The Lynd Junction - Oasis Roadhouse

 18 - 19 June 2025

We drove from Cairns to Mareeba where we stopped to fill the water tanks and empty the toilet, then continued on towards Atherton. We stopped for lunch at Rocky Creek War Memorial Park, a very popular free camp, with a good day use area. From there we drove on through Herberton to a birding spot in Wondecla. We had let our friends in Ravenshoe know we were on our way, but we seriously miscalculated our timings.

We arrived at Rob and Cheryl's and stopped for a chat and to pick up some things we had left there. It was then we realised that if we didn't leave by 3:30pm we would be driving in the dark. There aren't many options the way we were headed and we had decided on the Oasis Roadhouse which we had heard served cold beer and excellent burgers.

We jumped in the car and headed off for the 2 1/4 hour drive to the Lynd Junction, arriving just as the sun was starting to set. We managed to get the camper set up as the light faded. We had high hopes, but found the campground to be very disappointing. We camped in the unpowered section which was at the opposite end of the grounds from the amenities, meaning a very long walk to go to the loo. 

We ordered burgers and drinks and found a table on the deck to have our dinner. It was Rugby League State of Origin night so there were lots of people and the pre-game show was on the huge TV screen. My burger was OK but Mick's was overcooked - maybe even cooked and then reheated.

Celebrating a birthday with a cold beer

The following morning we agonised over whether we would be able to get to our next camp at Porcupine Gorge National Park. The Queensland Transport app showed the road open, GoogleMaps showed it as closed, our neighbours saw the closed signs the day before, the Queensland Transport website didn't show anything in the list view, but hazards were shown in the map view. So much for relying on a government department!

In the end I rang Etheridge Shire Council who confirmed that road was open, but had been closed for while the day before due to some flash flooding. With that information we were able to head off down the Kennedy Developmental Road, otherwise known as The Lynd.