SEQ/CQ/NQ/FNQ - CAPE YORK 2013 (Brains, Richo, LFaR & other vehicles)

[vxcruiser08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vxcruiser08]

This is great Brains, thanks for posting up. Look forward to reading more!

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Okay after some gentle persuasion from some of the SEQ tonight crew I will continue the recount tonight and maybe some more tomorrow.

In the afternoon our front passengers went down for a sleep so the men and the kids decided we should do some exploring and headed to the rocky headland which is full of Granite Boulders running down the hills into the ocean. The kids had a great time climbing over the boulders and jumping off them.



After our venture to Granite Camping area and the Eastern tip of Cape Melville we headed back to a small swimming hole and had a dip. We then started to follow the source of the water and began climbing up the boulders and rocks to find ponds and waterfalls and small streams of water. We kept climbing higher only to find that the water kept coming down this pile of boulders and rocks. As it was getting close to sunset we had to return back to the swimming hole and make our way back to the Prado's and return to camp.



Upon our return the front passengers had awoken and were in a much more happy state than they were on the way into Cape Melville. Dinner for some of us tonight consisted of Steak. For other of us who's wives had packed 7 lots of chicken it was going to be chicken AGAIN! Unfortunately when packing meat for a trip you must remember that red meat lasts around 3-4 weeks whereas chicken and pork only 7-10 days when cryvaced. It was seeming that Chicken every night was beginning to break the Nissan Driver amongst us. My butcher had suppled us some large pieces of Angus Rib Fillet of which I was able to sneak him a bit which was not detected by his wife. His anxiety and monotony of eating chicken 3 nights in a row had been quelled somewhat. After dinner we discussed the plans for the next few days and prepared the camp for packing up in the morning.



Another night of steady winds throughout the night as well as the thoughts of the promises that some of us had made to wives and children that the tracks back out were no way like the ones on the way in carried us to sleep.

Wednesday 19 June 2013

The sun came up and we greeted to another great day. Breakfast once again was first on the agenda prior to packing up the tents and other campsite necessities like the Weber, LED lighting, 4 Foxwings with various extensions. Of course Richo was first again to get his tent all packed up even though he was the last to start. Congratulations once again to the man who says DONE two times a day!

Once packed up we headed away from the coast towards Wakooka Ruins where the road splits between the Starcke track we had taken to get to Cape Melville or the track to Kalpower which would be our chosen path. All that I was thinking was, "Please let the track be a bit better than the Starcke track." Not for the smoother faster ride but to alleviate the headache that I got from the commentary on my driving. I couldn't understand why as I had a great time on the way in and thought the drive was quite exhilerating and with a few little challenges. I must say that my wife and the boys were great on the trip and loved visiting the places they saw and took it all really well especially some of the long days we did in the Prado. My wife even had a couple of drive days where she got to take on some water crossings and some low range driving.

Back to the story...the track from Cape Melville to Wakooka Ruins is rough, twisting and turning but we travelled it well and everyone was in high spirits as we were heading to Musgrave Station to meet the other 2 vehicles left in our party. Once we had left Cape Melville there was this great waterhole that had to be captured, once again our eyes are the greatest optical device that can capture an image but to show you guys what it was like here's a digital photograph. Maybe one day you'll be able to look at the images through my eyes.



Crocodiles seen - 0 (Even after staying at the Crocodile camping...Queensland National Parks-Liars, I saw no crocodiles!)

Richo never even saw any even though we rubbed him in steak juice and tied the rest of the 7 days worth of chicken to him that someone was trying to get rid of. That was even after walking him around with his hands tied and pushing him into the creeks with a stick. Sorry Richo i do apologise for that night but the kids and wife really wanted to see a crocodile and it was called Crocodile Camping!

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

This is great Brains, thanks for posting up. Look forward to reading more!

Thank for your comment. After reading this I feel like putting more up, but I will have to go to bed as I have an early start in the morning. Damn PP Steak Nights and Pradopoint and early starts.

[The Alberto Member Find all posts View Profile Close The Alberto]

Loving this Brains! Did the cape last year in a Dual Cab Ute (which I sold to buy the Prado after the trip) and I am taking the family up in the Prado in 2014 - I have been waiting for a trip report from 2013 to see what has changed. Can't wait for the next instalment, makes me just want to pack up and leave now!

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Loving this Brains! Did the cape last year in a Dual Cab Ute (which I sold to buy the Prado after the trip) and I am taking the family up in the Prado in 2014 - I have been waiting for a trip report from 2013 to see what has changed. Can't wait for the next instalment, makes me just want to pack up and leave now!

Your kind words inspire me to post more installments tonight.

