Cape York Trip

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

Hi everyone,
Next winter we will be heading up to the Cape and we are taking 6 weeks off to explore from Townsville up to the tip and Thursday Island, including Cairns, Daintree, Cooktown, Port Douglas Cape Tribulation, Innisfail, Cardwell Tully River, Etty Bay and so on. Our friends just returned with lots of info and stories, and we have some other friends and relations who have done it. I was wondering if anyone here has some stories to tell, info to share and so on. 8)
Thanks
Les

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

Have a look at our website for a very brief trip report and some photos.

We are going back next year as its such a great spot. Any questions feel free to ask!

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

Hiya Les

There's a couple of pics Here.

We absolutely loved the beachfront at Cardwell - breathtaking. Just don't swim.

We were amazed at the high water marks on most of the buildings in Innisfail - after the floods.

Cairns would have to be our favourite place of the trip. We stayed at the Cairns Coconut Caravan Resort - where the kids are looked after all day every day (if you want some peace and quiet). The high point (no pun) was the trip up to Karunda on the train and the trip down on the skyrail. Even the day spent in Karunda at the bakery and walking through the markets was what markets should be like - not some of the crap that cities put on these days.

The drive up the coast to Port Douglas was scenic - I just found Port Douglas to be too in-ya-face cashed up and flaunting it (IMHO). The rainforrest, though, is spectacular.

Great opportunities to get on a boat and explore the Barrier Reef from either Airlie Beach or Cairns - just expect to pay an arm and a leg.

Just remember to take heaps of piccies

Cheers
Chippy

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

If you want to go out to the reef then do it from Port Douglas. Much nicer coral. All of the smaller operators there are good.

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

Good to see another pradopointer coming up to the good country.
I have been up to the Cape by road 3 times now and dozens of times by sea, and want to go again.
There is so much to see and do up there depending on your interests and hobbies. I love fishing and camping so everywhere was great. I also had a boat on the roof of the ol Hilux so all waterways were fun too.
At a minimum, I would spend 4 weeks north of Cooktown. Any less and it is a driving holiday and you wouldn't enjoy it.
Make sure that you can pack and unpack camp easily, as it will happen lots. Our setup took about 1/2 hour to be seated around the camp fire, and similar to pack up.
Go the telegraph track as it is a better 4wd track more scenic, but less corrugations. There is heaps of great camping spots along the way also.
You should buy the book by Ron and Viv Moon called Cape York An adventurers Guide sold at most camping outlets. It will be your Bible up there.
Dont forget to comply with the alcohol bans, as north of Coen usually has road blocks and big fines to match.
Cape York, big place, as big as Victoria!!!

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

Thanks plucker.
I am a north Qld boy and my wife was born in Cairns. I have not been further than Mackay since the late 70's and my wife has not been back to Cairrns, or further north than Mackay since birth. Thats the kind of info I am looking for. Our friends have just pulled out but we are still keen to do it ourselves. Looking forward to it.

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

Every time that I have travelled to the tip, I have gone with just one car and after talking to lots of people, that is the right amount of vehilces. That way you can choose your length of stay and your destinations.

North of Mackay is Airlie Beach and Shute Harbour, which you can jump on a boat and do a day trip around the Islands stopping at a few and whitehaven beach.
Bowen is worth the visit to check out the views from Flagstaff Hill and see the five or so beaches that are truely remarkable.
For Townsville to Cooktown check out this link
http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php ... c&start=45

You can drive to Cooktown via Mareeba on the black stuff all the way now, but through Cape Tribulation is more scenic. The range is one of the steepest you will come across but you should have no worries.

Last trip I did, we came back through the Starke road passing Bathurst bay and Bathurst Heads from Lakefield NP to Cooktown. The road was rugged but we enjoyed it.

Lakefield has heaps of good camps and heaps of good Crocs which you should see that time of the year.

Lots of the roads north from Coen will depend on the wet season.
The middle of the year generally has the roads in good condition with little corrugation problems like later on.
I have always found Lakefield to past Coen pretty boring and haven't spent much time in between. Once you get to the telegraph track all the fun and scenery begins.

Jardine river ferry is expensive but covers all the camping in Injinu land which is heaps. This ticket is not a one way ticket either. It took many trips and the coincidence of the Bamaga Show to find this out.

At the tip we always stay at Punsand bay which has cold beer, great food and hot showers which is a just what you need. You can also got to Thursday Island via Ferry - very costly but worth every cent. The tours on TI and Horne island are worth the money if you are into history.
Punsand Bay is the closest camp to the tip also.

I have never taken refrigeration up that way, and relied on replenishing stocks of fresh fruit and veges and other stuff from Bamaga or Seisha supermarkets. Bamaga is bigger.

Hope that gives a few more ideas anyway.

Probe me for more info if you need any.

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

Thanks again plucker, well done. I used to frequent all the way to cairns when I was a lot younger and love the area between bowen and cairns. Cardwell, tully Etty Bay and anywhere through there was just paradise in the 70's. I am not a big one for the islands, got booted off most of them in my teens. ops: ops:
However TI is on the list. I will definatly probe you for info as time goes on. Thanks again.
cheers

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

Something I didn't mention is that the road to the tip is quite possibly the best 4WD trip in the country. This is one of the reasons I continually go back.

[Silver Rain Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Silver Rain]

We, too, are heading to Cape York on our first trip there next July.

We will spend about 4 weeks or so north of Cairns.

