TELEGRAPH TRACK - what you need to know - Roothy

roothy.com.au
TELEGRAPH TRACK - what you need to know - Roothy
Cape York's Telegraph Track is possibly the most iconic 4wd track in Australia and on just about everybody's bucket list - or in my case, must go back again list!
Now you're going to ask me when this trip was filmed and I'm going to say 'not sure'. By the look of Milo it'd be around 2010 and while things have changed a lot up the Cape since then this dvd was made to explain the Telly itself. So be aware that the rule of the bush, at least the latter day bush where governments get involved, is to always check current conditions and the situation on permits, booze and camping OK?
It was Jack the Dog's first time up the Cape and because 4WD Action readers all wanted to go up there we decided to really concentrate on the old Telly. I did the trip with Geoff from Bamaga in his modified 80 and Luke, a diesel fitter from Weipa, in his 75 Series. It was incredible fun and a great adventure. But then any trip through Cape York guarantees lots of both!
The Telegraph Track was cut through the bush during the 1880’s and hasn’t seen much maintenance since then. For four wheel drivers this is the must do part of any Cape trip where the legendary creek crossings like the Dulhunty, Cockatoo and Gunshot beckon. It’s slow, meandering, runs from soft sand to huge potholes and has some the best camping on the Cape. Don’t miss Indian Head Falls and Fruit Bat Falls, signposted off the main track these days, where the swimming is absolutely superb and the scenery magnificent.
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[@jayrobbo6304]

It’s pretty crazy to think this is what the 4wd and camping shows used to be... without all the induction cookers, coffee machines and $150k dual cab 79’s 😂😂

[@markryan5493]

Got to agree. no gung ho full of advertising crap like some 24 7 channels.

[@MrBundyrumandcoke]

As someone with a high profile in the 4wding community in Australia, you SHOULD be advocating for people to take their rubbish home. I am only up to Gunshot when making this comment, and perhaps you do mention it later, but broken car parts hanging from trees, blown out thongs nailed to trees, empty tinnies stuck to the end of tree branches. Its this kind of thing that gives the greenie advocates ammunition to close down the places we love. Last year, hanging about 40 ft over Gunshot, was a muddie tied to a stuffed snatch strap. Not only would that have taken some real effort to get it up there, but its there to stay for years, a blight on the pristine environment up that way.

[@aarons5324]

These are the best 4wd vids anywhere, nothing compares to these today

[@AndyL940]

Their great !

[@danielsvision]

Yep it's not plastic entertainment.

[@fabulousfries790]

If you like this, I recommend you check out 4low bc. thats my favorite off-road channel

[@Avinash-xz7yn]

Thank you showing best parts of Australia, I'm able to virtually visit your beautiful country from a remote part of India

[@AndyL940]

Stay there will ya ..geez

[@Avinash-xz7yn]

@@AndyL940 sure, we have better places here and I never said that I wanted to visit Australia, especially with unwelcoming people like you

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

I’ve travelled India and love both the country and the people. We’re really feeling for you in these horrible times. I think that’s what that other reply was about - were decent people here mate and always proud to show off our country. 👍

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

@@Avinash-xz7yn please see my comment below - thanks

[@Avinash-xz7yn]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY thank you so much, mate! It has been a difficult time for us, your prayers will definitely help us get through this. I know Aussies are a great bunch of guys and enjoy breaches and 4WD, I've infact bought a 4WD inspired by your channel

[@sammyjones3500]

I watched these back in the day. Still read the mags from there too. Top stuff !

[@intricacy9490]

Did this drive in 1975 in a '58 model four cylinder LWB Landrover...3 of us all 18 yrs old. Certainly tougher then compared to the more comfy and soft cock 4WD of today. Good to see these fellas do it in these older vehicles. Significantly increases the challenge. We didn't have a winch, just a bit of determination and alot of youthful folly. We even saw an EH Holden that made it to the top (Bamaga). Still remember some of these locations.

[@petersajkic6749]

Ott in a eh??

[@nige8559]

Great to see Milo once again. What a great old-school capable truck. Cheers Roothy. Love the old videos mate!

