Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
[Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this
opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. |
Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
On 8/10/2010 4:09 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
[Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. Never done the Burke Developmental Rd. I have driven Innisfail to Normanton, and Innisfail to Chillagoe - both easy drives through some very interesting country. I've also driven the mail route from Georgetown up to Alma Den - but in early December, and some of the creeks were just crossable then as the result of early storms. Early April 'could' be dubious. A BIG wet is forecast - and if it happens much of that route could still be closed. |
Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
On 8/10/2010 4:09 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote:
[Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. My recommendation would be to take the Gulf Developmental Road. It's just 60km longer. You would go through Croydon, a regular metropolis at the height of the Gold Rushes; Georgetown, with its excellent Mineral Museum; Mount Surprise, with the nearby Undarra Lava Tubes. The road surface is much 'friendlier' - especially at the likely tail end of a big wet - mainly sealed with many streams bridged. Good facilities for camping too - each of the named centres has Council Camping Grounds. |
Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
A Mate wrote:
On 8/10/2010 4:09 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote: [Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. My recommendation would be to take the Gulf Developmental Road. It's just 60km longer. You would go through Croydon, a regular metropolis at the height of the Gold Rushes; Georgetown, with its excellent Mineral Museum; Mount Surprise, with the nearby Undarra Lava Tubes. The road surface is much 'friendlier' - especially at the likely tail end of a big wet - mainly sealed with many streams bridged. Good facilities for camping too - each of the named centres has Council Camping Grounds. Thanks for your responses. We did the route you mention in 2009. Came from The Lynd, visited the Undarra Lava Tubes, and then did the Savanah Way all the way through Boroloola, Roper bar to Mataranka. Had a great time. Next year we want to do some of the 'left-over' unsealed tracks, i.e. the ones which we've not yet done on all our earlier trips. The Burke Deveopmental Road is one of those left-over tracks. It doesn't make any sense, because we will come north to Normanton and will go south again through Croydon, i.e. quite a silly loop, but traveling is to enjoy, not to make sense. Thanks for your warning (in your other post) for the possible BIG/long wet. We will see how things are when (if? :-)) we get there. Today we bought a new edition of the HEMA Road and 4WD Atlas, so we can have even more fun preparing our trip. Thanks again. |
Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
"Frank Slootweg" schreef in bericht
... A Mate wrote: On 8/10/2010 4:09 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote: [Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. My recommendation would be to take the Gulf Developmental Road. It's just 60km longer. You would go through Croydon, a regular metropolis at the height of the Gold Rushes; Georgetown, with its excellent Mineral Museum; Mount Surprise, with the nearby Undarra Lava Tubes. The road surface is much 'friendlier' - especially at the likely tail end of a big wet - mainly sealed with many streams bridged. Good facilities for camping too - each of the named centres has Council Camping Grounds. Thanks for your responses. We did the route you mention in 2009. Came from The Lynd, visited the Undarra Lava Tubes, and then did the Savanah Way all the way through Boroloola, Roper bar to Mataranka. Had a great time. Next year we want to do some of the 'left-over' unsealed tracks, i.e. the ones which we've not yet done on all our earlier trips. The Burke Deveopmental Road is one of those left-over tracks. It doesn't make any sense, because we will come north to Normanton and will go south again through Croydon, i.e. quite a silly loop, but traveling is to enjoy, not to make sense. Thanks for your warning (in your other post) for the possible BIG/long wet. We will see how things are when (if? :-)) we get there. Today we bought a new edition of the HEMA Road and 4WD Atlas, so we can have even more fun preparing our trip. Thanks again. Never done the BDR. Were not allowed west of Chillagoe. You can go to Kowanyama, an aboriginal community. Has camping, shop, fuel. See http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/FN...Kowanyama.aspx Click on the town on the map See allso http://www.atn.com.au/qld/north/towns-a.htm. At the bottom the name of the town pops up, maximise an open place. If you do the BDR, try to visit the Tyrconnell Mine north of Dimbulah http://www.tyrconnell.com.au . Has camping spots allso. Probably, you can ask them advise for the road as well. Have fun in preparing. For me it's less than 6 weeks in going D-U |
Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
Chris wrote:
