Adventure Way
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| This trip is certainly possible in a conventional
vehicle but probably
not advisable. The trip covers about 585 km and is best traveled in the
spring and winter. The route is often used by Queenslander's taking a short cut from the southern end of the state to central Australia. Cunnamulla is situated on the banks of the Warrego River and is at the end of the bitumen road going west from Brisbane. It is an important rail junction for the outlying areas, which are predominately sheep, cattle and, or, angora goat stations. The town is also an important road junction for the Mitchell and Matilda Highways, running north to south and the Moonie and Balonne Highways from the east. About 70 km from Cunnamulla is Eulo. The town has a pub and caravan park with basic amenities. Its annual attraction are the World Lizard Racing Championships, held in August or September. A little north of the town are the Yowah Opal Fields. About a third of the way into the trip is the town of Thargomindah, which, whilst the population is only a few hundred, has good supplies of fuel and provisions. There is a pub with accommodation as well as a motel. The town also has facilities for caravans and camping. A little over half way between Cunnamulla and Innamincka is Noccundra, a thriving metropolis that consists of a pub. The pub is a detour of about 20 km each way off the road we are traveling on, but you really have to go there. From Noccundra you could travel south west and pick up Cameron Corner at the meeting point of the NSW, QLD, South Australian borders. Cameron Corner is the most northerly point in the "Corner Trip" or "Outback NSW" trip also mentioned on this web page. This would make it into a hard trip as the journey south from Cameron Corner can be harsh. You could, though, continue south (ish) from Noccundra and head for Tibooburra in New South Wales. From Tibooburra it is a relatively easy run and junction point to go to Broken Hill in New South Wales. Anyway, back to Noccundra. Before leaving town enquire about the flooding position of the road further west, Proceed back to the "main" road and head west again. A short distance from this junction is the turn off to Durham Downs Homestead on Cooper Creek and in the direction of the Naccowlah Oil Fields. If the road is flooded further west there is a better crossing at Durham Downs and a detour about 40 km north. Veer left at this point towards the Jackson Oil Fields. You will pass through the oil field and its equipment, but it is private property and access is forbidden - so no exploring. Further on is the Naccowlah Oil Field. So far you have had a bitumen road all the way but just past Naccowlah the bitumen peters out. You'll be heading now to the Coopers Creek Crossing. After rains the road may be cut at this point. However you would have known about this from your enquiries at Noccundra. From here the road moves onto higher country and diminishes the risk of flood. About 40 km further on you will come to the junction with the Nappa Merrie and Durham Downs road. From now on you are in stony, desert and gibber country. Not good country for conventional vehicles. Continue on until you reach Innamincka. |
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