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Thread: Travelling in North Queensland with a Slide-on Camper

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    Advanced harrythomas's Avatar
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    Travelling in North Queensland with a Slide-on Camper

    Is there anyone who has driven their tray back with a slide on camper fitted from the Daintree to Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track or from Cooktown to Musgrave via Lakefield Road. I would like to give it a go in October and I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has tried it.

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    Travelling Podologist Cuppa's Avatar
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    It’s hard to see much detail of your rig in your avatar pic, it might help if you posted a larger pic. From what I can make out it does look very tall. I haven’t driven the Bloomfield track, but have ridden it on a motorcycle. It is a track which in the dry was ‘easy’ on the bikes, but I would imagine there would be some sections which could be tough going if wet. From memory there are tight sections where trees overhanging could be potentially be a problem with the height of your vehicle, but maybe others who have been up that way more recently might have better recollection. it was ’08 when I was up there. None of the creek crossings had steep entries or exits. Depths would vary according to weather. The steeper hills have concrete strips laid for traction, so they wouldn’t be too difficult, but there was one particular hill I recall which had deep ruts & potholes leading up to a blind & narrow corner. (no concrete). On the bikes we had the ‘luxury’ of keeping left, but I recall thinking I wouldn’t want to be bringing a bigger vehicle through here & meeting someone coming around the corner in the other direction. You would use 4wd & low range.

    People tow trailers up there, so it’s not in the ‘super hard’ category, but I do wonder if you might struggle with height.

    Whether you end up going up to Cooktown via the Bloomfield Track or via the bitumen (both are great) make sure you allocate a couple of nights camping at ‘Home Rule” accessed from Rossville, just south of the Lions Den. A really top grassy camping spot with rare access to the real Daintree rain forest (without boardwalks & railings), & great swimming at a beautiful forest waterfall.

    2006 4.2TDi ex-Telstra Remote area Camper. 425w roof mounted solar, 360Ah Aux batts, BCDC1240, Onboard hot & cold pressurised & filtered water, (25 litre hot water calorifier), ARB fridge, ARB freezer, Built in kitchen, heaps of easy access storage, 240v, 3” Genie exhaust + dynotune, 2” lift, 3900kg GVM upgrade, second glovebox, ROH Blaktrak steel wheels, Bridgestone D697's (now Toyo RT's), Redarc gauges/pillarpod, Hema HX-1, Icom 450 CB, dual rear view cameras, Onboard 30amp Victron mains charger, second glovebox, dual seat conversion, TPMS, Boss PX7 onboard air with 9 litre tank, 350w inverter, Steel bullbar, Harrop Eaton diff lock (front), Warn winch, Snorkel, Dual spares , 160 litre water tank, 180 litre fuel in two tanks (approx 1200km range) 2010 Tvan Tanami. (incl another 70 litre water tank) with matching wheels/tyres (& 3rd spare)
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    Missed that camping spot, Cuppa. I was there late last month (june). Towed a box trailer. It was wet and muddy on some of the hills. The main problem I found was people barrelling up and around the narrow bits too fast. Then large convoys.

    Some of the hills need care. Several had large potholes all over the place. More had mud ruts. I have a 2.8, so was in low range first.

    The only larger Creek was on the southern side. It had largeish rocks in it. One bloke broke his trailer Springs - and was swapping it with the spare he carried.

    If you can find a place to pull over, take the time to walk up/down a creek for a better view of the rainforest.

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    Quote Originally Posted by P4trol View Post
    I was there late last month
    So do you think my memory of height clearance being a possible issue for harrythomas is correct?

    Home Rule is where the annual Wallaby Creek Music festival is held.