[@seanbarnett9406]

I know this video is from around 2010 But THIS is what 4WDing and camping should look like. No 100k+ brand spanking new cars with the entire stock of the local king's outlet Just basic cars and set ups and some good mates

[@user-bd5md5cm2j]

John, you are a good man. Thankyou for producing such a nice product for us. I love your adventures. Helps motivate me to take time to have my own

[@MrJimbo1078]

Go straight into gun shot (and Bang Jack goes straight into the glove box)hahahaha Love it John, thanks for all that you do in helping people to explore the Great country of ours Australia

[@mint_au]

Thanks for the old episodes being reposted here on youtube John , love rewatching these classics. CHEERS

[@hansdaniels1867]

Again an EPIC video episode from Milo & Roothy. Oh man, I would like to be able to travel like that! Cheers, H.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

It sure used to be fun - I don't think I realised how lucky I was in those days!

[@danielsvision]

I'll never forget the episode where roothy decided to take his brand new alvey rod for a light soaking while getting a chance to taste the local sand 😂 legend

[@anthony851]

I was trying to work out the date of manufacture on the Fowler insulator. I have got 2 the I picked up off a rotten arm when the Savannahlander stopped for me, 1953 and 1955 for mine. Hi from NZ, Anthony

[@chrisandshazza01]

Great adventures. The ole’ exhaust Jack mighta come in handy to break the suction on the big 79.

[@someoneelse255]

Love these old vids good on you Roothy

[@Daniel-ts2tf]

Love watching your Video's Roothy keep up the fantastic content mate

[@robv6780]

loved it . Good job Roothy

[@darylkizer]

Excellent material! I think I have more appreciation for a solid front axle after watching this video. Taking some of those obstacles with the needed speed would make me nervous in the Prado. Cheers!

[@djmini2numpty141]

love the ole 45 , had a 2 door years ago, wish i'd kept it

[@emu4wdadventures631]

Jack was an awesome mate. Steve 🇦🇺

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Too right. I Miss the little bugger.

[@fredflintstoner596]

Mrs Richards: "I paid for a room with a view!" Basil: (pointing to the lovely view) "That is Torquay, Madam." Mrs Richards: "It's not good enough!" Basil: "May I ask what you were expecting to see out of a Torquay hotel bedroom window? Sydney Opera House, perhaps? the Hanging Gardens of Babylon? Herds of wildebeest sweeping majestically past?..." Mrs Richards: "Don't be silly! I expect to be able to see the sea!" Basil: "You can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky." Mrs Richards: "I'm not satisfied. But I shall stay. But I expect a reduction." Basil: "Why?! Because Krakatoa's not erupting at the moment?

[@davidflorance7650]

Your still a legend Roothy 👍

[@tntdynamite3217]

Bloody awesome!, wish we had areas like that here in NZ. Might have to do a trip to OZ

[@debedwards1717]

So you could take your dog on all of the tracks? We’re heading off from Brisbane to Cape York in a few weeks, and we most definitely want to take our dog.

[@ediepevec4028]

Been there done that back in 1978 16.000 klm ,Syd,Bamaga, Karumba, Darwin,Ayers Rock,Adelaide,back to Syd,all in two months,had no problem what so ever. FJ 40 as simple as they come. Will remember for the rest of my life.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Too right and too good! The 40 would have been close to new then too. Lucky you got in before it got popular.

[@jamesd4418]

I went to Cape York in the early 1980's and returned many times until the 90's. Having said that, I would never go back. The place is over crowned, full of rubbish and toilet paper and the destruction done is reprehensible. As the old saying says "paradise lost", the song "Big Yellow Taxi" seems fit for what the Cape has become. As the song says "Don't it always seem to go, That you don't know what you got 'til it's gone,They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" Oh and on the subject of telegraph insulators, interestly and somewhat ironic, the insulators that people are stealing are dated to 1962 when Comalco replaced all the insulators when they upgraded the line to multiple lines.

