without clearance you will be turned around, job or not, so get your papers/clearance from the Qld Government and a letter of proof of employment from your daughter's employer and you need clearance to accompany her and drive safely.
Queensland border closure
To slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the Queensland Government is tightening restricted entry into Queensland.
Only Queensland residents, residents of border communities undertaking essential activities and those considered an exempt person can cross the border.
New restrictions will apply from 12.01 am Saturday 11 April 2020 that will place further restrictions on people who have been to a COVID-19 hotspot in Australia.
These restrictions provide for the continuation of essential goods and services for Queenslanders.
-- Edited by Kirsty on Saturday 18th of April 2020 09:57:11 AM
-- Edited by Kirsty on Saturday 18th of April 2020 09:57:56 AM
Thanks for the replies. We arrived back a couple of days ago and found the road apps to be reliable. I did find, however, that if I put in a route such as St George to Roma, the app may suggest flooding, but when you actually looked at the info supplied, the flooding was confined to minor or side roads and not the main route. If anyone is travelling at the moment, I would not rely on information gained by calling the police, as restrictions are continually changing. We watched people with passes be stopped due to changes that came into effect whilst they were enroute.
