Tuesday, Jun 11, 2013 at 21:32
Hi Frank
I have been going up there for over 30 years,You will notice a change after 7 years .
a Group of us from the ExplorOz
forum here had a day trip up there in 2009 about 15 vehicles in total.
During the drought and it was certainly a Doddle, if you kept to the main tracks.
I was up there in April with my son to
test his recently purchased Hilux.
Boy things have changed after the wet weather in recent years.
And the popularity of more 4WD These days. Bungleboori
camp ground was a quagmire and littered with piles of rubbish.
Black fellows hand trail has been renamed to some more suitable indigenous name but i can't remember it,though some of the original signs still exist, just a tad confusing in the beginning of the track, plus tracks appear to go of every were.
The track is ok, just a more corrugated and lot slower and few more water /bog holes usually can drive around these.
As Steve said the roughest part is at the end of the track were it drops of the plataue
Down into the valley,though not that bad and will not be an issue with the Prado or 200 series even with camper.
The Gardens of Stone National park Baal bone track as Steve suggested is good and very good
views, if you want to
test your skills though i would not try to drag the KK camper up there. in 09 it was easy just graded.
Today the track up is challenging My 80 series had no problem, had to winch the Hilux, though a little track work would have got it up,wanted to
test the winch.
And would recomend a chain saw if you came across a tree across the track as going back Baal bone gap would be a challenge.If you didn't exit at Ben Bullen.
Black Fellows Hand trail
Black fellows hand trail April 2013
Black fellows hand trail
Black fellows hand trail
Baal Bone Gap trail
Baal Bone gap trail 2013
Baal Bone Gap
Baal Bone Gap
Rob
AnswerID:
512973
Follow Up By: Member - Rob S (NSW) - Tuesday, Jun 11, 2013 at 21:45
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2013 at 21:45
Though i think there might be alternate track up to the Baal Bone Plataue looking at the map, as we saw a Nissan Xtrai l up there and no way in earth it would have gone up the way we did.
Looking at the map maybe another access track few klm towards Lightgow from were the Black fellows hand crosses the
Newnes Rd??
The track we went up, more or less directly across from the Black fellows hand trail.
And you would never turn around or back down the climb up with a trailer, wouldn't like to even try that with out a trailer lol.
Though if you could leave the campers say at
Newnes,
well worth Drive.
Rob
FollowupID:
791573
Follow Up By: Member - Frank P (NSW) - Tuesday, Jun 11, 2013 at 22:12
Tuesday, Jun 11, 2013 at 22:12
Thanks Rob.
We are experienced outback tourers, but don't do much difficult steep track work. As I said to Steve, we're not into busting gear just to prove a point, and this is my mate's maiden voyage in his KK, so will carefully consider and try not to get in over our heads. The photos are great, but suggest it's not suitable for a heavy trailer.
Thanks again
Frank
FollowupID:
791578
Follow Up By: Member - eighty matey - Wednesday, Jun 12, 2013 at 01:21
Wednesday, Jun 12, 2013 at 01:21
Rob,
that other track would be through Long Swamp.
On one trip we got up the top and there was a Corolla parked up there. I know Toyotas are good but a Corolla!!!
There's another track that comes in from the Highway to the Baal Bone Gap itself that's easy to drive.
Steve
FollowupID:
791585