Outback QLD Road Conditions

[StinkyPete]

I'm doing some early planning for my next big ride in May 2015.     The general plan is to ride from Adelaide to Tenant Creek, Cairns, then back home via NSW and Vic.   I'll be with my usual long distance touring mates who ride Harleys, and carry extra fuel. 

The initial plan was to go straight across the Barkley from Tenant Creek to Townsville, but an alternative has been suggested to me.  What are the road conditions like for the run north from Cloncurry to Normanton, and then east on Highway 1 to Ravenshoe?    It looks like it's sealed, but is it a string of potholes joined with bitumen, and so narrow that trucks and road trains are likely to cause problems?

[Gatey]

Pete just be aware that some of the current info might be well slewed by the end of the wet...if it comes.

[Totgas]

The road from Cloncurry to Normanton is sealed and is normally fine. There may have been some washouts depending on the time of the year and how heavy is the wet. The road from Normanton to Ravenshoe is also fine and normally not too many road trains. I would emphasize however that you need to be fairly well prepared and should carry extra fuel. It's going to be very warm and quite frankly expect to see lots of nothing... I would rate both roads as a 7 out of 10.
A.

[West Aussie Glen]

Pete,
Some info attached from my round the block trip on the GL1500. Theresa was with me for that section.
As per  the comments above for the road conditions.
The distance for us from Cairns to Mareeba was via Port Douglas.
Mareeba to Cairns included a considerable amount of back tracking due to My Garmin telling us that a section of road was sealed but when we were stopped at the turn we were told it was a very rough dirt road.I included the Threeways to Daly Waters leg which would be an up and back for your trip but Daly Waters is a classic if you haven't been there before.