Thread: Philip A On the way to Cape York

pics?

Originally Posted by MEANZ06

pics?

X 2

Mrs hh

Careful crossing the Mitchell River at Dunbar. Got badly bogged in the river in my D2 ther 10 years ago. Very soft sand. Of course it could all be improved now.

Yes pics please....

Well here we are in Weipa with a signal. not much to Photograph yet except shots of Cobbold Gorge and Undara lava tubes and the cute little Mareeba rock Wallabies.
Really bad dust from all the traffic to the extent that my unifilter pre filter socks last 1 day before becoming clogged. Have lost 1 spotlight to a stone. The roads have been 80% excellent and 20 % corrugated and rutted. lots of shallow water in dips and 80% of dips are good but 20% walking pace. trouble is you don't know which is which.
I cleaned out the dust from the camper wheels before and I reckon about half a kilogram in each wheel.
The news from the OTT from those returning is that all the crossings are really chopped up by the 35 inch wheel crowd. Palm creek is impassable Apparently, but we shall see I guess. lots of logs thrown in and chewing tyres up. Tomorrow to Bramwell Junction so will have a look at Palm creek then.
The old RRC is going well except for it using oil due to a leaking front seal. The damn thing is new so when I pulled the whole thing apart to put the timing gear the correct way around I must have nicked it. I have a spare but damned if I am going to do it up here.
Next report will be from Punsand and maybe some pics.
Regards Philip A

Originally Posted by PhilipA

Well Philip A and SWMBO are currently at Fairbairn Dam near Emerald, next stop Charters Towers, then Undara, then Cobbold Gorge, then across to Normanton and Karumba.
From there I hope to take the short cut from Dunbar across to the Development Road , but as at 12/6 Carpentaria Shire reckons it is closed. I will check again in Normanton.
The old girl is going well ( the 92RRC that is), but boy it was cold at the Warrumbungles, Moree, Surat and Carnarvon Gorge. I am afraid we chickened and got a powered site to run the little $15 fan heater, as it was between 0c and 1 .
I am using the Iphone 3Gs as a modem and she is going well.

Regards Philip A

In 09 we cut across from Hann River Roadhouse for the leg to Normanton 700ks via Fairview and Kimba Rd camping just before the Mitchell River, coming out onto the developemental rd around Maramie, one of the properties has closed access and we had to divert, pretty sure it's near Dunbar where the property is closed now.

The guy at Hann River did mention something about it, maybe give them a call also.

Have fun, Baz.

here we are at Loyalty Beach after camping 2 nights at Eliot/Twin Falls then attempting the Northern OTT.

Attachment 37431
The rough exit of canal creek looking back

Attachment 37432




Attachment 37433
Mistake creek south entry . no hope of going back

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Attachment 37435
First creek after Eliot North is canal creek which has a very Macho cut up exit,I didn't see the chicken track so up the 200 meters of white wet rough clay stuff. Got hung up on the traler then reversed out, and then managed all the way, only losing a mudflap and crunching the trailer water tank guard.
Next is Sam Creek which is quite rough, but no problems
The detour to the bypass road just precedes Mistake creek. Once you pass the detour turn off you only have about 50 metres to change your mind and I just missed the opportunity.Mistake has about a 20 metre drop in which is wet , loose and eroded, and I knew there was no way I could get back up.
Into Cannibal Creek , which turns 360 and has a very rough exitand is quite deep unless you stay VERY tight to the edge. New noise after this one , and I thought i had done an engine mount , but was a blade broken off the fan.
Over the Cypress creek bridge and on to Logan creek. This is where we stopped as it was 1 metre plus., so we didn't make it to Nolans Brook.
So we had to return Knowing there was no way up the south of Mistake creek.
When we got there someone came over the CB and asked if I was attempting and I in turn asked, "anyone got a winch". One of the guys had a winch so the quickest way was to go as far as I could, which was rear bumper and trailer jammed in the muck, and from there a single line pull with assist . Pulled up at teh top and investigated the fan and found the broken blade and also had blown the fuse to the fridge, compressor etc, as the plug on the rear bumper must have shorted underwater, as it soon came good. Unbelievably I was able to get some more Maxi blades in Seisia after I blew a couple of spares.

So onward across the link track to the Northern Bypass and into Loyalty at Seisia. And SWMBO loved every minute!

So the only rela damage is one mudflap, fan blade set which for the moment seems happy with a blade cut off the other side, and a dent in the LR tank and trailer water tank Guard, as well as my fitting for the TV antenna and worm clip holding my axe on the trailer drawbar being ripped off.
Regards Philip A

I am now at punsand and only tapa. Anyone livecooktown or around who can receive fan blades? Am on beach for reception looking out for crocs.

roverrescue lives in cooktown iirc