Big Bend The Burdekin River.

Well Graeme our friend invited me along in his mighty Ford Ranger and decided to take the challenge and go out to Big Bend just to see if it was as bad as it was said to me by a fellow camper at the river.

Well after entering the Big Bend road we came across a river crossing with a rock river bed to cross water depth about 600mm, no trouble for the Ford Ranger.

Then we went through a lot of very sandy tracks that snaked the area with some turns only wide enough so a 4x4 fits through the gaps.

Then we found Echo Hole, this is a rock formation where ancient larva flow had come through and water trapped in the rocks where you could see fish swimming. 

Some of this water areas are big as lakes and serves as an overflow when the river system floods. There are great camping areas here, where you can have your own slice of heaven, it is a true paradise out here.

Travelling further down sandy tracks we reached Big Bend the Burdekin river low water levels exposing a massive amounts of sand like an inland beach area great to drive on 4x4. 

What a great area to spend a Sunday. Mother nature at its best, your own hidden paradise. To get access to this area a steep decline on a sandy track to the beach area.

Travelling now up a hill to a lookout, we accended a very steep rocky track that goes around a tree in the middle of the track. Graeme's Ford Ranger made short work of this track, it handled the terrain very confidently. 

The views from on top of the hill was great being able to see far distant ranges. Good view of Big Bend up here and the amount of sand that was dumped from the last big flood of the Burdekin river. 

What a great day out, thank you Graeme for being my travel guide. Big Bend is definitely worth the effort if you get the chance and plenty of free camping area available there. Your own peace of hidden paradise.