Thread: How far up Cape York can you get a big truck (4x4)?

What abandoned resort?
I dont remember any resort from our trip in the 90,s let alone an abandoned one.

The abandoned resort is behind the open gate with the no entry sign just off the track to the final car park. Drive through it and you can follow a track to the headland, where our group camped overlooking the ocean (see photo).

The other photo shows a truck driven by a German couple who had been through Africa and shipped it over here. They headed up the OTT and then to the tip. The last bit after the Croc Tent is a bit narrow in places, but not a problem for a careful driver.

Hmmm - OK. Well that Unimog would be well over 3m high, so looks like big 4x4 trucks can do the rough track!

I just assumed that the overhanging foliage would be the main problem, and maybe the narrowness of the tracks cut by normal sized 4WDs.

Thanks for all the feedback.
David

That's OK. Mind you, I didn't actually see them go through the OTT, so they probably did scrape a bit, but the truck had plenty of kays up and they didn't seem too worried about a few scrapes.

Originally Posted by Timj

Yes, they are all on the OTT (Old or Overland Telegraph Track) which follows the original telegraph lines. The peninsula development road is the one you can drive trucks on and is frankly a fairly boring, badly corrugated dirt road up the Jardine Ferry.

Have a look at a Hema Cape York map or such like and you will see.

Cheers,

TimJ.

The other side of the Jardine isn't too flash either,depends when the graders been on the whole road.I shouldn't imagine you would get over to Somerset on the east side ( a terrific camping spot..with a spring for fresh water) the road narrows in places and there is a narrow bridge.Access from the road to where to camp at Somerset is a bit of a winding one but if you can drive you will get down ( 3 point turns).It might be better now as it's 6 years since I was there.Once you get somewhere and set up camp,you aren't too eager to do the return journey for the road can be badly corrugated and very dusty, in other words 2000 k's of hell for your vehicle. I asked a B double in front of me bound for Weipa how long does their suspension last... the answer about a month.They are hell to pass with the amount of dust they kick up.
John
John.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

Go on Slug Burner, ask me what a 1700 is........

ok what is a 1700?

Is that a 5 pm bus?

We did have the canopy off probably for two reasons, it may have got a bit hot under it but was told it was to prevent it from tearing as we did have to duck a few tree branches.

I keep being told that they are getting a bit rusty with the floors falling out of the cabs, is that true? or is that only the ones used to do LCM 8 landings? and not washed down afterwards!

Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

How much different to a 1750?

not much about 90% parts interchangeability

wider tyres

taller top gear and a bit more speed on the flat but it runs out of go with a trailer or a hill so bogs down faster.

a lot of the 1750s have AC, being a RAAF only varient.

Originally Posted by slug_burner

ok what is a 1700?

Its the Army varient of the mog...

it is NOT a fun trip to the tracks but once you're on them



sung in that Julie Andrews way "its superhyprefreakyexponentiallyawesome"

Originally Posted by PhilipA

BTW the Aussie Adventures 4X4 Mitsubishi buses get right to the car park and onto the "beach" so a Unimog will have no trouble at all with clearance.

This Aussie Adventures?

[QUOTE=DiscoMick;1810634]The abandoned resort is behind the open gate with the no entry sign just off the track to the final car park. Drive through it and you can follow a track to the headland, where our group camped overlooking the ocean (see photo).

That abandoned resort is the Old Cape Wilderness lodge which was handed to the local aboriginal community to run and was left to go to wrack and ruin. I am not being racist just relating things how it happened...shame.