Traveller Tips

Stay in contact 

  • If you’re travelling remotely, it’s always a good idea to let someone know where you’re going, and when you plan to get there. Keeping in touch via phone or radio is not as hard as you might think. Do not go off-road to explore unless someone else knows where you are going and what time you are expected to return.

 

Glare and the rising and setting sun

  • Many of our roads have an east-west orientation. When the sun is low in the sky, the sun may dazzle you - clear vision may be impossible.  It can be hard to see oncoming vehicles or animals crossing the road, so slow down and drive carefully. It is best to avoid driving before 7 am and between 4 pm and 5 pm. 

 

Stock and wildlife 

  • It always pays to be vigilant when driving in Burke Shire, particularly during sunrise, sunset and at night.  Keep an eye out for stock, horses, pigs, large birds, wallabies, and other wildlife on the roads as they can cause significant damage to your vehicle and contribute to many accidents. Don't swerve to avoid an animal on the road. This may cause you to roll your vehicle. Gently brake and slow down. If you come across cattle or other animals on the road, stop and be patient. It's all part of the ' experience'. Beep your horn and the animal will soon move on.

 

Fatigue and night driving 

  • Long distances and stretches of an unchanging landscape can make a driver very tired. Avoid driving at night as much as possible, kangaroos and other wildlife are much more active at night and are harder to see on the roads. Night driving increases your chances of fatigue. 

 

Slow down and drive to the conditions of the road

  • Dust may disguise an oncoming vehicle, potholes, loose gravel and slippery mud patches. Turn on your headlights where visibility is poor. Consider stopping if you can't see the road in front of you. Drive on the left-hand side of the road.
  • Do not overtake in dusty conditions or on bends or rises. 
  • Be careful of slippery conditions and unstable road edges when the roads are wet. It is best to keep your car’s headlights on low beam and ensure the windscreen and lights are clean. 
  • Road trains usually drive in the centre of the road so more well over when you see one coming towards you – give them plenty of space.   
  • Be very careful when pulling onto the shoulder during the wet or after rain to ensure you don’t get bogged. 

 

Lost or broken down!!  

  • The first thing to remember is not to panic. Stay with your vehicle and call for help with your mobile phone or emergency communication device (such as a satellite phone or a personal location beacon), and make sure you keep your vehicle stocked with emergency supplies and water. 

 

If it's flooded forget it 

  • If you come across a closed road due to flooding, do not attempt to enter it. If you’re unsure don’t cross.  Remember, if it’s flooded, forget it!  Regular updates can be found at the Department of Transport and Main Roads, by phoning 13 19 40, or by visiting the council’s Disaster Dashboard at emergency.burke.qld.gov.au 

 

If in doubt fuel up  

  • On major highways, fuel stops are rarely more than 200km apart, but this is not the case in the Gulf Area.   Make sure you top up at every opportunity and carry spare fuel on very remote roads. Where you see “no fuel” signs, it means exactly that.  Fuel is available at Gregory (Diesel Only), Burketown, Hell’s Gate Roadhouse, Tirranna Springs Roadhouse, Wugudaji-Adels Grove and Doomadgee.  Delivery of fuel to this remote area can be delayed for a variety of reasons, it is possible that your planned fuel stop will have no fuel so keep your tank topped up to cover emergencies. 

 

Heavy vehicle, road trains & single lane driving 

  • These heavyweights can be up to 55 metres long (the length of 10 cars) and weigh over 146 tonnes. Make sure you have plenty of room before overtaking these vehicles and be prepared for them to sway from side to side as you pass, especially the last trailer. Expect road trains and large vehicles to stay on the bitumen when you’re overtaking or passing them.  Passing a 50 m road train can take as much as 60 seconds. That equates to approximately 1.5 km of road needed to pass safely.  Motorists can share the roads with road trains more safely by following these simple rules.   

 

Meeting oncoming road trains on narrow roads: 

  • When meeting road trains and heavy vehicles on single-lane roads, slow right down and move off the road to the left. If it is safe to do so, move off the road entirely and stop to avoid driving into any obstacles on the verge.  Wait until the dust settles before pulling out as there may be another vehicle hidden in the dust cloud.  In wet conditions, road verges tend to be soft and/or slippery, so when pulling off to the left you should always keep your right wheels on the bitumen and keep moving slowly to avoid getting bogged.  

 

Overtaking road trains on narrow roads: 

  • Apply the indicator and pull out slightly so the truck is able to see that you want to overtake 
  • Allow at least one kilometre of clear road ahead and be prepared for them to sway a little from side to side 
  • Beware of soft shoulders, guide posts and wildlife on the roadside as you overtake. 
  • If you have a UHF radio, you can communicate with truck drivers on UHF 40.  Many outback roads have call points.   

 

Other tips:

  • Don’t cut in front of a large vehicle as you will reduce the driver’s braking distance or cause a possible accident. 
  • Maintain a consistent speed when being overtaken by a large vehicle.
  • If you cannot see the driver in a large vehicle’s side mirrors, the driver cannot see you.
  • Recognise that large vehicles accelerate and brake slowly and make allowances for this.
  • When a large vehicle turns, keep back from the intersection as the vehicle will require more road space to make the turn.
  • If a vehicle displays the sign DO NOT OVERTAKE TURNING VEHICLE it is legally allowed to take up more than one lane to turn.
  • If you’re towing a caravan or trailer and a large vehicle wants to overtake you on a narrow road, look for opportunities to pull onto the shoulder of the road safely – you’ll need to choose a location where the other driver has good visibility.
  • Use your UHF CB radio on channel 40 to let other drivers know your intentions.

 

Call points are where trucks and road trains need to make a call on UHF channel 40 to alert other road users of their approach to a certain section of road for example a narrow bridge. On approaching the sign, the truck will call e.g. "southbound train from call point 19 (something) river". This is to warn other vehicles of their approach and a signal for you to slow down so the vehicle can negotiate that section of road safely. As the call signs are placed at both ends of a road hazard/variation it is easy to work out if you are approaching the calling vehicle.

 

These heavy vehicles command so much respect out on the open roads in the Gulf area. Driving a road train is not the same as driving a regular vehicle. They are so big that simply slowing down poses a huge risk for you and for the driver. It’s also important to understand that for a road train to get up to the speeds they need to travel at, they need a run-up of about 15 kilometres of road. Slowing down for anything or anyone really is a nuisance for them.  

So give them plenty of room.  Keep a safe distance.  Let them pass.

 

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