From Cape York down to Fraser Island, here’s the low-down on some of our favourite tracks in Queensland.
Fraser Island is one of Australia’s must-see touring and 4WDing destinations. From a quick weekender up to a fortnight epic, there’s heaps to see and do. The beach run takes in some of Fraser Island’s most iconic attractions, including the Pinnacles, Eli Creek and the Maheno Wrecks, while the inland tracks will bring you to the picturesque lakes and old growth forest.
On this trip, we caught the ferry from River Heads, near Hervey Bay, across to Kingfisher Bay, rather than the traditional Inskp Point barge.
From Kingfisher Bay we took the inland tracks across to the Eastern Beach for the run up the beach, past the Maheno, Eli Creek, and the Cathedrals, up to Sandy Cape.
DISTANCE: 100-400km (depending on how long you’re there for, and where you go)
NEARBY TRACKS: Cooloola National Park, Stradbroke Island, Moreton Island
NEAREST TOWN: Inskip, Hervey Bay
LOCAL CONTACT:
QPWS: https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/
Splitting east off the Old Telegraph Track north of Batavia Downs is one of the Cape’s most testing tracks, featuring water crossings, technical driving and sand tracks: Frenchmans Track.
DISTANCE: 75km
NEARBY TRACKS: Old Telegraph Track
NEAREST TOWN: Weipa
LOCAL CONTACT:
Archer River Roadhouse Ph (07) 4060 3266
Moreton Telegraph Station Ph (07) 4060 3360
Bramwell Junction Ph (07) 4060 3230
The southern section of the Old Telegraph Track, which runs from Bramwell Junction to Bamaga Road, is an iconic drive that features challenging water crossings and some stunning tropical scenery as you head north.
The northern section of the Old Telegraph Track, which runs from Bamaga Road to the Jardine River Ferry, is perhaps the quintessential Cape York 4WD experience, featuring plenty of deep creek crossings and very steep and slippery river banks.
DISTANCE: 152km
NEARBY TRACKS: Frenchmans Track
NEAREST TOWN: Weipa
LOCAL CONTACT:
Bramwell Junction Ph (07) 4060 3230
Jardine River Ferry Ph (07) 4069 1369
Heathlands Ranger Station Ph (07) 4060 3241
From Cameron Corner we headed up the Strezelecki Track through the South Australian desert to Innamincka and the Dig Tree, before turning north on the Cordillo Downs road back into QLD. Haddon Corner is accessed via the Planet Arrabury road, before you get to the Birdsville Development Rd.
Watch out for the corrugations on this stretch of gravel, until you reach the famous Birdsville Hotel. Don’t forget to drop into the bakery for a camel pie while you’re in town!
Leaving Birdsville, you climb Big Red, and then head west into the Simmo and onwards to Poeppel Corner.
DISTANCE: ~900km
NEARBY TRACKS: Strezelecki Track, Birdsville Track, QAA line, K1 Line, Hay River Track
NEAREST TOWN: Birdsville, Windorah, Tibooburra
LOCAL CONTACT:
Cameron’s Corner Store
(08) 8091 3872
DISTANCE: 124km
NEARBY TRACKS: Blackdown Tableland National Park
NEAREST TOWN: Yeppoon
LOCAL CONTACT:
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
13 QGOV (13 74 68)
