Lawrence Mason, manager of Mason’s Tours at Cape Tribulation,
provides an insight into driving the Bloomfield Track, a road he has travelled many times:

A TRUE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE TRACK

The Bloomfield Track links Cape Tribulation and The Bloomfield River and is a true 4WD Track as there is very little gravel on parts of the surface, unimproved creek crossings, steep climbs and plenty of opportunity to get stuck if it is wet. The actual condition of the road varies enormously, and it can be anything from an easy drive, to almost or completely impassable.

The nature of the road makes it unsuitable for trailers. It is fine to travel on much of the time, but you should always drive slowly and carefully, particularly if you don’t usually drive on unsealed roads. However there is no reason that a driver in a suitable 4WD can’t enjoy a drive along the road if they exercise commonsense.

FEATURES THAT INCREASE THE RISK

Creek and River Crossings

Normally the creeks are OK, but in wet weather there can be at least 4 challenging crossings. Most 4WD vehicles can only cross about 0.6m depth of water before the risk of damage; drivers should check their owner’s manual. Even if the vehicle is capable of a deeper crossing, the strong current can easily wash 4WDs away!

Drivers should always walk deep crossings to gauge the depth and speed before driving through, remembering that the Bloomfield Crossing has crocodiles in it! Many 4WDs have been washed away on this track, and the most important thing is to decide if you really need to cross a flooded creek. Better to wait and the river will go down when the rain stops.

Steep Climbs and Descents

There are two steep climbs and descents on the track - Donovan’s Range is 20% (1:5), and Cowie Range is up to 33% (1:3). You need to be in the correct gear to climb these hills, and it is recommended to change before the climb. It is not fun to have to do a change on a 1:3 slope. If the slope is slippery, you will also need 4WD to be engaged.

Descending is often more dangerous. Low gear should always be selected before descending, and speed kept down, using engine braking where possible. Never rely on brakes alone on these steep, dangerous slopes. When slides develop descending, acceleration is needed to straighten the vehicle, braking makes a slide worse!

Lots of Mud

At times the road surface breaks up, and boggy patches can develop. Make a plan to drive on the hardest surface, or follow existing ruts. It is a good idea to make an inspection of boggy patches before driving through.

You must ensure that you know how to engage 4WD - in some vehicles hubs need to be locked beforehand. Full time 4WD vehicles usually need to have the center diff locked. It is always handy to have another vehicle present with a towrope in case you get stuck!

Unimproved Surface

The road surface can be loose and slippery when quite dry as well. Small rocks on the surface can be like driving on marbles, and slides can develop easily. It is best to drive slowly and avoid hard braking and rapid acceleration when it is like this.

Dust also causes problems, the decreased visibility can contribute to accidents so don’t stop suddenly in a dust cloud and don’t follow too closely. Remember there will be other traffic too! Run with your headlights on in thick dust, it will help others to see you.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Citizens Jury Project – Describes the details of how the case study was conducted, and gives some background on the Bloomfield Track.

Masons Tours offers small groups the opportunity to see this road first hand in air-conditioned 4WD Toyota Landcruisers. Masons Tours are Cape Tribulation's original Land Tour Operators and offer full day 'Home Rule' or Cooktown 4WD safaris.

Mason's Tours Forest Stories and Wildlife Sightings - Find out the latest road conditions on the Bloomfield Track, as Mason's Tours travels this road regularly and reports them in their blog.

The Daintree Blockade - describes the major environmental battle in 1983 at Cape Tribulation which brought the Daintree and the Bloomfield Track to world attention.

Buy a detailed map

These maps show all points of interest and contain two pages of 4WD information, to help you enjoy the journey between Cape Tribulation and Cooktown. You can also check at these locations for the latest road conditions:

Cape Trib Beach House
Mason’s Store
RainforestVillage
The Waterhole

Mason’s Store at Cape Tribulation also has a good selection of Cooktown brochures.