Cairns to Tamworth - road advice please

[Ean Austral]

Gday All,

Our youngest daughter has taken a job in Tamworth and is driving there from Cairns. Looking at a map there seems like 2 route's , the coast road down to Brisbane or there about's then cut in , OR inland thru Emerald and down a more central route. I am sure this route would be a few hundred ks shorter but not sure if any faster.


I have only driven the inland route twice , both times in road trains and not in the last 18 months, but from memory it had less traffic but more trucks. I didn't think the road was all that bad but was hard to tell when I had been on pretty average roads down from Normanton.


So my question is this , she is only driving a smallish car so which route would be the best option, she is on a time restraint but not to the point where she has to be stupid about it.


If anyone has been out that way recently, or even driven the main coast route recently can you give me an idea on what you think.



Thanks and Cheers Ean

[V8Ian]

If it was me I'd be going Mt Garnet, Charters Towers, Rollston, Roma, Surat, The Gums (don't miss it, just a pub at a cross road), Goondiwindi, Warialda, Tamworth.

Get her to text you when she arrives and leaves each major town. If she breaks down you can narrow down the rescue area, in a timely manner.

[Ean Austral]

Thanks Ian ,

mum has already layed down the rules about keeping in contact , but good advice none the less. I will look on a map when I get home at the route you suggest .

thanks and Cheers Ean

[jonesfam]

I concur with Ian.
That route is pretty good.
Less traffic (Grey Nomads?), trucks are on both roads, shorter & towns.
A minus maybe less towns, if she wants regular breaks, more wild life & stock & towns are further apart in general.

My Daughter did Townsville to St George in 2001 9she was 23 then) in a 2 door Vitara & had no issues at all.

Jonesfam

[87County]

Ian's above route is all sealed and good width at least from Charters Towers to Tamworth. The loneliest in those sections is CT to Rolliston

Ean see PM

[numpty]

For what it's worth, I also agree with Ian's route.

[DiscoMick]

Better roads and more to see on the coast, also less isolated. But the inland route would be quieter and scenic. How big a hurry? Does she want to be a tourist or just get there fast?

[Ean Austral]

Better roads and more to see on the coast, also less isolated. But the inland route would be quieter and scenic. How big a hurry? Does she want to be a tourist or just get there fast?

she has allowed herself 5 days , but it won't be a tourist drive. My guess is most direct route without having the pressure of having to push it .

Cheers Ean

[V8Ian]

A couple of alternative would be south to Israel, then up the Palmerston, avoiding Kuranda or the Gillies.
Or south to Townsville then onto Charters Towers, this will avoid the narrow bitumen between Forty Mile and the top of Herveys Range. Are the zinc trucks still thundering up and down that section?

[Tins]

Ian's above route is all sealed and good width at least from Charters Towers to Tamworth. The loneliest in those sections is CT to Rolliston

Ean see PM

Yep, and there can be stock on the road through there, so no driving at night. Probably best not to drive at night anywhere on that route. But I agree, Ian has nailed it.

[Ean Austral]

Yep, and there can be stock on the road through there, so no driving at night. Probably best not to drive at night anywhere on that route. But I agree, Ian has nailed it.

I have warned her about the amount of animals out that way and that she needs to be off the road an hour before dark, she does seem to have allowed herself enough time for daylight only driving.
The last roadtrain I drove thru there still has the dents in the fuel tank from the suicide roo that attacked it near the injune range :bat:


Cheers Ean

[Tins]

I have warned her about the amount of animals out that way and that she needs to be off the road an hour before dark, she does seem to have allowed herself enough time for daylight only driving.
The last roadtrain I drove thru there still has the dents in the fuel tank from the suicide roo that attacked it near the injune range :bat:


Cheers Ean

124959

Cow. about 60 km north of Emerald. Don't look much, but the bugger nearly had me over. The steps are bent as well, as is the floor under the toolbox.

You can still see it's hair on the two guards over the drive.

