I've been told by a couple of people that the Weipa Road is now bitumen. Has anyone travelled to Weipa recently? If it is not bitumen is it only suitable for 4 wheel drive?
Actually, I was talking to an old friend at Portland Roads last night, and he says the roads are so much improved these days up the Cape, that I'd be able to drive up in my Toyota Hi-ace, no trouble.
Didn't say that Bill. Just that I should be able to make it. Mind you, when I do try it, I'll make sure I go at the beginning of the season, before the Corrugations get too bad. The road is very much improved from what it was like last time I was up there. There's even a Bridge over the Wenlock now.
Back then, there only used to be about 2-3 thousand "Terrorists" go up every year. Very different to the thousands that go now.
I have done a number of times in 4wds and the collagations were bad, but the trip was worth it.You really need a 4wd to get to those out of the way places, and take lots of spares as they are trple and more at the cape. A good solid 2wd should make it, if you keep to the penninsula development road. Bill
I very much doubt it is bitumen all the way to Weipa. We were last there in 2009 and there was still about 550km of unsurfaced road (from just south of Laura).
We did the Cape in July. No, it is not sealed into Weipa but a good dirt road (as far as we countryites are concerned). A woman from Sydney whiom we met on way up at our first night camped at Kennedy Rv stated (THE ROADS ARE ATROCIOUS ALL THE WAY UP). Well we decided to make our own assement as we went. The Portlands road was,in parts, corrugated but had to change gears many times because of many corners & entering gullies. The water in the rivers was about 10" deep. Small parts sealed. We were up there in 2009 & the roads have had major work with more being done all the time. I think that the worst for driving on were nth of the Jardine. The raod in Captain Billhy;'s LAnding was OK. SOme water in gullies & narrow in parts.There are 5kl long sections of sealed to be used as passing lanes. There are still "idiots" who will not use their headlights & the dust is just Awful. Call tham on UHF asking them to put lights on, especially if travelling in a convoy, & you are either not answered or told where to go in not nice language. Jardine river ferry was onlhy reopened yesterday after being out of order for a week. Have a photo of a semi head first into the water on the north side.! Basically the roads are good to perfect dirt highways, which encourages speeding motorists, worst luck in the dusty conditions.
We were heading nth the last few days of the school hols & the traffic coming south was like Queen st!
-- Edited by Oma on Sunday 16th of September 2012 10:26:55 AM