    2006 4.2TDi ex-Telstra Remote area Camper. 425w roof mounted solar, 360Ah Aux batts, BCDC1240, Onboard hot & cold pressurised & filtered water, (25 litre hot water calorifier), ARB fridge, ARB freezer, Built in kitchen, heaps of easy access storage, 240v, 3” Genie exhaust + dynotune, 2” lift, 3900kg GVM upgrade, second glovebox, ROH Blaktrak steel wheels, Bridgestone D697's (now Toyo RT's), Redarc gauges/pillarpod, Hema HX-1, Icom 450 CB, dual rear view cameras, Onboard 30amp Victron mains charger, second glovebox, dual seat conversion, TPMS, Boss PX7 onboard air with 9 litre tank, 350w inverter, Steel bullbar, Harrop Eaton diff lock (front), Warn winch, Snorkel, Dual spares , 160 litre water tank, 180 litre fuel in two tanks (approx 1200km range) 2010 Tvan Tanami. (incl another 70 litre water tank) with matching wheels/tyres (& 3rd spare)
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    Not from what I remember. I have a roof rack, and boxes/spare tyre on the roof. Didin't come near needing to worry about hitting anything above. There were of course some vines hanging down here and there.


    Edit: I think this was the creek I was talking about.



    Here's a view of some of the track. This view is looking down a creek. From the left, the road goes through another creek (which flows into the one you can see. Then the road goes up a short way with a close left bend, down to where I'm standing. Then up the hill. I think there was a surface up this one a bit like a boat ramp.



    This photo is a bit dodgy. We were trying to show the potholes. Now potholes like this aren't unusual. It's just that these were on the slope of the hill. Bit hard to convey in a photo, but it was steep here.



    Find a spot to pull over! We backed into a creek.

    Last edited by P4trol; 8th July 2014 at 10:45 PM. Reason: add some piccies!

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    Travelling Podologist Cuppa's Avatar
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    2006 4.2TDi ex-Telstra Remote area Camper. 425w roof mounted solar, 360Ah Aux batts, BCDC1240, Onboard hot & cold pressurised & filtered water, (25 litre hot water calorifier), ARB fridge, ARB freezer, Built in kitchen, heaps of easy access storage, 240v, 3” Genie exhaust + dynotune, 2” lift, 3900kg GVM upgrade, second glovebox, ROH Blaktrak steel wheels, Bridgestone D697's (now Toyo RT's), Redarc gauges/pillarpod, Hema HX-1, Icom 450 CB, dual rear view cameras, Onboard 30amp Victron mains charger, second glovebox, dual seat conversion, TPMS, Boss PX7 onboard air with 9 litre tank, 350w inverter, Steel bullbar, Harrop Eaton diff lock (front), Warn winch, Snorkel, Dual spares , 160 litre water tank, 180 litre fuel in two tanks (approx 1200km range) 2010 Tvan Tanami. (incl another 70 litre water tank) with matching wheels/tyres (& 3rd spare)
    A Nomadic Life (Blog)

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    harrythomas (6th November 2014)

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    Thanks for the information, Cuppa.

    The rid is 3.1m so it is fairly tall. Hopefully I have posted a larger picture. Still learning how to use the forum.

    The_Rig.JPG

    It is the creek entry and exits that I was really worried about but it sounds like they are not too bad and as we are planing to go in October which is normally dry the may not be too deep.

    Home Rule sounds like a good place to spend some time.

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    The photos look great P4trol. Thanks for your input regarding the height but I think that I will need to take some care.

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    Read both your blog entries Cuppa and found them excellent reading,

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    The coast road from Daintree through to Cooktown is fine for entry and exits of creeks etc. In October you won't get anywhere near the amount of traffic on the road as in June/July/August/Sept either. There are a couple of narrow winding sections as mentioned.

    The track can be a bit cut up as you get nearer to the Bloomfield River crossing and Wujal Wujal. It is just rough if it hasn't been graded, but otherwise shouldn't trouble you. The road North of Wujal is good all the way to Cooktown.

    To cross over to Musgrave Station, you take the Battlecamp Road, and then turn North into Lakefield NP itself, coming out at the far Northern side, before heading West to the Peninsular Development Road. Again, no issues for your camper there that I can think of. There is an easy creek crossing at the Northern end of the park that may have a low-ish few trees, but I think you'd be right anyway. The road to Musgrave from the Park was upgraded 2 years ago and was like a highway. Same as Battlecamp Road. Heaps of bitumen sections now and easy driving.
    Between Patrols ATM. Had a beaut GU with 6.5 Chev TD. Next is a GU ute with a 4.5 litre Cummins conversion and a camper on the back.

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