[@Mike-hg1dm]

It Sure has changed. 1st trip was from Cooktown to the tip in 1979 on a pair of Suzuki PE250's with my cousin. Got up there Ok .. then... Did a Cruciate ligament on a beach run from the Jardine River down the coast to Captain Billy's landing. If it was not for a kind 4WDer called "Monty" and his 2 brothers in a Nissan G60 and their trailer at Capt.Billys.. I would still be up there. God bless him and his ilk. True, real fair dinkum Aussies, salt of the earth. Now... I'd get a scenic helicopter ride out after my epirb was set of. It was truly the wild west. John you remind me of that style of bloke. Cheers

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Wow! We must have nearly crossed paths - I went up there in 1979 first time on an R60 1962 BMW , had no idea about the rivers, wound up working up there and all the rest for the season - awesome times, it's very different now people wise.

[@angusduff641]

On ya roothy up the 45

[@jrgenfriborg3508]

Was in Bloomfield in 81/ love all.

[@stephenhankey688]

Great video thanks roothey

[@AndyL940]

Good advertisement for having a winch

[@bignedau]

Always a good vid, 👍👍👍

[@TheSilmarillian]

Great work hello from Lightning Ridge NSW will get up that way one day.....Nissan pilot here :)

[@chadcollis5402]

nissan..... well your wrong you wont get there hahah

[@frankG335]

They're having the best time of their lives trying to get that truck out of the mud. That's the whole point of the trip! This creates their male bond.

[@chrisnewman861]

Great little 4wdDoco ! What year did you guys do this trip, and more importantly what time of year? Many thanks.

[@JuanPOcampo.74]

the master off road track

[@jrgenfriborg3508]

Power! My old Land Rover 1977 has 65 hk !

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Oh yeah!! Cheers

[@joshricho1513]

The first magazine I ever bought

[@brianboys9015]

Gold

[@davidmunday8820]

Really enjoyed this video Roothy- especially as we’re heading up the Cape in July- in a new Defender no less! Wish me luck😉 cheers David

[@jiffijoff9780]

Whoop, sounds like fun to me - and a little bit of a challenge as well considering the deep river crossings. I wouldnt have crossed those in our old 130 series td4 even. Watch those electronics of the new defender... 👍

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Ok. Good luck! Take it easy and you’ll be fine. 👍👍

[@davidmunday8820]

@@jiffijoff9780 Yep plenty of fun indeed-really looking forward to it. Will have plenty of back up as joining tag along tour (Moon Tours). I suspect there will be plenty of cameras on us for Nolan's Brook! New Defender is said to be able to last 1hour in 1metre of water without flooding sensitive electronics- I'll try not to test that claim!!

[@davidmunday8820]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY thanks John. You might remember meeting me in Blue Jeep Commander in Flinders Ranges 2008. You said I'd eventually see the light and buy a Toyota-well 3 Land Rovers later you probably think I'm still in the dark! But having heaps fun doing it! Ha, who knows once I retire I might buy a Toyota- don't hold me to it!

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

G'day David! Sorry, I missed the connection first time around - I still remember that trip well, great bunch of people, and I still remember a certain off-colour joke I might have made pertaining to your profession - good to hear from you and remember the golden rule at Nolans, watch someone else do it first if possible, there's usually a shallow part that's soft or a deeper part that's not, or any combination depending on how the Wet left it. Err, I won't mention the Range Rover we had to leave up there in 2006 after it went into limp home mode - after crossing a wet section too fast!

[@johnpies6737]

What do you want to do "get out " haha

[@grahameroberts8109]

I hope the TOP (sounds better than Tip) stays open!

[@fifiandmax]

Rippa episode👍

[@mattluszczak8095]

hey roothy your from queensland? do you know the boys that did: ''this way to cape york'' in the 80s?

[@chamathneris6000]

8:06 omg the dog!!

[@debedwards1717]

He should really be harnessed in.

[@rcaxialscx10]

Milo is the best truck in Australia

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

You are totally right of course!

