Thread: Man drowns at Sundown NP

Thanks,when i saw the thread,my heart actually missed a beat or two

Particularly as i remember you saying the creek was racing very fast

Being 20yr olds,and bullet proof,you never really know what they are thinking

Anyway,allis good

Good to hear your kids are alright.

Water is a dangerous thing and is often underestimated. But one look at the crossing should have been enough to not even bother. They have had alot more rain down there since we were there.

The cops would have been in their ford territory

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/ccccc/6479...2-23-11-a.html
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/queensland...30-photos.html
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/queensland...ip-report.html

CC

PS
have a read of the original trip organising thread, and see what warnings I gave, and what I said about the place. Everytime I go there some vehicle or person gets broken. The first report for sundown on here I told of someone with a broken leg being airlifted out. It is a very unforgiving place if something goes pear shaped.

PPS
Would love to hear your sons story of their weekend

I agree with you on that one. When i went there the first time, we only had one car, looking back now I tought it was pretty stupid. Thankfully nothing happened and everything went smootly. Will definatly have a convoy next time, something can go wrong so easily.

Originally Posted by Col.Coleman

PPS
Would love to hear your sons story of their weekend

I will try to get him to post up the full storie during the week...........he is never home.......girlfriends,etc............

He said the police had Prados,they had no hope getting up the hill from rats castle,had to get winched up,it was very wet.

Full storie coming soon

This is junior scarrys report of events last weekend at Sundown ......no pics yet.

Me and my mate Saxon arrived at the sundown gate about 11:30pm thursday night. He has a GU 4.2 td (2005) trayback POOtrol with all the whistles and bells.
We headed for Burrows Waterhole from there, and arrived approx 12:30 in the rain. quickly set up a couple of canvas tarps and got some rest.

Friday morning we thought to mark the river level because it was pretty wet. We basically sat around friday did a bit of fishing with no luck (are you allowed to fish in a NP?) because the tarps were tied down to the vehicle. We marked the river level before dark and again during the night and again in the morning. The river had risen 500mm overnight.

Saturday brought a bit of excitement. During the morning we heard a few vehicles driving around and it seemed they were going to rats castle. It was still raining on and off. So we just sat around and did some foot exploring and a bit of swimming. At about 1030, 11, the SES came to visit our camp - quite exciting cause we hadnt seen anyone else yet. They informed us that they were looking for someone after they were last seen going to check the water level (i believe the crossing to rats castle). The 2 people were camped the other side of the river coming in going past burrows waterhole. We waited another hour or so before we decided to drive out to rats and see what was going on as Saxon is an SES member. We drove down the rats track till the first mean hill. Here we were informed the person was found floating approx 800m from where he supposivly was checking the water level. We also found numerous police and SES vehicles getting recovered up that hill. The police had prado's and the SES has a bravo ute. None of which made it up, a landcruiser trayback winched them up - this ute had 2 lockers. We were informed that the official missings person call was issued at approx 6am sat morning. This seems wierd as he would of been checking the water level very early sat morning, maybe even when it was dark. So we dont know the full story. However we had a go at the hill and Saxon needed the lockers but assumed he "ate it up" and also hes got brand new set of toyo open country MT's. These must of helped.

Sunday it was fine no rain! swimming was a great idea. (in the river at burrows) we packed up about 10 am and headed to find the "shute" a supposivly death 4wd track. We found it and once again saxon assumed he "tore it apart". We did go for a walk down to the mines and did some exploring there before heading home.

Saxon clearly needs a defender to compare his pootrol against.

Originally Posted by Col.Coleman

Oh No.

This will only lead to one thing. Closures.

For those without the brains to look after themselves.

It is a loop track with no REAL NEED to do it if the the river is in that condition other than bravado and stupidity. Bit high a price to pay.

CC

........and he lost the harvested crop too.

Originally Posted by The ho har's

scarry's son is down there this weekend wonder if he knew the man


Mrs ho har

That was my dad that drowned

Wow, when we were in sundown last year the river crossing was a boulder hopping exercise! At that time the drought was still in full swing and there was just a pretty unimpressive lagoon there.