LRC Regional Queensland Tour 2019 – Summary Trip Report
Trip dates: 1 Jun to 2 Aug 2019
by Russell Speldewinde
Introduction
After completing an extensive trip report of 39 pages (without pictures) for an extensive trip, I decided to publish a summary edition. This is now the summary of that summary edition.
If anyone wants more information on the specifics of the trip I can send it to you.
Paulette and Eric Rigter have also written up their impressions of the trip.
Tour Group
| Surname | First Pax | Second Pax | Vehicle | Accommodation |
| Speldewinde | Russell | Sharron | Discovery 4 | AOR Quantum |
| Blagdon | Garry | Kerryn | Discovery 3 | Modcon Forward Fold |
| Darke | David | Ann | Prado 120 | Aussie Swag |
| Greet | Chris | Christine | Defender 130 | Rear Fold |
| MacDonell | Brian | Diana | Landcruiser LC200 | Kimberley Karavan |
| Rigter | Eric | Paulette | Prado 150 | Kimberley Camper |
| Waples | Ross | Monica | Discovery 2 | Ultimate |
| Williams | John | Ford Ranger | Bunker Tent |
Planning
This trip was discussed with a couple of club members and then seemed to snowball before being finalised and advertised. It was initially set up as a 6 vehicle trip but expanded to 8 vehicles.
Essentially the trip took in hinterland Qld before heading up the Cape and returning via Gulf and Outback Queensland.
The trip was designed with several distinct stages and I planned and arranged accommodation through to Mt Isa. At that point we would have a better idea of who would be continuing on the last part of the trip and it would be more flexible with accommodation arranged as needed.
The 5 stages were:
- Inland Way to Mareeba
- Mareeba to the Cape and back
- Savannah Way to Mt Isa
- Outback Queensland to Thargomindah
- Travel home
Please scroll down to more details of each stage, including a gallery of photos for each stage.
Summary of Itinerary
| Stage | Dates (all 2019) | From | To |
| 1. Inland Way | 1-12 June | Several Places to Lightning Ridge | Mareeba |
| 2. Cape York | 14 June – 4 July | Mareeba | Cooktown |
| 3. Savannah Way | 7-17 July | Cooktown | Mt Isa |
| 4. Outback Queensland | 20-27 July | Mt Isa | Thargomindah |
| 5. Homeward Bound | 28 July – 2 August | Thargomindah | Canberra |
See below for the detailed itinerary and a gallery of photos for each of the trip stages.
Memorable Moments
- Group Dinner at Lightning Ridge
- Catching up with Dawn and Errol at Roma
- Paulette’s and Monica’s camp oven apple and rhubarb cake at Theresa Creek Dam
- Undara Men’s shed
- Dave from Ringers Rest eye catching performance
- Merluna Dinner and Men’s Shed
- The Weipa fish feast off the back of Greety’s fishing expedition
- The day trip to the Tip
- The 3 island cruise
- The Bagman at Bramwell Station
- Cobbold Gorge
- Sunsets at Weipa, Loyalty Beach and Karumba
- Sunrise and wind at Chilli Beach
- Lawn Hill and Adels Grove
- The Boulia Camel Races
- Relaxing at Kalpower Crossing, Kilcowera and Rose Isle Station stays
- Pop-riveting and Anderson Plugs
A big thank you to Paulette for the Tour scarves and pillow cases and to David for the Tour mugs (no, not me) and stickers. Very much appreciated.
Stage 1 Itinerary – Inland Way
| Date | Depart | Destination |
| 01-Jun-19 | Several places | Lightning Ridge |
| 03-Jun-19 | Lightning Ridge | Nindigully |
| 04-Jun-19 | Nindigully | Carnarvon Gorge |
| 06-Jun-19 | Carnarvon Gorge | Theresa Creek Campground |
| 07-Jun-19 | Theresa Creek Campground | Charters Towers |
| 09-Jun-19 | Charters Towers | Undara |
| 12-Jun-19 | Undara | Mareeba |
Stage 2 Itinerary – Cape York
| Date | Depart | Destination |
| 14-Jun-19 | Mareeba | Musgrave Roadhouse |
| 15-Jun-19 | Musgrave Roadhouse | Merluna Station stay |
| 16-Jun-19 | Merluna Station stay | Weipa |
| 19-Jun-19 | Weipa | Bramwell Junction roadhouse |
| 20-Jun-19 | Bramwell Junction roadhouse | Captain Billy Landing |
| 22-Jun-19 | Captain Billy Landing | Eliot Falls/Twin Falls |
| 23-Jun-19 | Eliot Falls/Twin Falls | Loyalty Beach |
| 27-Jun-19 | Loyalty Beach | Bramwell Station |
| 28-Jun-19 | Bramwell Station | Chuulangan Campground |
| 29-Jun-19 | Chuulangan Campground | Chilli Beach |
| 01-Jul-19 | Chilli Beach | Archer River Roadhouse |
| 02-Jul-19 | Archer River Roadhouse | Laura Pub |
| 03-Jul-19 | Laura Pub | Kalpower Campground Lakefield |
| 04-Jul-19 | Kalpower Campground Lakefield | Endeavour River Escape Cooktown |
Stage 3 Itinerary – Savannah Way
| Date | Depart | Destination |
| 07-Jul-19 | Endeavour River Escape Cooktown | Ravenshoe Tall Timbers |
| 08-Jul-19 | Ravenshoe Tall Timbers | Cobbold Gorge |
| 10-Jul-19 | Cobbold Gorge | Croydon |
| 11-Jul-19 | Croydon | Karumba |
| 13-Jul-19 | Karumba | Burketown |
| 14-Jul-19 | Burketown | Adels Grove – Lawn Hill NP (Boodjamulla) |
| 17-Jul-19 | Adels Grove – Lawn Hill NP (Boodjamulla) | Mt Isa |
Stage 4 Itinerary – Outback Queensland
| Date | Depart | Destination |
| 20-Jul-19 | Mt Isa | Boulia |
| 22-Jul-19 | Boulia | Bedourie |
| 23-Jul-19 | Bedourie | Birdsville |
| 25-Jul-19 | Birdsville | Innamincka |
| 27-Jul-19 | Innamincka | Thargomindah |
Stage 5 Itinerary – Homeward Bound
| Date | Depart | Destination |
| 28-Jul-19 | Thargomindah | Kilcowera Station |
| 31-Jul-19 | Kilcowera Station | Rose Isle Station |
| 02-Aug-19 | Rose Isle Station | Canberra |