[V8Ian]

I have warned her about the amount of animals out that way and that she needs to be off the road an hour before dark, she does seem to have allowed herself enough time for daylight only driving.
The last roadtrain I drove thru there still has the dents in the fuel tank from the suicide roo that attacked it near the injune range :bat:


Cheers EanThe steps and the stairs, not much room to avoid errant hoppers there. [bigsad]

[Tins]

The steps and the stairs, not much room to avoid errant hoppers there. [bigsad]

None at all.

[donh54]

The steps and the stairs, not much room to avoid errant hoppers there. [bigsad]
Best done in daylight :-) best bet is to follow a truck, far enough back to avoid anything that comes out underneath. If she times things right, she should pull up at a motel about an hour before dark - time to stretch the legs with a stroll around town before tea.
If she does it at a sensible pace, she should enjoy the trip.

[V8Ian]

124959

Cow. about 60 km north of Emerald. Don't look much, but the bugger nearly had me over. The steps are bent as well, as is the floor under the toolbox.

You can still see it's hair on the two guards over the drive.
Slumming it in a Fruitliner eh? [bigrolf]

[Tins]

Slumming it in a Fruitliner eh? [bigrolf]

Horrible POS.

[Tins]

Horrible POS.

I did a few runs from Syd to Townsville. Bloke wouldn't let me take the Scania, he was worried about AdBlue. I said I could tale it in bottles, but he wouldn't hear of it, as he was paying 75c a litre for it, and bottles cost about $3 a litre. He's nuts, 'cos the Scania used far less diesel than any of his stupid fruitliners did. He ran detroits.

[V8Ian]

I did a few runs from Syd to Townsville. Bloke wouldn't let me take the Scania, he was worried about AdBlue. I said I could tale it in bottles, but he wouldn't hear of it, as he was paying 75c a litre for it, and bottles cost about $3 a litre. He's nuts, 'cos the Scania used far less diesel than any of his stupid fruitliners did. He ran detroits.
Not much choice with them, F/L, W/S, Mitsi and Detroit are all owned by Merc. At least a Cummins can be optioned on the Star, albeit expensively.

[Tins]

Not much choice with them, F/L, W/S, Mitsi and Detroit are all owned by Merc. At least a Cummins can be optioned on the Star, albeit expensively.

Yep. My yank engine of choice was Cat, but we know what happened there.

[V8Ian]

Yep. My yank engine of choice was Cat, but we know what happened there.
My first preference was Cummins, but the couple of Cats I've had didn't disappoint.

[jonesfam]

5 Days will be plenty of time.
Jonesfam
PS Bloody Hi-jacking Truck Drivers.[bigsmile1]

[V8Ian]

5 Days will be plenty of time.
Jonesfam
PS Bloody Hi-jacking Truck Drivers.[bigsmile1]
Do you want your groceries delivered on time next week? :bat: :tease:

[jonesfam]

Do you want your groceries delivered on time next week? :bat: :tease:

Ian
Our truck driver & I have the perfect working arrangement.
He complains about me, my suppliers & how much I have him carry.

I complain about him, dust in his truck & that he hasn't bought everything I ordered.

So, we get on very well unless either of us are running late.
BTW He is a Western Star bloke. I tell him it's not a proper truck because there is no dog on the bonnet.

[Toxic_Avenger]

I complain about him, dust in his truck & that he hasn't bought everything I ordered.


To be fair, he's there for business not pleasure... Surely his groceries would spoil before he returns home.

[V8Ian]

Ian
Our truck driver & I have the perfect working arrangement.
He complains about me, my suppliers & how much I have him carry.

I complain about him, dust in his truck & that he hasn't bought everything I ordered.

So, we get on very well unless either of us are running late.
BTW He is a Western Star bloke. I tell him it's not a proper truck because there is no dog on the bonnet.
Why would you want to look up a dog's dot all day? :no2:

[donh54]

Why would you want to look up a dog's dot all day? :no2:

Slim said it well.....

Gonna take my dog for a run,
Gonna take my dog for a run,
She runs on 22 wheels and weighs 42 ton,
Foot goes down, she's a whole lot of fun,
500 horses make this Bulldog run.
I'm gonna take my dog for a run ......

