Hi community,
I am planning my first trip up the
Cape York and would appreciate advice and help to make it an unforgettable experience. The vehicle will be my 2007 Nissan Patrol with 2" lift (ground clearance),
snorkel and raised breathers (river crossings), so I should be able to tackle all of the terrain I plan for?
Day 1:
Cairns,
Port Douglas (4Mile Beach, Flagstaff
Lookout),
Mossman Gorge =>
Wonga Beach Caravan Park [80km]
Day 2:
Daintree River Ferry,
Daintree Discovery Center, Jindalba Boardwalk,
Cow Bay, Fan Palm Café Boardwalk , Marrdja Boardwalk => Noah Beach CG (NP) [62 km]
Day 3:
Myall Beach,
Cape Tribulation (Kulki Day Area
Lookout) >
Bloomfield Track,
Donovan Range,
Bloomfield Falls,
Home Rule Falls => Lions Den Hotel [78 km]
Day 4:
Black Mountain NP, Keatings Lagoon,
Cooktown (historic walk, botanic gardens,
grassy hill summit), Endeavour Falls,
Hope Vale => Elim Beach CG [105 km]
Day 5:
Hope Vale > Battle
Camp Road,
Old Laura Homestead, Lakefield NP =>
Kalpowar Crossing CG [174 km]
Day 6:
Musgrave Roadhouse,
Coen => The Bend CG [224 km]
Day 7:
Archer River Roadhouse > Telegraph Road =>
Moreton Telegraph Station [123 km]
Day 8:
Bramwell
Junction > Old Telegraph Track,
Gunshot Creek (turn around) => Dulhunty River CG [122 km]
Day 9:
Gunshot Bypass,
Fruit Bat Falls, Eliot /
Twin Falls,
Bridge Creek > Bramaga Road (Northern Bypass) =>
Jardine River Ferry CG [135 km]
Day 10:
Bamaga => Loyalty Beach CG [50 km]
Day 11:
Thursday Island
Day 12:
Bamaga, Croc Tent,
Cape York,
Nanthau Beach,
Somerset Beach, Jardines
Well > Punsand CG [105 km]
Day 13:
Croc Tent,
Bamaga,
Jardine River Ferry > Northern Bypass Road =>
Canal Creek CG [107 km]
Day 14:
Southern Bypass Road, Bramwell
Junction,
Moreton Telegraph Station >
Frenchmans Track, Mount Tozer =>
Chili Beach CG [285 km]
Day 15:
Lockhart River,
Archer River Roadhouse, Oyala Thumotang NP => Ten Mile
Junction CG [304 km]
Day 16:
Coen, Point Steward Detour,
Musgrave Roadhouse =>
Laura [360 km]
Day 17:
Split
Rock Art Site,
Lakeland,
Palmer River Roadhouse, Mount Carabine,
Mount Molloy,
Mareeba =>
Cairns [310 km]
I based my plans on the HEMA
Cape York Atlas & Guide, but its kind of hard to know how much distance you can drive in a day without being on the road. But the pre-booking scheme makes it impossible to go and
camp as you go along.
How did you handle all the pre-booking of National Park campsites? If you book ahead is there any chance to change it while you travelling? Maybe via internet at Roadhouses?
Time is not a big issue so I could extend a few days here and there if needed. But I can't really estimate the average speed on
Cape York roads and thus travel times.
I would be very thankful for advice and tips on travel distances, points of interest, other tracks worth driving, great campspots etc.!!!