River crossings on Savannah Way

by Thomas Hultberg
(Vellinge Sweden)

My wife and I have been in Australia 4 times. We have driven almost all around the continent. Including the Gibb River Road some years ago and last year The Eyre Highway over the Nullabor. In the North we crossed some rivers. The biggest was Pentecost River. It was in July and there was not so much water at that time.

But - we think we have the most interesting part left. We are therefore planning to drive in July (the dry season) from Darwin - Katherine - Boroloola - Burketown - Normanton - Cairns. Probably we even will visit Lawn Hill Nation Park.

We are planning to rent a suitable 4 wheel drive car for 3 weeks.

We have read all the information about driving the Savannah Road in your website.

As we are not so experienced 4 wheel drivers - to cross rivers – we would like to know if there are some difficult rivers to cross.

For example:
Nicholson River
Gregory River (single-lane concrete crossing)
Alexandra River
Flinders River
Bynoe River

Thomas och Monica Hultberg Sweden

Comments for River crossings on Savannah Way

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Savannah Way
by: Birgit

Hi Thomas,

I think you should be fine. The basic rules of the Australian climate haven't changed. July is the middle of the dry season, so water levels should have dropped.

If nothing is too deep, you have a suitable vehicle and you approach all crossings very slowly, then you shouldn't have any worries.

How difficult a crossing will be is never possible to predict that far, because nobody knows what will happen next wet season, how much rain they'll get, when it will stop to rain etc. They could get a cyclone or big floods through there that change the crossings considerably.

Also, I don't venture over that way much, so I can't tell you many details anyway.

So, once you get here, check the current road conditions and talk to the people you meet on the road: people you meet coming from the opposite direction, people who live there. They will be able to tell you exactly what to expect and where to take care.

If you want to know more before you leave home I suggest you post on the exploroz.com forums then (after the wet season) and ask if someone has followed that road recently, what shape it is in, and if there is anything you should know.

You can also keep an eye on the general road conditions here.

River Crossings Savannah Way
by: Frits

Hello Thomas,

We are doing the same trip in July/August (3 weeks). We could consider buddying up for some of the trickier stretches of the Savannah Way. We are from Holland, my inlaws are from NZ.

If you want to contact us, let us know how we should do this.

F&G

Savanna Way with a van
by: Led

Hi all. My partner and I were thinking of doing the Savanna Way linking up from Normanton. We want to start the 7th of October. Have 4x4, all recovery gear, winch ect. ect. but wondering if our 1.5 tonne caravan will take the trip. It is a road van not off road. Has anybody got advice for us? Thanks.

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