Cape York June 2020

[Rachel Heath]

Hey everyone!
Me and my partner are heading up to the tip in June. Hoping to meet up with some like-minded people for the Tele track. Below is our rough itinerary - Anyone keen to join?
June 1st - Leave Melbourne
3rd - Cairns
4th - Cooktown
5th - Musgrave / Cape flattery
6th - Chilli beach
7th - Bertie creek
8th - Sam creek
9th - Ussher point / Five beaches
10th - Tip! Somerset
11th - Punsand Bay - stay 2 nights
13th - Siesia
14th - Leave to go south
15th - Coen / Archer river Roadhouse
16th - Cairns
17th - Mackay
18th - Hervey Bay
19th - Fraser Island - stay 4 nights
23rd - Leave for Melbourne

I'm aware that plans can change etc - like I said this is a rough guide. Would like any input on my itinerary as this is the first time we have done the trip.

Cheers!

 

[TonyF8]

You want to allow at least 3 days on the OTL, you only mention Bertie and Sam creeks, there is only really 3 entry points to the OTL, Palm creek at Bramwell Junction, Heathlands which brings you in just north of Gunshot and where the OTL crosses the Bamaga Road. If you are intending to go out to Cape Flattery, 1st check your vehicle height to get through the tunnel, and depending on the state of the track, it can easily take more than 4 hours to get from there to Musgrave, don't hesitate to ask any questions as i have been up numerous times and heading back up in july with a drought fundraiser i have organised.

 

[Jaye]

We'll be up there around that time so our paths may cross, similar itinerary.

 

[Albynsw]

Just a couple of points to consider
1, slow down and take it all in
2, be flexible with your itinerary stopover points as you may drive less or more on any given day depending on what takes your fancy
3, Consider dropping Fraser Island to spend more time up north and do a separate dedicated trip there another time, I personally think you haven’t enough time allocated to do both

Enjoy your trip

 

[80lover96gxl]

I'd be allowing from the 3rd to the 19th from cape flattery to the tip and back to Coen. Then 4 days to get home, Otherwise you'll be knackered.
You'll need a few rest days here n there just to take it all in and enjoy the cape for what it is.

Don't worry about Fraser isl this trip. Do the Frenchmans tk which is 2 days and well worth it seeing your up there.
We had 3 weeks up there last yr and probably could have used an extra week really.

 

[silkwood]

Wow! That's a whistle-stop tour. I'd take Alby's advice, take a little more time both from a-b and in at least a coupe of places (the OTL is worth the extra day at least). Driving into Iron Range, setting up camp at Chilli Beach then driving out again the next day is not giving you anywhere near the experience of the park, for instance. Are you going to take time for a night-time walk (green pythons and spotted cuscus), take time to enjoy the metallic starling flight over Restoration Island, go for a walk and find the Palm Cockatoos, have a great lunch at Portland Roads? Just one place, so much to see/do.

You're never going to see everything in one trip, even if you took a couple of months. Maybe pick your key places and relax the trip a little?

Cheers,
Mark

 

[discomatt]

I haven't done the Cape yet but have crossed a lot of places off the list and 1 thing I have learnt is to slow down and take it all in at the best locations.
This trip is about seeing the tip so if it was me I would either take 2 months or if on a time limit spend 3-4 days to Cains and same home from Cains and spend as much time as possible up nth.
Definitely forget Fraser on this trip because you will miss soooo much and do that on another 2-3 week trip

 

[barcher]

At least three weeks Cairns back to Cairns, even then you'll be skipping places.
Try to get up early in the morning and hit the tracks, the creek crossing departures are so much drier and easier.

 

[Rachel Heath]

You want to allow at least 3 days on the OTL, you only mention Bertie and Sam creeks, there is only really 3 entry points to the OTL, Palm creek at Bramwell Junction, Heathlands which brings you in just north of Gunshot and where the OTL crosses the Bamaga Road. If you are intending to go out to Cape Flattery, 1st check your vehicle height to get through the tunnel, and depending on the state of the track, it can easily take more than 4 hours to get from there to Musgrave, don't hesitate to ask any questions as i have been up numerous times and heading back up in july with a drought fundraiser i have organised.

Yeah I prob should've been more specific there... I meant we would enter through Bramwell to OTL then stay at those places along the way - if that makes sense.. but I will prob ask you a few more questions before we leave, any advice is appreciated!

 

[Rachel Heath]

Thanks everyone for the input / advice! Looks like we'll be re-looking at our trip and missing out Fraser this time! Def don't want to rush it, and want to relax and take it all in Thanks again!