Just delivered a brand new Superliner the other day - 685 horses, better than the new T409 I'm in today and Monday morning, and waaaaay better than the ACCO garbage compactor I was in on Thursday [tonguewink]

[Lionelgee]

Hello Ean & All,

The other good thing is that your daughter will have some very friendly Land Rover types to make contact with during her stay in Tamworth. I caught up with a great bunch of people when I was in town visiting my family members who are based there last year.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[V8Ian]

Slim said it well.....

Gonna take my dog for a run,
Gonna take my dog for a run,
She runs on 22 wheels and weighs 42 ton,
Foot goes down, she's a whole lot of fun,
500 horses make this Bulldog run.
I'm gonna take my dog for a run ......

Just delivered a brand new Superliner the other day - 685 horses, better than the new T409 I'm in today and Monday morning, and waaaaay better than the ACCO garbage compactor I was in on Thursday [tonguewink]
MP 10 Volvo power with mDrive, also Volvo with a different gearbox programme. [bighmmm]

[donh54]

MP 10 Volvo power with mDrive, also Volvo with a different gearbox programme. [bighmmm]

Yep! But they skinned a bulldog, and hung the hide on it!!! [biggrin][thumbsupbig][bigrolf]

[V8Ian]

Yep! But they skinned a bulldog, and hung the hide on it!!! [biggrin][thumbsupbig][bigrolf]
They did it the wrong way round. They should've ditched the dog's kennel and combined the Swedish shed with the Mack oily bits.

[donh54]

That mDrive was probably the best auto-shifter I've driven in a US truck so far.

[V8Ian]

That mDrive was probably the best auto-shifter I've driven in a US truck so far.
Give me a Roadie or Mack 18 anytime.
The auto works better in the Volvo than the Mack, same box, different software.

[donh54]

Just brought a T610 down from Townsville, with an Eaton autoshift. Bloody horrible when you're bobtail. Still thinks you have a b-double on, won't let you lift off in anything other than 2nd gear!

[Ean Austral]

Well she made it . Arrived in Tamworth late this arvo . She tells me all went well , only problem was the pet fish never made it , must have got car sick [tonguewink]. The dog survived so that's the main thing.

thanks to all who offered help if needed , my wife and me are very grateful , firstly that we had so many offers from people we had never met , but mostly because it wasn't needed.


thanks and Cheers Ean

[Tins]

Just brought a T610 down from Townsville, with an Eaton autoshift. Bloody horrible when you're bobtail. Still thinks you have a b-double on, won't let you lift off in anything other than 2nd gear!

Ride so well bobtail as well.

[V8Ian]

Did you get her personal effects sorted, Ean?

[Ean Austral]

Did you get her personal effects sorted, Ean?

Yes thanks Ian, She decided to sell a lot , and Bradley came to the rescue with what was left. Just means she wont have her motorbike to ride for a week or too , but that's a small price to pay me thinks. Guess that means I will have to drive 1 of his trucks for a trip next time he is stuck .That's going to be hard to take.[bigwhistle][bigwhistle]



Cheers Ean

[numpty]

Well she made it . Arrived in Tamworth late this arvo . She tells me all went well , only problem was the pet fish never made it , must have got car sick [tonguewink]. The dog survived so that's the main thing.

thanks to all who offered help if needed , my wife and me are very grateful , firstly that we had so many offers from people we had never met , but mostly because it wasn't needed.


thanks and Cheers Ean

Good to hear Ean.

She's probably not interested, but our Tamworth chapter of Land Rover owners have our monthly get together this Thursday afternoon.

Perry

[Ean Austral]

Good to hear Ean.

She's probably not interested, but our Tamworth chapter of Land Rover owners have our monthly get together this Thursday afternoon.

Perry

thanks but wouldn't think it would be her thing. I will keep that in mind when the boss and me are passing thru whenever that may be.

Cheers Ean

[The ho har's]

thanks but wouldn't think it would be her thing. I will keep that in mind when the boss and me are passing thru whenever that may be.

Cheers Ean

They are a nice bunch of land types Ean, and so are we if you pass this way:ohyes:

Mrs hh