Taking on CREB Track in Cape York, one of Australia's most dangerous 4x4 tracks!

Making the decision to ford a large river is never an easy one. When pushing the limits I always slow down and try to use my brain so I don’t become an internet meme, stranded on the roof of my rapidly sinking Jeep.

Before charging in I assess the depth, the water flow and the riverbed. A crossing with a firm gravel bottom is an entirely different challenge than one with bottomless mud. Any large boulders or deep holes are also nice to know about. The most straightforward way to be certain about all of this is simply to walk across the river before driving in; and if this was any ordinary river, that’s exactly what I would do.

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While standing a respectable distance from the actual water, I’m very aware this is absolutely not any ordinary river.

We’re in Far North Queensland, standing on the banks of the mighty Daintree River, infamous for its salty infestation. While I can’t actually see any crocodiles from where I’m standing, I feel certain they must be lurking just under the waterline, waiting for their next meal to wander into the water. Not only do we have to successfully cross this river, it would be nice not to get eaten by crocs while doing it.

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The CREB Track

Created as the service access track for the old Cairns Regional Electricity Board (CREB), the track mostly follows ancient aboriginal foot trails through dense rainforest.

As well as providing spectacular scenery, the CREB is notorious as one of Australia’s most challenging four-wheel drive adventures. With rain the track becomes extremely slippery and dangerous, and in recent months multiple vehicles have rolled on the slick clay and were left in the thick jungle for days. During that incident even a Unimog sent to help was no match for the steep climbs and became another victim.

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The track traverses spectacular World Heritage-listed rainforest as it weaves north from Daintree Village, up and over multiple peaks of the McDowall Range and back down past the Aboriginal community of Wujal Wujal.

This track is not to be taken lightly, and so we team up with a group of friends we had previously tackled the Oodnadatta Track with. Since then we all somehow managed to explore in different directions around the country, and it’s great to fill in all the blanks and tales of adventure.

As is often the case when 4x4 touring in Australia, all four of the vehicles we team up with are V8 LandCruisers. With integrated pop-top roofs, elaborate interior build-outs, bull bars, winches, snorkels and a forest of radio antennas, the Cruisers are so nearly identical even the dogs have trouble figuring out which vehicle they should be getting into.

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After meeting at a stunning campground elevated above the Daintree, we set off down river on a croc tour.

In less than 30 seconds we spot the resident alpha male sunning himself on the bank, and all get a huge laugh when Canadian Katie doesn’t see the massive reptile with mouth wide open until we can almost reach out of the boat and touch it.

While Katie has had plenty of practice spotting grizzly bears and mountain lions, we all agree she wouldn’t last long amongst Australian critters. Over the next hour we meander downstream and spot a handful of more large reptiles in and out of the water, the most eerie being a large female swimming silently under the boat without making so much as a ripple.

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To cross a river

Our convoy is on the road early the next morning, and just 10 minutes later at the official start of the track we’re at the mandatory crossing of the Daintree River.

We’ve been watching the weather reports and talking to locals about the river height, and literally every report has given a different story. We’re told the water depth will most likely fall somewhere between the top of the tyres and the top of the windshield, which really doesn’t tell us much.

We walk to scout the crossing as much as possible, but we’re not sure how close to the water we can safely stand. While I still carry an Australian passport, I’m no Crocodile Dundee, and I have no intention of going hand to hand with a big salty.

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Growing up in rural Victoria means I know virtually nothing about supersize lizards, so I stand well back while trying to see through the moving water with polarised sunglasses.

A couple of the LandCruisers are on 35s, and I’m perfectly happy when they volunteer to go first, showing the rest of us the best line through the river. One at a time we swing wide, actually driving downstream for a hundred yards before turning back across the current and climbing up the far bank, an easy gravel exit. While coming back across the current the water barely laps at the front of the bonnet, and the firm gravel bottom gives plenty of traction to keep me moving across.

Near the beginning of the track we navigate a series of small mud holes, washouts and soggy low-lying areas before we begin to climb in earnest. Simultaneously, the jungle closes in on all sides until we’re completely surrounded by the dense green foliage.

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Ancient rainforest

For the first half of the day the track climbs up to a high lookout, and thankfully the notoriously slick clay and red mud isn’t too slick.

As far as we can tell it hasn’t rained in the last day or two, and while everything is a little damp and we encounter plenty of sticky mud pits, none of the climbs are seriously slick.

