Blackdown Tableland National Park

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:34 pm

Since I cannot have coffee on Saturdays at Burpengary I decided to have a look locally for a quick enjoyable weekend drive. I grabbed a cup of coffee at McDonalds Blackwater and drove up to the top, walked to the lookout drank coffee and phoned home. Relaxing start to the day! If your ever in Blackwater let me know and I'll happily help out, hopefully I will get out once a month and find a MX5 friendly road in the area.

Blackdown Tableland National Park (http://nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks/blackdown-tableland/index.html)

Blackdown Tableland National Park lies in central Queensland 183 km west of Rockhampton. The signed turn-off on the Capricorn Highway is 11 km west of Dingo or 110 km east of Emerald (35 km east of Blackwater).

To reach the park entrance shelter, follow the sealed road to the top of the tableland. Beware! The 6 km road from the base of the tableland is winding and climbs steeply. It is not suitable for towing heavy trailers or caravans.

Roads past the entrance shelter are unsealed, slippery and winding. Most of the park is accessible to 2WD vehicles dríven with care, but you will require a 4WD vehicle for the Loop Road to Mitha Boongulla.

To reach Munall campground, continue 8 km past the park entrance shelter.

Access may be restricted in wet weather or during high fire danger.

Now that the intro is over, now for the good/bad parts...
- Be aware early in the morning after turning off the highway that there are a lot REPEAT a lot of Skippy's around. In about 5 mins I had to slow down for at least 6 of them. So keep your speed reasonable along this road. It is tempting to put the foot down, but you have been warned. If the Skippy's are not enough then take care when traveling through the area where the cattle are not fenced...

- The REAL road is about 5,877m long and you will climb almost 600m to the top...

- The last run up it was mainly 2nd/3rd gear. The 6 speed and 4.1 coupled with the torque tip I have at 5,500 made it a bit of a chore. I would say the probably using 2nd most of the time would have been more fun, but until I sort the cooling out holding 2nd gear for 6km between 5,500 and 8,000 is not smart. However the A1RM's worked fantastic, no fade up or down.

- At one nice twisty point you climb 54m in 300m through tight turns and blind corners... (at about 3:20 in the video)

- I suggest a sighter run first (I did a total of 3 runs up and back). First time was almost 7 mins and slow and safe.
Last run down I took it easy and some photos.

- There are a couple of floodways/dips that will suck up all your suspension if you are not careful.

The video

The road (top of the picture is the start of the climb)

Skippy/Cattle territory

The destination

It Begins

At the lookout

Coffee and phone home

Heaps of facilities (tables/BBQ's/toilets/parking)

The way down

One of the steeper sections, so much fun coming up and down...

Kev05 · Postby **Kev05** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:42 pm

Great pictures mate and the car sounds very good. I think I need some noise on my NB. :lol:

Thanks for sharing.

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Sat Apr 05, 2014 12:46 pm

Thanks Kev05. I'll see if there is a decent pie seller nearby to encourage you to come up this way

The noise is addictive, but the road in and up requires a bit of concentration. I have some video of the Skippy's I encountered, shows them going one way then changing direction at the last moment or look there is 1, wait and another and wait another.

Kev05 · Postby **Kev05** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:57 am

Is there any other MX5 in town? You could start your own chapter.

Lonely drive but good, much like a recce drive. A pie stop is a MUST. :mrgreen:

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 7:05 am

No MX5's that I have seen. Too many V8 utes, 4WD's and we only ride on Sunday Harley owners. I may see if there is enough people in Blackwater who want to do a drive in a month or so, a bit like brand of car is not important enjoying a good road (at legal speeds) is. May require a drive around the streets to see what cars are in Blackwater or see if there is a car club in Emerald or Rockhampton.

Gladiator · Postby **Gladiator** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 9:16 am

Thanks for sharing, Mark.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:08 am

Should be a search in google maps. "Show me roads that are not suitable for trailers & caravans, index by distance from current location"

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 10:10 am

Also agree there is never one skippy. If you've only seen one the you've missed at least 1!

Not such a stress with a steel bull bar. Aluminium bonnet on the other hand...

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:08 pm

Sailaholic, I agree with both your posts

BTW I found a video of you driving my car at MX5 Plus (says you hit 65).

I went through the video on the way in. Skippy 1, 45 secs later no 2, 60 secs later 3 and 4, 75 secs later 5,6,7 and 8, 90 secs later skippy 9 that changed direction.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Mon Apr 07, 2014 6:26 pm

65 hey! I'd assume that's km/h but it felt like mph at the time. What revs did I get to, pretty sure I short shifted significantly.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk