It always pays to take a jerry can of fuel when in remote areas, just in case.... We have a long range tank, and we did take our jerry can. Didnt really need it. But in saying that we did pass a station that had no diesel at that time.
And yes there are places to stay, but not everywhere. Ranging from dongas to 5 star accommodation. your homework and research on where you want to go and what you want to see. google travel to Cape York and you will get allsorts of info to help you with your trip
We had a good trip and it is well worth doing, which ever part you do......
Jerry can for emergencies, always. Might be for you, might assist another. Buy fuel when you see it or stop. Only you know your vehicle and it's consumption really. I'd take a tent or similar plus bedding. It gives choices. Enjoy!.
Yep and some clean water . Just don't mix the container!! Lol Theres fuel stations out there . But even through the centre . Some run out of fuel . For a couple of days . Always pays to fill when you can ?? Yes its tempting if your like me and think itll be cheaper further on !!
Having extra fuel gives you more options especially if you decide to do a side trip. More peace of mind as the very least. I use 10L tanks as the 20L is too heavy.
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I carry a jerry can of fuel and only ever had to rely on it once when one roadhouse was waiting on a fuel delivery and the next one the generator was down.
no great emergency was in no hurry could have waited it out
Your question was whether you need to take extra fuel to Cape York. Without knowing your itinerary and vehicle fuel consumption I can not say for certain. I have driven from Cairns to the tip on four occasions with lots of side trips off the Development Road and never took extra fuel and had no problems. Depending on where you want to stay you will not need a tent but do book accommodation in advance as it can be very busy..
We have just returned from the tip there is plenty of fuel stops along the way , yes they can run out of fuel or their diesel generator may have issues although we didnt find that , but it can happen .
By all means take a Gerry of fuel for your own peace of mind .
For our own peace of mind though we topped up at most of them but we carry 180 L of fuel in two tanks so it wasnt such a big deal for us, plus it averages out the price of fuel , dearest we found was $1.99.
There are places with accommodations but not all , we recommend Bramwell Station for the night and book in for tea and the show $90 I think it was for two but worth every cent great night of entertainment and meal , there is no fuel there but just up the road is Bramwell junction and it does .
We towed our off road camper up with no issues but please drive to the conditions dont join the wankers going at break neck speeds zooming past in the dust , there are idiots everywhere .
We saw standard caravans doing it but dont know how they got through some of the creek crossings wouldnt recommend it , however there was also quite a few semi and off road caravans doing it ok , just drive sensible and its ok , yes there are lots of corrugated sections some bits pretty bad but overall we didnt find them as bad as some think they are but I grew up on gravel and sandy roads so Im used to them and know how to drive them, and no I didnt let the tyres down .
Lots of campers and roof top campers and a few in tents also .
-- Edited by Woody n Sue on Thursday 22nd of August 2019 08:16:56 AM
When the power of Love becomes greater than the love of power the World will see peace ! 24ft Trailblazer 5th wheeler n 05 Patrol ute and Black Series Dominator camper trailer ( for the rough stuff)
don't forget to go over to the Torres Strait. too many people go all that way and don't visit. plenty of history on T.I and Horn Island, spend a bit of time over there.
don't forget to go over to the Torres Strait. too many people go all that way and don't visit. plenty of history on T.I and Horn Island, spend a bit of time over there.
We saw standard caravans doing it but dont know how they got through some of the creek crossings wouldnt recommend it , however there was also quite a few semi and off road caravans doing it ok , just drive sensible and its ok , yes there are lots of corrugated sections some bits pretty bad but overall we didnt find them as bad as some think they are but I grew up on gravel and sandy roads so Im used to them and know how to drive them, and no I didnt let the tyres down .
Woody, I'm interested in that last comment, as I didn't grow up on gravel and sandy roads, and thought the conventional wisdom was always to lower tyre pressures a bit, so why didn't you? Thanks.
-- Edited by Mamil on Saturday 24th of August 2019 01:58:55 PM
If you can carry a jerry can safely, it is always peace of mind that you have 20-22L of fuel spare.
We scraped into Innaminka once when we had the camper trailer with the fuel gauge in the red & 11L in a Jerry on the trailer. I failed to take into account the drag that sand on the road affected the planned fuel consumption. I filled up at Winton, took 50L at Diamentina NP when you could buy it there.
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Mamil ok this can be a touchy subject on some forums however this Is my thoughts on the subject .
