Started out from Darwin with my wife Helga to meet up with a mate Pete and his brother-in-law Dillon with a white Hilux from Brisbane, meeting point Lions Den.
Our aim to do the OTT and various other side trips at the Cape. The area officially opened 4 days before we left Darwin, so the excitement was overwelming, the first major trip with the Prado. Left Darwin on friday morning and got to Borrollola and camped the night. The next day had some creek crossings on the way to Hells Gate, all easy and the road was is good condition, abit dusty in parts. Stayed in Normanton that night, the caravan park near the purple pub was ok, wicked showers, hot and heaps of pressure. Sunday morning left early to reach Lions Den that afternoon to meet my mate. Had a message on the phone when we went thru one of the little towns that my mate smashed his window near Mackay and he wont make Lions Den that afternoon, a few hours waiting getting it replaced. About 10 in the morning same thing happened to me, pulled off the single lane highway to give the car the full road but he continued at speed 1/2 on 1/2 off the road spitting up a rock the size of a 1 cent piece into the window chipping it. 10 minutes later the chip was a 2" crack and growing. Decided to head into Cairns to replace the windscreen. Windscreen Obriens quoted us $800 plus and they had to order it in, rang Instant Windscreens and was quoted $450 plus they would fit it there and then on a sunday. Rang my mate Pete and decided to meet him at Port Douglas that night. The next day we had the Lions Den drink and continued along battlecamp road which is a great little drive. That night we camped at Musgrave, a great little camp ground out back of the roadhouse and could also run my generator.
Our aim to do the OTT and various other side trips at the Cape. The area officially opened 4 days before we left Darwin, so the excitement was overwelming, the first major trip with the Prado. Left Darwin on friday morning and got to Borrollola and camped the night. The next day had some creek crossings on the way to Hells Gate, all easy and the road was is good condition, abit dusty in parts. Stayed in Normanton that night, the caravan park near the purple pub was ok, wicked showers, hot and heaps of pressure. Sunday morning left early to reach Lions Den that afternoon to meet my mate. Had a message on the phone when we went thru one of the little towns that my mate smashed his window near Mackay and he wont make Lions Den that afternoon, a few hours waiting getting it replaced. About 10 in the morning same thing happened to me, pulled off the single lane highway to give the car the full road but he continued at speed 1/2 on 1/2 off the road spitting up a rock the size of a 1 cent piece into the window chipping it. 10 minutes later the chip was a 2" crack and growing. Decided to head into Cairns to replace the windscreen. Windscreen Obriens quoted us $800 plus and they had to order it in, rang Instant Windscreens and was quoted $450 plus they would fit it there and then on a sunday. Rang my mate Pete and decided to meet him at Port Douglas that night. The next day we had the Lions Den drink and continued along battlecamp road which is a great little drive. That night we camped at Musgrave, a great little camp ground out back of the roadhouse and could also run my generator.
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