Cape York

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

G'day
I'm looking at going with a few vehicles during the NSW School Hols in June . Anybody else looking at going then ?
Would somebody like to offer some advice if you've been at that time of year ?
I believe that there's a "chicken track" around the big ones such as Gunshot etc , is this true ?

Cheers

Ross

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

Cape York

Sorry guys I said NSW School Hol's in June...make that July .

Cheers

Ross

[foxclan Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close foxclan]

Re: Cape York

G'Day Ross
We anticipate departing Adelaide on either the 3rd or 4th of July.
Heading to Cairns to catch up with friends for a while then head to the Cape, The National Parks etc.
Returning via the East coast.
Would Love to Hook up with some Pradopointers along the journey.
We haven't started drawing up an itinerary as yet, mainly looking at vehicle and camper trailer requirements.
The whole family is excited about the trip as I am sure yours is.
Look forward to further discussion Ross.
Cheers Troy

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

Re: Cape York

Gidday Ross and Troy
I'm heading up to the Cape at around the same time. Leaving Adelaide on 3rd July and going via Birdsville. I think there will be around 9 vehicles in the group as far as Birdsville where 5 will peel off to do the Simpson. The remaining 4 (possibly 5) will continue up via Cairns to the Cape. Like you stated Troy, it would be good to catch up with any PPers along the way. Haven't done our itinerary as yet either, just organising snorkels through TJM at the moment.
Cheers
Pearcey

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

Re: Cape York

Troy and Pearcey,
Amazing how you can ask for something on this site , and wammo , back comes replies .
We haven't set out itinerarys yet either .... actually I haven't even put it to the minister for domestic affairs !

It looks like our dates are going to be fairly similar , ok Pearcey on the TJM snorkel , what's it gonna cost you ?
I have an old camper trailer but I don't hink it'd be up to a trip like that . I've looked at hiring a heavy duty trailer but it's gonna cost around 2 large , so I then thought about buying a rooftop tent for about the same cost . I'm a bit concerned towing a hired trailer up there , if you damage the bloody thing it's gonna cost big time !

What are you guys gonna use ?

Keep in touch , I'm getting excited about this trip too !

Cheers

Ross

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

Re: Cape York

I was quoted $671 from TJM at Nailsworth in July for an Airtec fitted.
I was quoted $609 from TJM at Reynella this month. Hmmmm??? Not rocket science guessing where I booked in. It was supposed to be fitted on 22 December but they called me and said there was a holdup in getting the snorkel and that I would have to wait until sometime in January. No problems with this for me though. I was happy with $609.
As far as accomodation goes for the Cape trip, I along with the others I'm travelling with are swagging it. I've got a CT but it's not an off road job so it's not an option for me (it's one of those "it's too cheap not to buy type CT's"). The wife and kids are staying at home, mainly because we are planning on a maximum of 6 weeks which is an issue with SWMBO's work and the the kids school. I'm sure she mentioned something about water crossings and 4 and 7 year old kids as croc bait also but I don't think this was serious. I will most probably take them on the next trip when I know a bit more about it.
Also have a look at the DVDs that came out with a couple of the latest 4WD Action magazines. There is a fair amout of what to expect with the trip but not exactly sure what time of year they were filmed. It looks a bit wetter that what we can expect in July.
Like you we are getting pretty excited about the trip. I also think a lot of the excitement is in the actual planning and building up the car. Well it is for me, a bit of a car nut and in particular, a Prado pistachio. (bigger nut)

Cheers
Pearcey

[vk2ss55 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close vk2ss55]

Re: Cape York

Pearcey

That's a shame the troops aren't going along . Boy oh boy 6 weeks.....have you got a rough plan at this stage of where you'll be stopping and for how long ?

You must be keen swagging it...I'm a bit afraid of the crawlies so I like to get off the deck .

You mentioned that you''re going thru Birdsville...I was there with some mates back in Aug/Sept when the races were on . It was absolutely chockers with people so we kept on going and went on to Poeppel Corner . We came back through Haddon and Cameron Corner . I had the nicest steak dinner at the pub at Cameron that I've had for a long time , bloody good considering where they are , and they have to generate their own power .

Catch you later .

Ross

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

Re: Cape York

I was just telling the other half last week how much Id love to do a trip like this, but wouldn't be game enough to do it solo ie only one vehicle in convoy (at least at this stage anyhow).
Im taking the prado over to Tasmania in Feb/March this year, so most probably wont have time to burn in July, but will keep it in the back of my mind should plans change.

