Advice to handle trip

GRADERS on the Peninsula Developmental Rd have ironed out notorious corrugations responsible for a whole lot of Cape road carnage – but conditions can change in a heartbeat.

With the school holidays approaching and new wave of tourism imminent, there are some commonsense tips to make any trip memorable for the right reasons.

The Kennedy to Rocky Creek sealing project was completed last month, adding 11.2km of bitumen to the PDR, and sealing works near the Aurukun turn-off and at Musgrave are under way.

Having just returned from the Tip, veteran motorcycle tour operator Roy Kunda said all roads he travelled were in “pretty good nick”.

“They are putting a grader on (the PDR) as we speak and there is not much traffic up there at all,” he said.

“The (PDR) was in pretty good nick, I have seen the corrugations a lot worse.

“There is no water around, you just have to watch out for the dips and you need to drive to the conditions.”

Tenders to seal the southern approach and design a new bridge over Archer River are expected to be finalised later this year, according to the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

Road works planned under the $237.5m Cape York Region Package include 9.7km of the Portland Rd (Lockhart River Access), 21.8km of the Aurukun Access Rd and 20.4km of the Strathgordon Rd (Pormpuraaw Access Rd).

A TMR spokeswoman said the PDR was currently in good condition, however weather and conditions could change quickly.

“We urge drivers to always drive to conditions on remote roads, which includes slowing down on unsealed roads and near roadworks,” she said.

Also known as the King of the Cape, Mr Kunda’s best travel advice was to slow down for dips and don’t follow too closely.

“Mainly where people get caught out in those dips, they head into a couple that might be quite good then all of a sudden you might get a deep, sharp one,” he said.

“If you travel with other vehicles, don’t get so close you can’t even see.

“Sit back and have a good look around and (you’ll) be much safer.

“And pull over if you see a road train coming the other way.”

Mt Kunda said Portland Rd to Chilli Beach was in good condition and Pajinka Rd to the Tip was in very good condition.