The CREB slices through Daintree National Park, which contains the oldest rainforest anywhere on earth. Because the rainforest here has existed continuously for more than 110 million years, many species of trees and plants are the ancient ancestors of more common species today. This flora dates back roughly 30-50 million years and gives scientists a direct window into the past, and what the planet looked like long ago.

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Elsewhere on earth these ancient plants and trees died out millions of years ago, and can only be studied as fossils. This park is made up of trees and plants that existed when dinosaurs roamed the earth, so is a literal Jurassic Park.

The Daintree is also home to thousands of animal species, including the majestic cassowary. Equally as flightless as emus but much more beautiful, cassowaries are typically wary of humans but can get very aggressive when provoked or while defending their young. Their three-towed feet have large claws that resemble a velociraptor, making me think we might actually see a dinosaur wander by. Cassowaries have on occasion killed people, leading to the label of ‘world’s most dangerous bird’.

The entire region has enormous cultural and spiritual significance to the local Aboriginal people, and in a historic deal made by the government of Queensland, the eastern Kuku Yalanji people took formal ownership of Daintree National Park in 2021.

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Getting stuck

After enjoying the stunning views from the lookout at the track summit, we make our way down the backside of the mountain, avoiding the worst of the deep washouts.

We cross a few small rivers and splash up some mud here and there, but don’t encounter anything to really slow our progress. As we arrive at a much bigger creek crossing, however, I sense things are about to get exciting.

There isn’t much water in the creek, though it’s obvious the bottom and far bank are pure thick mud. The bank on the far side is very steep, leading us to dig out winch controllers, shackles and tree protectors before even attempting it.

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Running 35-inch mud terrains on his LandCruiser, Jake is happy to lead the way and show us how it’s done.

Even with the massive diesel engine bouncing off the rev limiter he just barely manages to claw up the bank and out of the pit, with mud spitting from the tyre tread blocks. Now the gauntlet has been thrown down, we all line up for an attempt at the sticky mud hole, and I’m well aware I need to carry the Jeep flag while deep in LandCruiser territory.

With a lot more wheel spin and engine revving, it becomes clear that ground clearance and traction are the limiting factors, and not a single vehicle on 33-inch tyres manages to complete the climb, and all eventually give up and resort to winching.

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Much to the admiration of the other ladies on the drive, Katie jumps in the driver’s seat of the Jeep, and carefully lines up the much longer Gladiator for the ideal entry.

In low range 4x4 with both diff locks engaged and the front sway bar disconnected, the Jeep easily moves through the river and mud at the bottom, and the front tyres have no problem with grip as the front half of the Gladiator climbs up the bank.

With the rear tyres not yet on the climb, and the front tyres already levelling out, the extra long wheelbase of the Gladiator comes into play as the belly grounds out on the muddy breakover.

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Katie makes another attempt, though the result is identical, with the belly grounding out on the mud before the Jeep can scrabble up and out.

There is no doubt more ground clearance would have helped, and as I hand Katie the controller for her first time using the winch, I wonder if 35s would have been enough, or if the much more common North American choice of 37s on the Gladiator would have been needed. I always enjoy learning the limits of a vehicle, and this was the perfect opportunity to see exactly what would happen on a short and sharp climb.

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A taste of things to come

As we continue to drop in elevation the rainforest opens up, and soon we’re on a decent gravel road before arriving at Roaring Meg Falls, a stunning rocky outcrop where the turbulent water of the Bloomfield River races over and between enormous boulders.

With all the whitewater and elevation it’s extremely unlikely there are any salties this far from the ocean, and while Katie stands lookout Josh and I brave a very quick dip to beat the relentless heat and humidity. The CREB Track has been a stunning introduction to 4x4 exploration in Far North Queensland, and teaming up with a convoy of great people made for a lot of laughs and good times.

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I really appreciate that our group worked together, using our heads to tackle the tricky conditions and make decisions collectively. Knowing what lies ahead, I feel much more confident travelling in convoy from now on.

Late in the afternoon we roll into The Lion’s Den Hotel, one of Northern Australia’s famous outback pubs. Out the back is an enormous grassy camping area packed to the brim with 4x4s, camper vans, roof top tents and swags, and it’s clear everybody has decided an ice cold beer is in order. After a day like this, it’s hard to disagree.

Join adventurer Dan Grec on his expeditions around the world on YouTube and Instagram @TheRoadChoseMe