RV TRAVEL
4WD FUN IN FITZGERALD RIVER NP
Surprisingly for a UNESCO park , there are some great 4WD tracks for those with the appropriate setup , i . e ., a high clearance vehicle with good offroad tyres .
Continuing from East Mount Barrens north along Hamersley Drive , it ’ s about another 15km before the turn-off to Quoin Head Track on the left . As you head further into the centre of the park , a set of peaks begins to arise from the surrounding bush , part of the Barrens Range . The track stays fairly easy , albeit a bit narrow , for a while until you reach a set of large washouts , and the track began to earn its ‘ 4WD-only ’ status .
Where things start to get interesting along Quoin Head Track .
After getting through those , you are rewarded with the jawdropping beauty of the remote FRNP coastline : thick rolling bushland suddenly giving way to jagged , rocky cliffs dropping off to the clear , turquoise blue waters below . Up ahead looms the unmissable Quoin Head , so named due to its shape resembling a quoin , or a wedge used on olden ships to raise or stabilise the cannons .
The track winds back and down steeply along the gravel road , requiring care to control the decent , before finishing at a dayuse area overlooking a pristine white sand beach with the ‘ quoin ’ towering in the background .
There are other 4WD tracks that are usually available to explore more of the eastern section of the park , such as a track off Quoin Head Track that leads to the picturesque Hamersley Beach and dunes , but they can be extremely narrow and scratchy . Tracks may be closed to help prevent the spread of dieback ( see page 48 ).
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