Cyclone damaged - exploring the Bloomfield track after Tropical Cyclone Jasper

You know how much I love driving the Bloomfield Track. I have some of the best memories from exploring its walking trails, crossing its creeks and exploring beaches along the way, as well as staying in my favourite stealthy camping spots in the rainforest.

Here is the link to my page I dedicated to this track in late 2023: The Bloomfield Track

I left Far North Queensland in early Oct 2023 to drive across the Savannah Way.

Then in December 2024 Tropical Cyclone Jasper parked over Far North Queensland causing catastrophic devastation, in particular severe (1 in 2000 year) flooding in Wujal Wujal, I was invited back to this Aboriginal Shire Council to assist with the post-cyclone-recovery.

While working and living back up in the region I kept a keen ear open for the prognosis on if the Track would ever be reopened and if so, when.

As late at Feb 2024 there was talk of it taking years to re-open the Track, given the number and size of the landslips affecting it.

However by late March/early April the prognosis had changed, huge progress had been made and the track began to be accessible.

I share the story here of my unexpected morning adventure, when instead of going for a walk up one of the local hills, I decided to try driving down the Bloomfield Track to see how far I could get.

I had heard that the road was open as far as Woobadda Creek....

I was shocked to see the extent of the devastation caused by debris filled flood waters as they raced along this formerly narrow creek bed.

Before the cyclone's devastation this was a heavily forested little stream that you could only just see beneath the canopy of tall rainforest.

Now, as the image illustrates that delicate rainforest stream has been gauged wide open.

Surprisingly the stone bridge survived, almost completely intact.!

The track surface was for the most part in way better condition that I was expecting, so after a quick swim here I continued driving down the track, and my little video here shows you the unexpected adventure that resulted from that decision.