Bloomfield Track
The Bloomfield Track, which is also known as the Coast Road or officially, the Cape Tribulation-Bloomfield Road, is a controversial four-wheel-drive road in Far North Queensland, Australia. The road's construction through untouched wilderness was the cause of protests and blockades in the early 1980s.
Bloomfield Track | |
|---|---|
| Driving along the Bloomfield Track, September 2009 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Rural road |
| Length | 30 km (19 mi) |
| Opened | 1984 |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Wujal Wujal |
| South end | Cape Tribulation |
The road was completed in 1984, connecting Cape Tribulation to Cooktown. This route is an alternative to the Mulligan Highway further inland. It passes over the Donovan and Cowie Ranges. To reduce the environment impact the road was designed with few switchbacks and bends on the climbs resulting in patches of steep gradients over the ranges. The track itself is 30 km in length.
The road is only partially sealed and may be impassable after heavy rains. Access to Bloomfield Falls and the aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal is provided by the road which also crosses the Bloomfield River. Tourism along the Bloomfield Track has been popular. Visitors are drawn to the pristine rainforest, swimming holes, creeks and beaches.