"Frank Slootweg" schreef in bericht ... A Mate wrote: On 8/10/2010 4:09 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote: [Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. My recommendation would be to take the Gulf Developmental Road. It's just 60km longer. You would go through Croydon, a regular metropolis at the height of the Gold Rushes; Georgetown, with its excellent Mineral Museum; Mount Surprise, with the nearby Undarra Lava Tubes. The road surface is much 'friendlier' - especially at the likely tail end of a big wet - mainly sealed with many streams bridged. Good facilities for camping too - each of the named centres has Council Camping Grounds. Thanks for your responses. We did the route you mention in 2009. Came from The Lynd, visited the Undarra Lava Tubes, and then did the Savanah Way all the way through Boroloola, Roper bar to Mataranka. Had a great time. Next year we want to do some of the 'left-over' unsealed tracks, i.e. the ones which we've not yet done on all our earlier trips. The Burke Deveopmental Road is one of those left-over tracks. It doesn't make any sense, because we will come north to Normanton and will go south again through Croydon, i.e. quite a silly loop, but traveling is to enjoy, not to make sense. Thanks for your warning (in your other post) for the possible BIG/long wet. We will see how things are when (if? :-)) we get there. Today we bought a new edition of the HEMA Road and 4WD Atlas, so we can have even more fun preparing our trip. Thanks again. Never done the BDR. Were not allowed west of Chillagoe. You can go to Kowanyama, an aboriginal community. Has camping, shop, fuel. See http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/FN...Kowanyama.aspx Click on the town on the map See allso http://www.atn.com.au/qld/north/towns-a.htm. At the bottom the name of the town pops up, maximise an open place. If you do the BDR, try to visit the Tyrconnell Mine north of Dimbulah http://www.tyrconnell.com.au . Has camping spots allso. Probably, you can ask them advise for the road as well. Have fun in preparing. For me it's less than 6 weeks in going D-U Hi Chris, Thanks for your response and pointers. I already had the ExplorOz TrekNotes, but the others are new and very welcome. Out of interest, why were you not allowed west of Chillagoe? Was that due to travel restrictions from your rental company? Thanks again and have fun in Oz! |
Camping on the Burke Developmental Road?
"Frank Slootweg" schreef in bericht ... Chris wrote: "Frank Slootweg" schreef in bericht ... A Mate wrote: On 8/10/2010 4:09 AM, Frank Slootweg wrote: [Since this group is dead as a doornail, I might as well take this opportunity to ask questions and see if there are still any subscribers/lurkers.] Has anyone driven the Burke Developmental Road (in Northern Queensland, from Normanton to Chillagoe)? If so: - Is it a worthwhile trip (considering that we like the outback, wide open spaces, etc.)? - How about camping, both in the wild (i.e. beside the road, on a rest area, on a parking stop) and on some form of official campground (for example on the property of a homestead, etc.)? - Any other info? FYI, we will be there around early April and will betravelling in a 4WD campervan. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. My recommendation would be to take the Gulf Developmental Road. It's just 60km longer. You would go through Croydon, a regular metropolis at the height of the Gold Rushes; Georgetown, with its excellent Mineral Museum; Mount Surprise, with the nearby Undarra Lava Tubes. The road surface is much 'friendlier' - especially at the likely tail end of a big wet - mainly sealed with many streams bridged. Good facilities for camping too - each of the named centres has Council Camping Grounds. Thanks for your responses. We did the route you mention in 2009. Came from The Lynd, visited the Undarra Lava Tubes, and then did the Savanah Way all the way through Boroloola, Roper bar to Mataranka. Had a great time. Next year we want to do some of the 'left-over' unsealed tracks, i.e. the ones which we've not yet done on all our earlier trips. The Burke Deveopmental Road is one of those left-over tracks. It doesn't make any sense, because we will come north to Normanton and will go south again through Croydon, i.e. quite a silly loop, but traveling is to enjoy, not to make sense. Thanks for your warning (in your other post) for the possible BIG/long wet. We will see how things are when (if? :-)) we get there. Today we bought a new edition of the HEMA Road and 4WD Atlas, so we can have even more fun preparing our trip. Thanks again. Never done the BDR. Were not allowed west of Chillagoe. You can go to Kowanyama, an aboriginal community. Has camping, shop, fuel. See http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/FN...Kowanyama.aspx Click on the town on the map See allso http://www.atn.com.au/qld/north/towns-a.htm. At the bottom the name of the town pops up, maximise an open place. If you do the BDR, try to visit the Tyrconnell Mine north of Dimbulah http://www.tyrconnell.com.au . Has camping spots allso. Probably, you can ask them advise for the road as well. Have fun in preparing. For me it's less than 6 weeks in going D-U Hi Chris, Thanks for your response and pointers. I already had the ExplorOz TrekNotes, but the others are new and very welcome. Out of interest, why were you not allowed west of Chillagoe? Was that due to travel restrictions from your rental company? Thanks again and have fun in Oz! Due to travel restrictions. We were at friends in Cairns for 10 days and Europcar-Subaru/Forrester was allowed on gravel roads but limited to Laura and Chillagoe. |
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