Question: do people generally regard it as better travelling with, or without, a camper trailer? We don't, yet, own one, and have got along pretty nicely so far with our tent. The plus of a camper trailer appears to be the set up time, extra space, etc. A negative may be that it will be harder to navigate up with a trailer.

For those who have done the trip before, I would appreciate your views on trailer / no trailer and if trailer, what sort would be worth considering.

Peter.

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

With this remote stretch of road, trailers can be cumbersome.
At any given day of the week, at virtually any time there will be at least one trailer that is broken down on the road somewhere. Towing is normally expensive. I heard of someone that had to be towed from Jardine River ferry crossing to Bamaga, which is about 50 minutes drive, costing a cool $900 - and that was years ago but was a pretty standard price. On top of that only basic repairs are carried out in Bamaga, which is the biggest town up there. If major repairs were needed either parts would have to be sent from Cairns - possibly a week or two to repair or send the trailer back to Cairns via ferry. Hugely costly.

I have never taken a trailer up there and personally never would, although lots do, and most come unstuck..

Most of my trips I can sit at about 80 - 100 on the corrugations (only catch every third one and the vehicle comes out much better) and constantly pass trailers stuck on about 30-40. Most of the cattle trucks travel at about 20 and might get up to 30 on a good stretch, both empty and full.

I stopped at the Jardine River ferry depot last time to talk to a 3 car convoy and told them we were refrigeration free including no esky and ice. They said that they wish they were because the fridges in all 3 cars had broken down. Some were brand new and they were also quality brands. That is common up there too. That is how bad the road and corrugations generally are.

So set up time at camp might be quicker with a trailer, but it will take you twice as long to get there, and it might even stop you seeing some places.

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

We will be storing the camper trailer at Cairns and tent from there up, and rehook to the camper for the Cairns to Mackay portion of the holiday. Then one day travel from Mackay to home. We thought about taking the CT to the tip, but was advised by many, to leave it in Cairns.

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

I guess if people wish to take trailers they can just extend the timeframe by 50%.

Regards to the no cold stuff, we had a boat on the roof and all the safety gear in a big plastic container. When we caught a fish we emptied the safety gear into the boat and filled the container with water. Swam the fish, including water changes until tea time where the fish was despatched and if filleted, was done away from the camp site, and the frame dumped long way away. Got to be Croc wise up there.
We had fresh fish and crabs most nights.
Crocs can be found on most local beaches up there too.
You will get other native locals visit your camp also like pigs, wallabies, bandicoots, kangaroo rats and even dingos. The dingos are not the friendly type like Fraser Island however, but are much more timid, and shy.

One night I decided to bury the scraps in the sand 50 yards from camp, in a sandy hole about 1 meter deep. Next morning we woke up to see dingo footprints walking along the beach, turn 90 degrees directly to the food more than 200 metres away, the hole excavated, and the foot prints headed directly back to the waters edge only to continue on along the water.
The next day we saw a giant croc that was 20 ish foot that the locals call Jurasic. Generally a croc has to be huge to be nicknamed.

Have you guys planned any locations on the must see list??

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

At this time Thursday Island, Chilli Beach, Captain Billys are the main ones along with the usual. Our friends showed us a lot of pics and I am yet to actually sit down and do an itinerary. Got any suggestions? :wink:

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

Just off hand I think the ferry is about $100/head and tour included over to TI was about $140 per person but worth every cent. It is also near 200 bucks to include the Horn Island tour but it is great.

Chilli Beach is Australia's only low lying rain forest, and just north of there, at Portland Roads they can catch coral trout from the beach. Portlands roads is worth the drive. There is a telephone box there also if you need to make communications.
If you head north from there on Frenchmans road you will cross the mighty pascoe river which will no doubt be up to your bonnet in height for that time of the year. It is normally only slightly lower in Sept, when I normally travel.

Get to Captain billy's early to secure you prime beach frontage spot, although it can be windy on the cliff face. This place can also be busy at times.
Last time we were there in 03 you needed a camping permit from the heathlands ranger station which is towards the telegraph track by about an hour or so.
I always stay at Captain Billy's.
If you have time go for a stroll at low tide south from there and you will see the caves in the cliff faces with bats and the likes. On the ocean side cast a lure or bait, in the mini creeks carved into the rock banks for a fresh feed of fish.

Jardine River is a personal favourite of mine. Both at the mouth with the rare bandicoots, and anywhere along it.
Even Muttee Heads on route to the mouth of the Jardine is maitained be the local council and is quite pleasant. You catch Barra around the rocks and the old jetty there and big black Jew in the deep hole not far from there.
Wenlock river is nice, but see if you can get the landowners permission to camp just downriver from bridge which can get busy.
There is a good camp at twin falls and it is only 5 mins drive to Fruit bat falls. Check out the pitcher plants at Fruit bat falls. Good swimming and fresh drinking water at both.
Somerset is a standout, either up looking out over the water or down on Rockingham bay.
Punsand bay is the closest place to camp near the very tip, and good place to catch the TI ferry.
The camp about 10-12k beach run north of Vyrlia point is hidden under the sheoak trees and also nice. You must pass the hairy scary bridge over crytal creek where you can top up water supplies before you get to Vyrlia Point. They catch red emperor 100 yards out from the point too.
Just before the Dulhunty on the way north is a turn to the left that leads to a nice camp where you can hear the rapids all night.

Hope that gives you a couple of ideas. My advice is that if you see a track veer of the main road, go for a drive to see where it goes. We found the Skardon river like that 60KM from the turn off. I do believe it is now closed to camping.