Quote:
Originally Posted by gary
Hi,
If you are considering the Palmerville Track just south of the Palmer River
near Palmerville Station, I would recommend considering another location........The owners of the station have had problems over the years that prompted them to put a gate across the track.
|
Actually the
Palmerville Track itself is not closed - I drove through there last November. But you do have to be careful approaching
Palmerville Station to take the correct version of the track and not end up at
Palmerville station. There are several signs warning against driving on
Palmerville Station.
The track which IS currently closed is the one from the
Palmerville track to the old
Palmerville goldfields at Maytown. As Gary says there is a long running dispute. That track crosses
Palmerville Station and the owner apparently doesn't want visitors. I understand that the main reason is the fires that people start from escaped campfires and deliberate burns. Typically an astounding 40% of Cape York burns every year (due especially to visitors and lightening strikes). Last year it was a particularly nasty year and it was closer to 60%. Once fires start in that area it is impossible to stop them. In travelling the area of the eclipse track last year I came across a lot of area that had been burnt out and in some places fires still burning. Cattle Stations can be completely wiped out. Killarney station for example last year appeared devestated. I have a great deal of sympathy with property owners not wanting visitors. You will find many signs on properties prohibiting camping. If you do want to camp or stop on station property it is essential that you call in at the station and speak to property management first. In many cases you will find the owners approachable. Unfortunately the managers of
Palmerville station were away when I went through and I was not able to speak to them personally about what their atitude at eclipse time might be.
But back to viewing prospects in the vicinity of the
Palmerville track. As Gary says the track is 4WD only and is impassible in the wet. Attached is an image of one of the gully crossings on the track. There are several of these as well as the crossing of the
Palmerville river and they would quickly become impassible. The road surface would also become slippery and dangerous for a conventional vehicle. This area is real outback. DO NOT go there unless you are experienced and have a suitable equipped vehicle with appropriate emergency supplies and equipment.
But the real problem on the track is finding a suitable viewing outlook to see the sun at the low altitude at 6:30AM. The track runs roughly north south and there are trees on both sides for almost the full length of the road. Also the area is surprisingly hilly. It is still the western edge of the Great Dividing Range. Finding a clear spot for viewing will be quite difficult. About the only places are at the Cattle Stations and at their airstrips. There is an airstrip adjacent
Palmerville station, very close to the centreline which may be suitable for viewing but as I said above I was not able to speak to the owner about use of it and they may disallow it.
The other two stations on the track, Mount Mulgrave to the south and Fairlight to the north also have airstrips which are open areas which could provide a view. But they are some way from the centreline (but still get more than one and a half minutes of totality). The people managing Fairlight that I spoke to seemed quite approachable and interrested in the eclipse. Fairlight has an outstation near
Palmerville station and this may be another option.
And a note of caution if you are considering the track that runs from the Peninsula Development road near Maitland Downs station to
Palmerville station. On the map it appears quite attractive as it runs roughly along the eclipse track centreline. But this is the track that is closed past Maytown. Also the proposed 4 day 2012 Eclipse Festival (see
http://www.solareclipse2012.com/) is currently planned for a site along this track and it will likely be very busy at eclipse time. They are hoping to attract about 10,000 people!!
So to sum up about eclipse viewing on the
Palmerville Track... Quite difficult and not as straightforward at it may seem. Challenges will include finding a suitable viewing location, obtaining property management consent to be there, and just simply getting there by having a suitably equipped vehicle and the weather cooperating. If after all this you are still considering a viewing location here I would strongly suggest scouting it out in the days before the eclipse. IMO it would be foolish to just simply head out there the day before the eclipse leaving this to be your only option.
Rgds,
Terry