 

[Rachel Heath]

Wow! That's a whistle-stop tour. I'd take Alby's advice, take a little more time both from a-b and in at least a coupe of places (the OTL is worth the extra day at least). Driving into Iron Range, setting up camp at Chilli Beach then driving out again the next day is not giving you anywhere near the experience of the park, for instance. Are you going to take time for a night-time walk (green pythons and spotted cuscus), take time to enjoy the metallic starling flight over Restoration Island, go for a walk and find the Palm Cockatoos, have a great lunch at Portland Roads? Just one place, so much to see/do.

You're never going to see everything in one trip, even if you took a couple of months. Maybe pick your key places and relax the trip a little?

Cheers,
Mark

Some great suggestions there! Thanks! Will def be having a look to include more time relaxing and experiencing more

 

[Rachel Heath]

I haven't done the Cape yet but have crossed a lot of places off the list and 1 thing I have learnt is to slow down and take it all in at the best locations.
This trip is about seeing the tip so if it was me I would either take 2 months or if on a time limit spend 3-4 days to Cains and same home from Cains and spend as much time as possible up nth.
Definitely forget Fraser on this trip because you will miss soooo much and do that on another 2-3 week trip

I wish I had more time, but work always calls way to soon! 2 months would be a dream!

 

[Rachel Heath]

We'll be up there around that time so our paths may cross, similar itinerary.

Meet you at Gunshot!

 

[hiluxdriver]

Cairns to cooktown is not even half a day driving when you're doing Melb to cairns in 3 days!
Don't make an itinery, just head in the general direction and spend time in the great camps, move on from the ok ones. You won't fit everything in one trip.
Also I don't see a stop at lions den. You should consider a night there.

 

[Hoyks]

Unfortunately with the NP campsite booking system, you have to make a bit of an itinerary.

Cairns to Cooktown is only 1/2 a day, but stopping in Mossman to fill the fridge and going via the Daintree will kill a sizeable part of the day. Stopping at The Lions Den for a few drinks and dinner to relax after the mach run from Vic would be worth your while.

If you don't have it already: https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/experiences/camping/camping_bookings.html

 

[Marck]

Like others have said slow it down as much as you can. We did it from Brisbane in 3 weeks 1 day from Brisbane to Townsville that was brutal. Day 2 from Townsville to the Daintree. Then we had a hard thought out detailed itinerary that we spent hours and hours and hours researching and planing out. We grabbed it and tore it up. Not on purpose but like people told us there is plenty to see and do. You will come across some great places and people and follow you nose you do need to be thinking maybe a day or 2 ahead for booking camping and things like that. It’s a good idea to know where you would like to go have a list that has distances and any conditions to be met before you can hit the road camping water food whatever.

After that crazy run from VIC to Cairns you will be tired. We hit one of the creeks on the telegraph track and where worn out from the constant travel so we just stopped for 2 nights to recover. That was the best decision I think so for the next 2 weeks we where on the road we where in holiday mode and not worn out. But I would have picked a better place earlier knowing what I know now. Maybe Eddies camp ground just north of Cooktown.

It’s a huge trip to get there and you can’t see it all in the time you have so see what you can and enjoy it and go back for the stuff you miss this time

We are planing a return trip for 21 to see and do more at a slower pace.

M

 

[LurchWA]

We missed out last year and heading off in July this year hopefully from WA. Looking at 4-5 weeks to drive to the tip and return home via the Tanami if all goes to plan.
The Tip is the priority, everything else is a hopeful.

 

[Rusty Panels]

What a fantastic part of the world it is. We did it in 1987 so I would imagine there's been a bit of change since then We spent about 7 weeks between Cooktown and the tip, we saw a lot but missed out on a lot too. I always wanted to go back but never had the time so, my advice to you is to soak up what you can and don't rush it. Enjoy.

 

[Tim N]

You want to allow at least 3 days on the OTL, you only mention Bertie and Sam creeks, there is only really 3 entry points to the OTL, Palm creek at Bramwell Junction, Heathlands which brings you in just north of Gunshot and where the OTL crosses the Bamaga Road. If you are intending to go out to Cape Flattery, 1st check your vehicle height to get through the tunnel, and depending on the state of the track, it can easily take more than 4 hours to get from there to Musgrave, don't hesitate to ask any questions as i have been up numerous times and heading back up in july with a drought fundraiser i have organised.

Hi Tony,
Are there any special requirements to join your group for the fundraiser trip to the cape?
Thanks Tim

 

[Choook]

I'm guessing that this Cape season is a write off. It will probably be Sept/Oct (maybe Christmas) by the time the grubberment lift restrictions up there, so I wouldn't be making too many plans for this year. Unless someone comes up with a miracle vaccination in the next few weeks.