[@rcaxialscx10]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY true mate long live milo 😉👍

[@7.62eclipse8]

One day I have to visit Australia to ride these tracks, bucket list material right here. Is there any way to rent a proper 4x4 over there where the establishments don't mind a few scratches an dings? I wish I could bring my amigo with me

[@philburgess3195]

Bear rentals, cairns

[@HammerRocks]

I'd like to do the OTT, but are the chicken tracks easy? I love driving on tracks but I'm not really into the Gunshot style drops tracks. Are the alternative chicken tracks around such tricky drops much easier?

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Yes, and what most people forget is that you can also segment the OTT with sidetracks out - or remember the whole thing's only a two day drive doing it slowly if you're not held up. Golden rule is if you get past the first five kms, you'll do the rest easy!

[@HammerRocks]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY Fantastic! Thanks Roothy. 👍

[@lawdayl]

Hey Roothy, I'm riding to the Cape on my Triumph Scrambler 1200 in May. Is the tele doable on a larger bike or should I take the "safer" route?

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

I wouldn't, but I'm old and couldn't lift it alone these days. Be prepared to work hard and presumably you're experienced. Biggest bike I've had up there was my R60 BM when I was 18, but close to the ground and I could paddle it easily.

[@lawdayl]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY pretty much what I was thinking. Im going to do the North of Weipa track and would love to get through Lakefield but that's closed until June unfortunately. Thanks for the reply. Made your fancy burgers for the family last week hahaha. The wife and kids were impressed!

[@boganbunbun307]

940 views and only 94 likes ?

[@danielhartwig6333]

L❤️VE. U M8🇦🇺🥰🥳

[@greebo7857]

The old 4WD Action beats the new crap hands down. Watching people getting bogged and breaking stuff like CVs is NOT entertaining, or informative. Thanks John.

[@greebo7857]

This must be old if Jack's in it.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Yep, he's been gone maybe nine years now - still miss him, and Milo.

[@greebo7857]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY Don't blame you John, jack was an awesome dog.

[@samjohnson9894]

Love your videos and spirit, Mr. Rooth. But hold on tick...what's the purpose of the grog stash again? And that 80 needs lockers bad. But other than that, I like the trim look of it. Matches my 80, "Smitty".

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Some Aboriginal land bans alcohol - you need to stash it or drink it before you travel through. Changes all the time and should be checked first but don't ignore it.

[@danielhartwig6333]

Seisa....

[@redbitter1232]

Where is the MAHINDRA you love so much.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Ten years ago I doubt there's was a dozen in Ausrtalia - yes, I'm liking the Mahindra because nobody seems capable of building simple and strong - once the 70's stop anyway.

[@officialWWM]

Aren’t there crocks in those streams?

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

Sometimes. Mostly freshies and after dark.

[@officialWWM]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY wouldn’t get me in there 😂

[@rob45x]

Good old lithgow Power lines tracks ! Live me a good old power line track

[@rpalmer274]

How come you had to hide the booze I'm from Canada

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

G'day Rod = some indigenous communities have alcohol problems hence alcohol is banned. Trick is to find out where sometimes - usually it's signposted. In some places petrol is banned too - petrol sniffing causes brain damage.

[@rpalmer274]

@@JOHNROOTHROOTHY oh ok that's too bad ...I'm a big fan love your videos and your country

[@geoffbell166]

Is there no crocodiles there?!

[@granddolph]

26:50 a $500 bleed valve FFS!

[@frankG335]

Guys love to get themselves into a jam, then use all their gear to try to get out of it. Why have all that gear if you're not gonna get to play with it, after all? And you've got to have at least one "in the dark" adventure to talk about afterwards. You can't just have a straightforward trip with no troubles! That would be a wasted trip!

[@garyharvey3545]

If Geoff is a chef why is he trimming the fat? Tastiest part.

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

beats me, I agree!

[@lennonfuller8445]

Lukes 75 series haha sorry mate its a 79

[@JOHNROOTHROOTHY]

well caught!

[@charliewilde4349]

He also says at 9:04 or so it has an independent front suspension set up. Which it doesn’t. I’m pretty sure he means coils?

[@lennonfuller8445]

@@charliewilde4349 Yes i noticed that

[@ezzzg7534]

Did he find his wallet?

[@jonowoodgo]

Can't beat Roothy the new Toyota's are the biggest waste of money IMHO