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

Re: Cape York

Hi Ross,

have you got a rough plan at this stage of where you'll be stopping and

Not at this time. With 6 weeks I think we can take it a little easy. Guessing that if a place is particularly good, we can stop for a couple of days. I'm sure we will all sit down closer to take off and put a few plans in place.

You must be keen swagging it...I'm a bit afraid of the crawlies so I like to get off the deck .

I was quite surprised on the last trip which was up to Alice, through Finke Gorge, across to the old Ghan line and down the Oodnadatta at the lack of crawlies. My brother might argue with this though as he was awoken by a dingo about 3 inches from his face at Dalhousie Springs. Now that was worth laughing at....

I had the nicest steak dinner at the pub at Cameron

Not sure if we go through there but I'll certainly keep it in mind

Hey Switched...you know you want to.......

Cheers
Pearcey

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

Re: Cape York

Hey Switched...you know you want to.......
Cheers
Pearcey

I know, I know She's just signed off on the snorkel for Tassie though.. I think she said something after OK (it may have been a condition of some sort) but her voice faded and I missed out on what she said :lol: If plan A failed, plan B was to buy her a snorkel for Christmas for being such a good passenger :mrgreen:

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

Re: Cape York

buy her a snorkel for Christmas for being such a good passenger

You're so considerate. She probably has no idea whatsoever how good she gets it... :wink: :wink:

[AJ120 Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close AJ120]

Re: Cape York

Hi, We are heading that way to, we leave the riverland on july 3 but are taking a month to get to cairns and so we will do the cape in August and return home via Birdsville. we will be towing and had arranged for a couple of mates to go with to travel in convoy, (one with a 100 series and the other a petrol Jeep) but they now sound like they are going to back out, probably good that the jeep isn't coming because without a snorkel i reckon he would have been more trouble than he was worth. any way we wouldnt mind hooking up with someone travelling that way at the same time.

[Lindsay & Linda Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lindsay & Linda]

Re: Cape York

We too are going in June / July. At this stage we are meeting some friends (who also own a Prado) in Carins then leaving cairns on the 22/23rd June. At this stage we are working on about 2 weeks to travel from cairns to cairns/cooktown via cape york. We have hired a kimberly CT for the trip and will be tkaing the easy options ie all the bypass tracks etc.

Cheers
Lindsay

[Bushbasher Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close Bushbasher]

Re: Cape York

I towed a Jayco Outback Swan behind my 98 V6 GXL Prado up there in July 2006 and the only major issue was dust, dust and more ddust. Oh, and everytime we opened up the van I had to use a cordless drill to do up all the screws that had shaken loose.

It handled the corrugations ok and we had some fun negotiating some of the creeks but it all added to the adventure.

I lost a bolt on the top of the rear panhard rod, probably because when my lifted suspension was fitted at the shop they didn't use any thread locker. Found a bolt at Bamaga that was good enough to effect a repair.

My Toughdog ajustables were stuffed when I got home. 16,000km trip and they were replaced under warrantly only to fail again 35,000km later.

You have to watch out for the kamakaze drivers who head south at 120km/hr. You'll usually meet them head-on as you negotiate a tight bend and they suddenly come at you on the wrong side of the road. It's pretty typical where most people take their time and are careful whilst heading north but then they get a little cocky when heading south for home.

There are some good side trips to be done along the way to the top - we left the Jayco behind for most of these.

We had a nice camping spot at Bamaga just off the "beach", complete with shady cabana and bbq.

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

Re: Cape York

Not too long ago I would have told people not to tow things up that way but the roads have improved so much in the last few years that some parts are like a highway - albeit dirt.
The road to Cooktown is bitumen all the way if you go the inland way. Through Cape Tribulation on the coastal way is steep but very accesible and much prettier. No worries there.

The most significant hurdle up that way is corrugations which should be fine that time of the year.
The water crossings depend on the wet season.
There is bypass tracks around the gunshot if you are concerned and they are only a few KM's out of your way. However there is normally about 3 or 4 tracks over Gunshot Creek ranging from easy to difficult. The hardest one normally wrecks cars, whereas the easiest will possibly not require 4WD. This will depend on the wet season too.

Up that way there is 2 tracks, which both lead to the tip. The OTL (overhead telegrapgh line) track is scenic and crosses creeks and rivers. The bypass is longer in distance, usually more corrugated but avoids creek crossings and avoids the good spots.