On the 3rd July I asked for comment on the above route
I am pleased to say that I have done it, left Cairns and headed up the hill to Kuranda steep in places but if you take your time you will be ok. There are slow vehicle lanes but are very short in distance, I did it once and other drivers didn't let me back in not fun doing a start on a hill towing a 21 foot caravan
Continued to Atherton, Ravenshoe where I filled the car as I was unsure with Diesel in this area, Innot Hot Springs, Mt Garnet. Shortly after Mt Garnet I turned off and headed toward Undara to visit the Lava Tubes see web site below
www.undara.com.au
After leaving Undara I drove south toward Charters Towers, stopping again for diesel at Greenvale, there were reports that this servo is closed - I can assure all that it is opened and doing a good business
I free camped at Fletchers Creek about 40k north of Charters Towers, a great spot divided into 3 areas, the main area had hot and cold showers and a dump point BYO water is a must
The road is generally good very narrow in places as in 1 lane only, there are trucks that use this road so you do have to be careful
In paces and for memory the are around 23 check points along the route, the idea is that you use your CB to radio other traffic coming towards you where you are and they do the same, obviously if a semi is approaching from the opposite direction you stop and pull off the road there are also narrow bridges as well under the check point system
A problem if the on coming vehicle has not got a CB radio
In summary, yes i would do the drive again as the scenery is good what i saw of it
Hope this helps other motorists thinking of doing the drive
Stay safe
Graham
graeme c said
12:03 PM Aug 1, 2017
Thanks, will be going to mt Surprise next month then to Normanton then Mareeba so some of this will help, only in a small motorhome
Graeme
PeterD said
06:06 PM Aug 1, 2017
Wheels wrote:
In paces and for memory the are around 23 check points along the route, the idea is that you use your CB to radio other traffic coming towards you where you are and they do the same, obviously if a semi is approaching from the opposite direction you stop and pull off the road there are also narrow bridges as well under the check point system
Those 23 check points were put there many years ago when all the road along that stretch was single lane road. The last time I drove it (Sept 2013) the road through most of those points was new 2 lane road and the roadworks were converting the remaining single lane road. I did not feel there was any need to call at those call points.
On the 3rd July I asked for comment on the above route
I am pleased to say that I have done it, left Cairns and headed up the hill to Kuranda steep in places but if you take your time you will be ok. There are slow vehicle lanes but are very short in distance, I did it once and other drivers didn't let me back in not fun doing a start on a hill towing a 21 foot caravan
Continued to Atherton, Ravenshoe where I filled the car as I was unsure with Diesel in this area, Innot Hot Springs, Mt Garnet. Shortly after Mt Garnet I turned off and headed toward Undara to visit the Lava Tubes see web site below
www.undara.com.au
After leaving Undara I drove south toward Charters Towers, stopping again for diesel at Greenvale, there were reports that this servo is closed - I can assure all that it is opened and doing a good business
I free camped at Fletchers Creek about 40k north of Charters Towers, a great spot divided into 3 areas, the main area had hot and cold showers and a dump point BYO water is a must
The road is generally good very narrow in places as in 1 lane only, there are trucks that use this road so you do have to be careful
In paces and for memory the are around 23 check points along the route, the idea is that you use your CB to radio other traffic coming towards you where you are and they do the same, obviously if a semi is approaching from the opposite direction you stop and pull off the road there are also narrow bridges as well under the check point system
A problem if the on coming vehicle has not got a CB radio
In summary, yes i would do the drive again as the scenery is good what i saw of it
Hope this helps other motorists thinking of doing the drive
Stay safe
Graham
Thanks, will be going to mt Surprise next month then to Normanton then Mareeba so some of this will help, only in a small motorhome
Graeme
Those 23 check points were put there many years ago when all the road along that stretch was single lane road. The last time I drove it (Sept 2013) the road through most of those points was new 2 lane road and the roadworks were converting the remaining single lane road. I did not feel there was any need to call at those call points.
Most of the single lane road was on highway 1.