Flooded River at Carnarvon...Turn Back

DRIVE: Seventeen Seventy to Carnarvon Gorge (532km).

We leave Seventeen Seventy at 7.30am and set a course inland to Carnarvon Gorge on Dawson Hwy/State route 60. We are staying 4 nights a Takarakka Bush Resort.

The imposing clouds had turned a dark bluey grey and we were heading for a big storm. Takarakka had contacted me in the morning and let us know that due to torrential rainfall, a number of the creek crossing were currently impassible and to check back at 2.00pm.

We arrived at the last petrol stop, Rolleston and refuelled for the 100km final drive to Carnarvon. On route, we had lost mobile signal so had no way of knowing the flood levels of the creeks until we came over a crest and applied the brakes with some force. The road ahead which was the first of a number of creek crossing was flooded to 1.6m.

Jen went in to test some of the depth... don’t worry, no salt water crocs 500km off track here... so it’s safe to enter.

Nothing to do but to turn around and head 70km back to Rolleston as they had a petrol station, a pub/motel and a caravan park... yippee, the trifecta.

CAMP: Rolleston Caravan Park
A neat little park which obviously caters for backpackers during the fruit and farming season. Only 3 campers tonight.

We were dead tired by this stage and after cleaning off some splattered Kangaroo from the undercarriage, it was already dead when we went over it... we didn’t even have the energy to set up the bed end flys on the campervan.

So to complete the trifecta, we walked across to the Rolleston Pub/motel as it’s Saturday night in town and the place should be a buzz.

We were greeted by three German backpackers serving behind the bar and a couple of locals propping up the bar listening to 80’s rock music... timeless. “Table”... same!!!

The pub did however have a couple of specials on the menu, home made cottage pie and bbq pork ribs so we grabbed them before anyone else did plus a local beer and cider.

We’re not too disappointed with the flooded creek and we slept well in anticipation of an update in the morning.Read more