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Cape York Travel Blogs

Background: Aboriginal settlers arrived on the continent from Southeast Asia about 40,000 years before the first Europeans began exploration in the 17th century. No formal territorial claims were made until 1770, when Capt. James COOK took possession in the name of Great Britain. Six colonies were created in the late 18th and 19th centuries; they federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia in 1901. The new country took advantage of its natural resources to rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and II. In recent decades, Australia has transformed itself into an internationally competitive, advanced market economy. It boasted one of the OECD's fastest growing economies during the 1990's, a performance due in large part to economic reforms adopted in the 1980's. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas, especially the Great Barrier Reef.

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By Kate and Blu in Oz
October 12th 2008

Cape York Part 1: We head for the top of Australia

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

a big croc at Red Beach, Weipa

We set off on our Cape York adventure on 26 August, leaving our caravan at Mt Carbine for the duration of the trip. Our first stop was at Laura to see the 13,000 year old Quinkan aboriginal rock paintings at Split Rock. Very interesting, but almost overshadowed by Blu’s close shave with a snake - he almost trod on one walking down from Split Rock! Our first night was spent at Mary Valley Station, we pulled up there mid afternoon to be greeted by Lawrence, a young Parisian traveller who was working at the station. We asked him where the campground [View Full Entry]

Wallabies at the waterhole, Mary Valley Station

By acissejw
October 12th 2008

Unbelievable...

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

Packing the car in Mareeba

As soon as I got back to Cairns from Cape Trib after the festival, I got on the computer and made a load of signs to put up in hostels asking for a lift up the Cape York Peninsula. The next morning I got up early and prepared myself for a day of walking round the city in circles, forgetting where I had already been and desperately looking for some shade from the midday sun (I don't really like walking around Cairns much)! It would be a long day, and maybe a frustrating wait for a reply, but I knew it [View Full Entry]

By Kate and Blu in Oz
October 12th 2008

Cape York Part 2: Thursday Island and down the coast to Cooktown and Cape Trib

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

Coming into Thursday Island

Our day trip to Thursday Island was another trip highlight. We were lucky to strike a calm day, as it had been pretty windy other days and the strait is well known for being a bit choppy. It takes about an hour to cross to the island and we were entertained along the way with a video about Torres Strait and one of the crew even came around with a map and a personal description of the area! A 90 minute bus tour of the island is included in the ferry ticket and this provides a good look around as [View Full Entry]

By KLN
September 30th 2008

Crocodile!

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

The signs leave no doubt!

No animal is half as vile As Crocky-Wock, the crocodile. On Saturdays he likes to crunch Six juicy children for his lunch Roald Dahl The Australian Saltwater crocodile is an impressive beastie - believe me, I’ve seen one. It was patrolling the shallow waters of a deserted beach off Cape Grenville in Far North Queensland. I was standing on dry land at the time, but my next meal, my bed and my transport north, all lay a 5 minute dinghy ride away and the crocodile was definitely bigger than the dinghy. With just a swish of its tail as it swam [View Full Entry]

By Andy and Debbie
September 21st 2008

The Cape

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

And They're Off
Debbie, Andy & our mascot Hamish leave home in a fully laden Troopie.

Now, you know you’re something really pretty special when folks start referring to you by just the one name. Thus we have such luminaries as Madonna and Kylie, The Queen, Britney and Elvis, doubly special as he’s also simply The King. No-one ever interrupts mid-sentence to ask “I’m sorry, Jesus Who?” And then there’s the Big Man himself. As far as I’m aware, God doesn’t even have a second name, making his initials simply “Gee”, particularly apt if you happen to be from the Bible belt. Such was the case with the first destination on [View Full Entry]

By Wags
July 30th 2008

The Cape - Part 2, Southbound

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

Vrilya Point Camping Spot
I didnt add the fishing net to the tree for affect - it was already there and made us feel like we were on a deserted island.

PS Part 1: There were two pages of photos on the last blog in case some missed them. The last blog finished with us saying goodbye to our camping mates in Seisia and heading down to Vrilya Point. Vrilya Point is on the west coast of the cape, 88km south of Seisia and 27km (this part takes an hour) off the northern bypass and is another track without a signpost which we missed and had to turn back for. It’s one of the Cape’s lesser known spots - which also means no toilets, no showers, no rubbish disposal and no running [View Full Entry]

By Wags
July 24th 2008

The Cape - Part One, Northbound.

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

Distance Marker - Musgrave Roadhouse

We left Port Douglas full of high expectations and bravado and we have not been disappointed - although the bravado did disappear somewhat at our first challenging creek crossing on the OTL (local buzz term for the Overland Telegraph Line). Before reaching the start of the OTL, we bush camped at a few spots. The first was just inside the Lakefield National Park at Six Mile Lagoon - a very pretty lily covered lagoon with abundant bird life including the very shy, Jabirus. We had the whole place to ourselves. It was here that a big dose of bush camping reality [View Full Entry]

By Around the block 07
October 4th 2007

Southwards along the OTL

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

Nolans Creek
Our second attempt view from the south side

Punsand Bay - Lockerbie - Bamaga - Seisa Day 214 Monday, 24 September 2007 Easy travelling day with minimal km’s. Stopped at Lockerbie - one of the original cattle stations owned by the Holland Family and had a good ol chat with Kerry Myers the lady that now owns the place. This station was formed , originally, in partnership with old Frank Jardine before being taken over completely by the Holland family whose original homestead was a bark hut. That was still in the days where the neignbours were inclined to spear people (and vice versa) for being on “their&r [View Full Entry]

By Around the block 07
October 3rd 2007

Overland Telegraph Track

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

Are we there Yet?!?

Endeavour River Escape - Lakelands - Musgrave Roadhouse - Coen Day 204 Friday, September14, 2007 Finally off to the Cape! Travelling via the Peninsular Developmental road (everything up here is a “something” Developmental Road - perhaps QLD needs to move on). The road initially has stretches of gravel of varying quality interspersed with brilliant sections of bitumen that are spaced at variable intervals and sometimes seem to be placed for no apparent reason. I’m sure there is some logic in there somewhere but its not immediately apparent to us. We were no [View Full Entry]

By Around the block 07
October 3rd 2007

The Tip trip

Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York

The Tip
Capping off a dream...

Punsand Bay - The Tip Day 210 Thursday, 20 September 2007 - Lazed around camp walking along the beach, sussed out about fishing charters and the trip to Thursday Island. A large charter vessel called the “Lady M” was anchored in the bay and in the morning the occupants came to the beach. As we were directly in front of where they landed we spoke with them and they were all from Mandurah!!! Apparently this group was one which initially formed as a mothers group many moons ago and they had all kept in touch and regularly went on holidays together. [View Full Entry]

Travel Blog » Oceania » Australia » Queensland » Cape York