Let me start by saying if needed I would let them down a bit if I were truly stuck in SAND but only in order to get out and straight away re inflate them .
That said the reasoning behind my thoughts are this ,
The Suspention is there to give the desired ride , make it hard / stiff it you want it to handle like a race car ,
however if you want it to provide a smooth ride on corrugated roads you need a much softer Suspention set up, one that can cary the load but yet soft enough to ride over the corrugations .
Tyres are there to hold the air which carries the load , yes the air caries the load not the tyre , and of course to give contact with the road , and traction if a drive tyre .
They are constructed to carry a certain load at a certain air pressure, when you let the air out the walls flex much more that they were designed to withstand , but , also it allows the tyre wall to bulge out wider than the tread width exposing them to rocks sticks ect and as a direct result of this extra flexing increased heat which eventually causes the tyre construction to start to seperate , bang goes the tyre , maybe not today but it sure as hell will eventually.
The experts that preach let the air out , well , they are not buying the tyres are they , and they, Dont follow through the life of the tyre to know if it fails early.
My brother sells, repairs and fits tyres we are farmers I could show you dozens of tractor tyres with 90-95% tread left with stuffed walls under 2000 hours , that have been set up by machinery dealers for optimal traction running low air pressures 10-12 psi , now these tyres are worth $1800 to $2500 some even much more each and there are 8 yes eight of them on a tractor , yet those smart enough to run 18 - 22 psi get to wear the treads down or sell it with the original tyres on it 6000 + hours .
As you can probably guess the subject of tyre pressures come up often up there on the cape and many other outback places I have met others that agree and also do not let their tyres down like me and have had no problems, I have been called a lier and told that I have let my tyres down , and they can not be persuaded that I am telling the truth when I say I have never let my tyres down on a gravel road no matter how rough, some people just dont seem to be able to accept that there can be another way to do things different from their way.
My advice is to drive to the prevailing road conditions, generally there is a speed that gives an acceptable ride ,and will get you there in reasonable time and safely , and thats never a speed faster than your experience and skills as a driver .
Woody
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When the power of Love becomes greater than the love of power the World will see peace ! 24ft Trailblazer 5th wheeler n 05 Patrol ute and Black Series Dominator camper trailer ( for the rough stuff)
Mamil ok this can be a touchy subject on some forums however this Is my thoughts on the subject .
Let me start by saying if needed I would let them down a bit if I were truly stuck in SAND but only in order to get out and straight away re inflate them .
That said the reasoning behind my thoughts are this ,
The Suspention is there to give the desired ride , make it hard / stiff it you want it to handle like a race car ,
however if you want it to provide a smooth ride on corrugated roads you need a much softer Suspention set up, one that can cary the load but yet soft enough to ride over the corrugations .
Tyres are there to hold the air which carries the load , yes the air caries the load not the tyre , and of course to give contact with the road , and traction if a drive tyre .
They are constructed to carry a certain load at a certain air pressure, when you let the air out the walls flex much more that they were designed to withstand , but , also it allows the tyre wall to bulge out wider than the tread width exposing them to rocks sticks ect and as a direct result of this extra flexing increased heat which eventually causes the tyre construction to start to seperate , bang goes the tyre , maybe not today but it sure as hell will eventually.
The experts that preach let the air out , well , they are not buying the tyres are they , and they, Dont follow through the life of the tyre to know if it fails early.
My brother sells, repairs and fits tyres we are farmers I could show you dozens of tractor tyres with 90-95% tread left with stuffed walls under 2000 hours , that have been set up by machinery dealers for optimal traction running low air pressures 10-12 psi , now these tyres are worth $1800 to $2500 some even much more each and there are 8 yes eight of them on a tractor , yet those smart enough to run 18 - 22 psi get to wear the treads down or sell it with the original tyres on it 6000 + hours .
excellent advice only deflate for circumstances then reinflate as soon as practical As you can probably guess the subject of tyre pressures come up often up there on the cape and many other outback places I have met others that agree and also do not let their tyres down like me and have had no problems, I have been called a lier and told that I have let my tyres down , and they can not be persuaded that I am telling the truth when I say I have never let my tyres down on a gravel road no matter how rough, some people just dont seem to be able to accept that there can be another way to do things different from their way.
My advice is to drive to the prevailing road conditions, generally there is a speed that gives an acceptable ride ,and will get you there in reasonable time and safely , and thats never a speed faster than your experience and skills as a driver .