[outback7 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close outback7]

Great pics brains. Thank you for taking the time to post. Awesome. Love the report.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

We continued to Wakooka where we stopped to have a bit of morning tea. Prior to getting to Wakooka we came across a party of about five ordinary 4WD's 3 towing campers (there were no Prado's amonst the group) heading towards Cape Melville. They inquired what the road was like as they had come up the rough tracks from Kalpower. We advised them that it was rough winding with some washouts and with that they didn't look too impressed. We were later to find out that these rough roads through to Kalpower seemed like a freshly laid bitumen track compared to what we had driven two days before on the Starcke track. At Wakooka Ruins there are Ruins of an old 4WD most probably a Nissan or Landrover, a rusted out tractor and a lean to. We left a business card just in case someone came through with internet access and had run out of topics to Google.



At the Junction we decided to travel through Kalpower to Musgrave Station rather than back along the Starcke track much to the jubilation of the passengers. Like I said this track was like a highway compared to the way in and we traversed along this section quite quickly and we were making our way through the Kalpower crossing. There were signs up of a recent Crocodile sighting, we looked and saw nothing! There is a popular well equipped camping area on the southern side of the crossing.





We continued along, driving through the Lakefield National Park until we got to Musgrave Station. It's amazing to see the countless ants nests along the way.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

As soon as we got in we looked around to see if the 2 vehicles that were joining us in Musgrave had arrived but they had not arrived. We refuelled the vehicles and booked in for the night driving onto the grounds and setting up camp. Richo still carrying on like he was on a retainer with sales commission from Oztent continued to advise all of us that he was Done and ready to partake in an ale while he watched the rest of us set up. Camping for one is it really that fun Richo? It certainly was much quicker to set up, maybe next time I should try it...Of course we all compared fuel consumption and LFaR was winning with our Prado coming in 2nd and the V6 Prado and Nissan Patrol around the same figures.

It wasn't too much later that we saw the Landrover and the 2nd Patrol crossing Saltwater Creek and drive into Musgrave Station. After interrogating our new travelling companions we found out that this was to be their first night Camping! Apparently that had had quite an enjoyable trip so far staying at accommodation on the way up and had just spent the last 2 days living it up in Cooktown while some of us were onto a chicken dinner AGAIN for the fourth straight night!



So the complete contingent of our travelling party was now united and we had a few options for the travel ahead as we had booked the necessary National Parks camping but had a few blanks to fill in and decide on our final destinations. Camp was set up and the camping area filled up quite quickly just prior to dusk. The girls had had a chance to get some washing done which meant at this stage of the trip there was no need to immediately start wearing our underwear inside out. Berin was having Chicken Again and everyone was dining on a variety of meals in their fridges.



After dinner we finally sat down and decided on the location for the following night. We were going to travel to the North. LFaR had never been this far North so it was quite exciting for him because we eventually worked out that every time we asked him if NOW was the furtherest he'd been north he kept answering Yes, but NOW, and NOW!

We all settled in for a good nights sleep with the knowledge that we had completed a bit of washing and were prepared for the next phase of the adventure.

Friday 21 June 2013

After waking to yet another fine day, we went through the motions of packing up and yet again Richo gleefully packed his tent away in 31 seconds. Oztent - liars took a second too long! And again we could hear the jubilant cry of DONE! Anyway after ignoring Richo again we continued to pack up out tents and kitchens as we intended getting breakfast at the shop that morning.

While some of us were dining on some bacon and eggs certain members of the crew were presented with the first sighting of a crocodile!



Of the people that saw the crocodile not one of them came to inform the rest of us but were selfish in wanting to have this sighting to themselves. After breakfast we got ready to continue the adventure towards the tip.



Crocodiles seen: 1

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Mini Beer

For those of you wondering what a mini beer is.



plus



equals

[craigm Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close craigm]

That's the link I was after thanks Paul...(Mini beers tomorrow night me thinks!)

[jss Moderated member Find all posts View Profile Close jss]

Wow what a great trip and a great write up!! Thanks for sharing Brains.

[Hazza Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hazza]

Can't believe the amount of people in the camp ground, you would hardly see another vehicle years ago.

Keep it coming Paul, this s like a good book you just can’t put down.

