Kenndey to Blencoe Falls to Mt Garnet (FNQ) is this road passsable?
Submitted: Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 21:51
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NLescapeNQ
I have a friend who is asking if it is possible to drive a 4WD from the township of Kenndy (just north of
Cardwell) to
Blencoe Falls and then push on up the range tp Mt Garnet? I heard this road was closed after cyclone Larry afew years back, but also have read on the internet that council has spent some $$$ and I'm hoping things have improved. Any current information will be great.
Reply By: nqdave - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 22:43
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 22:43
My parents live in the Kennedy Valley. The council has recently closed the road from the Kennedy end to the
shire boundary. Council doesn't want to spend the money on maintaining it any longer.
So much for the promised eco-tourism boom following the world
heritage listing in the 80's.... After Survivor the place finally starts to draw some tourists and now they're cut off.
See
this site for details.
Dave
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414925
Follow Up By: nqdave - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 22:57
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 22:57
Followup:
To be fair to the local council, the road was closed because of the condition of the bridges. I've driven (or been driven) up and down the road many times over the past 35 years and some of them were always scary, especially when a loaded logging truck was coming down the other way!
The council was scheduled to conduct secondary inspections of the bridges in April/May but it has been raining a bit and that schedule may have slipped. They're seeking a 50% contribution to the maintenance funding from the Queensland government.
Let's hope this comes through. My first memories of camping were up on the Kirrama range and I'd really like my little fella to experience it too.
Dave
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Follow Up By: Fatso - Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 07:10
Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 07:10
I heard rumours & I think it was even reported in the
Cairns Post that the reason the Kirrama Range Road was closed after Larry was that the dysfunctional shire council never applied for the funding to do the post cyclone clean-up.
The funding was closed off & the road never re-opened.
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Reply By: Crusader - Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 19:38
Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 19:38
NLescapeNQ,
For what it's it's worth I believe the short answer to your question is "yes" ......and "no".
I understand the road to be officially closed but that doesn't mean that a 4wd can't get through if you know what I mean. I was in the area at the top of that particular road last weekend and meet a vehicle that had come up that way.
I think there is some impact on your insurance cover if travelling on a road that is officially closed and the constabulary tend to take a dim view of that practice particularly if things go wrong !!!!
I'll be back in the area in the next 7 -10 days and make some more enquiries if you want.
Cheers
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415018
Reply By: Willykj - Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 22:38
Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 22:38
I have been through that road on 2 occasions. First time was not long after the cyclone. Had to dodge fallen trees etc but was easily done. The Council had not closed the road at that stage.
2nd time was late last year & we were travelling with somebody from
Ingham & we just drove around the
road closed sign. Everybody was doing it & the road was very good in a 4WD. That day we passed several vehicles going both ways. The locals say it is a farce & heaps of vehicles go that road. Suffice to say that the
road closed sign is fixed in the centre of the road & both sides of the sign have very
well worn tracks. Great country up that way - we spent a few days camping on the Herbert & it was magnificent. Willy
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415052