Hazza

[M3R Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close M3R]

Fantastic stuff! Looking forward to the next installment

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

As we continued North towards the equator the temperature was rising and every kilometre we got closer LFaR was able to say NOW! Mind you it was the most northern most of us had been. We had a quick stop in at Coen as Richo had an appointment at the SExchange Hotel. He was in there for quite some time and came out with a higher voice and somewhat looked lighter. He was fairly persistent that no-one was to come in with him! The planning the night before had laid out the plan of booking our accommodation when we got phone service as we had tried ringing on the Sat phone at Musgrave Station but didn't get a good signal. While in Coen certain unnamed members were making these phone calls to secure the spots at the next stop. Other's were at the SExchange or taking children to the toilet and stocking up on a few fresh food items. Coen if any of you have been there is no major metropolis but rather a small town with two streets, a main street that everyone drives through to head north and the second parallel street that the SExchange it on. Anyway phone calls were made to get our registration numbers for booking the accommodation but when we didn't answer on the UHF as we were out of the vehicles instead of ringing again three of the 6 cars headed north towards Archer River presuming that we had already left. The plan was to stop at Archer River Roadhouse for one of their famous burgers. So once we had everyone back in the cars unanswered calls were put over the radio to the missing vehicles, we then went to out phones as e had service in Coen but their phones were no longer in range. Then a drive around the two streets and we still could not locate the other vehicles. It had seemed that they must have been in a hurry to get to their destination. We thought oh well we'll catch them at Archer River so we departed Coen.



Also checked out the Federals to see how they were holding up after Cape Melville and the gravel roads. They were going great and I was impressed with these tyres as not only had they seemed quite good on the bitumen but they were fantastic on the gravel and dirt roads and tracks we had been travelling.



We travelled the road between Coen and Archer river quite swiftly in an attempt to reduce the time frame between the two groups but not naming anyone but lets just say that the three Prado's were together and not by our choice. Maybe the other drivers were having Prado envy? Anyway we made it to Archer River Roadhouse and the two Nissans and Landrover were not there. We started to think maybe we left them in Coen but we had cleared all the streets. Well either way we decided the plan was to get one of these Archer River Burgers and we weren't going to miss out on that for anything. So we stopped and feasted while the other three vehicles were heading towards our destination for the day! Don't know about you but I know what I would prefer to be doing.



After we had filled our stomachs we jumped back into the Prado's to head to Weipa for the night. The road to Weipa was probably the worst we had driven on for the trip so far as there seemed to be more corrogations on this part of the Peninsula Development Road than the North South sections. One thing I noticed was the track and the dust seemed to get redder the closer we got to Weipa. As we got back into phone range some of us had missed calls from the others who had been in Weipa for about an hour (We had taken the time to enjoy our burgers). Once in Weipa we went and booked into the caravan park and went to the local supermarket and topped up on some more fruit and veg.

[Brains Find all posts View Profile Close Brains]

Once we got back to the Caravan Park we began setting up camp again and yes Richo was first DONE! LFaR was the furtherest he'd been north NOW! And Berin was looking forward to another chicken dinner AGAIN!

We thought this would be a good opportunity to check the winches prior to us hitting the OTT the following day. We had been told by a group in Musgrave Station that we would need the winches to get through Palm Creek and this was reiterated to us by another group in Weipa. So each of us with winches went to our respective vehicles and gave them the once over. Mine would not go into freespool. Richo's would not turn once it had been spooled out but was getting power. Berin's had no power. Tano's was working and LFaR well his was working as well.

This was when Tano came to the fore front of the group and single handedly fixed all the winches before the sun set. Tano was truly Amazing! There were a few puzzled moments and once all the winches were back working again we all felt a little better. For those of us that hadn't had them serviced before we left it will be a definate thing to do prior to our next trip. Imagine if there had been something more serious wrong with them. Anyway after we had recovered from this ordeal we all grabbed a beverage and enjoys a western coast sunset over the water.



Anticipation was beginning to set in as we knew we were heading to the OTT the following day. Once again we got together to get our plans sorted for the next days travel.

Saturday 22nd June 2013

We awoke in Weipa to another great day, had breakfast and packed up. Our plan today was travel from Weipa along the Peninsula Development Road and then through Batavia Downs to the Telegraph Road and head to Bramwell Junction.

As we made the left off the Peninsula Development Road and drove through Batavia Downs we were making good time so decided on a quick stop to check out the rather tall ants nests. (check out the three lead vehicles, shows how much faith everyone had in the Prado's)



All the children were out of the vehicles for a photo next to the nests. All the children including LFaR...



We continued through Batavia Downs and onto the Telegraph Track making our way to Bramwell Junction. We had another stop in at thew Moreton telegraph Station for a quick look and the ladies dabbling in some retail therapy. The ladies including LFaR...

Finally once all the mens hard earned cash had been spent on neoprene wine coolers, kids t-shirts and other various souvenirs we finally got eveyone back into the vehicles and made our way closer to the OTT. Finally we arrived at Bramwell Junction after passing the entrance to Bramwell Station. A junction is a noun and can be described as 'a place where several routes, lines, or roads meet, link, or cross each other' (www.dictionary.com) and this was the case at Bramwell Junction we had two options to continue towards the northern most point of Australia.


Which one would you choose?