The Cape - Part One, Northbound.

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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 set in with a thud - no toilets (apart from our shovel and a toilet roll), no showers & no running water and with temperatures of 28-29 degrees & 90 %!h(MISSING)umidity this was not going to be pleasant.

Let me also say here that for those who think I have ‘princess’ tendencies - does regularly going without hot showers, making like a bear in the woods??!!, no makeup, no hair products (let alone hair washing), and my only mirror being the dust covered side window of the car, change that perception? Not to mention, no TV (at all), no phones, no radio and no internet access for the majority of the 3 weeks - and the roads were too rough for CD’s even. At one stage, we were so desperate for some outside contact that we picked up a foreign radio station and bopped along to what Wes referred to as Punjab FM. On top of all that, washing was done (irregularly) in a bucket.

Our next camp was on the Kennedy River further into the National Park, notorious for large crocs, which was reached driving 16km down a narrow grass lined track - very isolated. During the night, we heard an almighty splash in the river much bigger than any fish could have made, so our deduction was that it was a large croc lunging at something.

After stopping for fuel at Musgrave Roadhouse which is one of the original telegraph stations, we went onto Archer River Roadhouse campground, where we had the promise of a hot shower - only to be disappointed because it had run out. But at least there was running water and a toilet. We intended the next stop to be at Bramwell Junction Roadhouse which is also the start of the OTL but we got there by lunchtime and so we decided that there was no point in waiting to start it the next day - there was no time like the present and I think Wes was wanting to get at least a couple of creek crossings under his belt so he could sleep better.

The OTL track literally joins the back of the roadhouse and when we first saw it we got a shock at just how basic a track it was - others told us they had the same reaction. I think we were expecting something more like a small unmaintained road, but it was so narrow in places that we needed to turn the side mirrors in. Within 500 mtrs of the roadhouse is the first of many challenging creek crossings. We approached them all with a degree of caution and made it through without incident - albeit with adrenaline pumping on occasions. There were some idiots though (who we often saw in trouble down the track) who just ploughed straight through without even checking the water depth. One guy had a repair cost of $12000 after crossing a creek without a snorkel and seizing his engine due to the water level.

The OTL is regarded as one of the three most challenging 4WD routes in Oz and apart from wanting to visit this part of the country and reach the northernmost point, driving the track added hugely to the adventure for us. It is literally a two wheel rut dirt track (and barely even that at times) that follows the original telegraph posts laid in 1885 to the tip of Cape York. (For our UK rellies that is the most northern point in Oz and is very isolated and remote) There are now north and south section dirt bypass roads for those not wanting to tackle the track, but they do get extremely corregated as the dry season progresses. Most people who tackle the OTL travel in groups of two or more so that there is support at hand in the event of a problem such as bogging, but we were on our own so we tagged along with a couple of others for a few of the initial crossings in the southern section.

South of Bramwell Junction the original OTL which we travelled to this point, although still dirt, has been widened and is ‘reasonably’ well maintained, but north of here to the Jardine River the original track has been left unchanged and runs roughly parallel to the new gravel bypasses. Each year during the wet season the OTL changes and deteriorates, especially if there have been cyclones, resulting in numerous diversions for fallen trees and washouts and changes to creek crossing entry and exit points.

The first half of the track up to Elliot Falls was quite busy (we saw 10 cars) which slowed us down although some of these were from a tag-along tour, and so with that and the rough track it took us 4 hours to go 50km.

Our first bush camp along the track was at a beautiful spot called Cockatoo Creek. We shared the spot with two other couples that we met at an earlier creek crossing. Showers that night consisted of a swim in the refreshing! waters of the creek. The next night was at Elliot Falls. We set up camp and then drove back a few kms to Fruit Bat Falls for a swim and some photos. Then back to Elliot where we had another swim and again the next morning before we left (substitute shower). These are almost the only two spots on the Cape that it is safe to swim because of the crocodiles. It was here that I mastered a meal of lamb shanks with leeks and wine etc in the camp oven, cooked for 2 hours in the fire and it was yummy.

The second half of the track is considered more challenging than the first overall, especially because of Nolan’s crossing, which can be deep, so a lot of people only complete the first half and then connect to the northern bypass road for the rest of the journey to the tip. In the two days prior to the second half of our trip, 3 cars had come to grief at Nolans - 2 had been stranded together in the creek overnight. From what we heard they were some of the idiots I described earlier. We really contemplated crossing Nolans Brook- Wes even had a nervous visit into the woods. The northern section of the track took us all day and we didn’t see a single car for the entire time.

We were so excited when we reached the old Jardine River crossing, which is only used by the foolhardy these days, having completed the entire OTL. The ferry crossing 10km upstream is what is used most often these days - although the $88 return fare is steep for a 200mtr crossing! Wes was quite the hero at some of the campgrounds until we left the Cape, when fellow travellers found out that we’d crossed Nolans and gone south through Gunshot and Palm creeks, they quizzed him on every detail.

After reaching the Jardine River, we back-tracked and headed for the Jardine River Ferry campground, where after setting up, we bolted for a hot shower - success. It was here that we met our new friends, Helen and Shorty and Helen and Les who were travelling together. The next morning, we all caught the first ferry for the day and headed for Seisia.

While at Seisia we took a day trip to ‘the tip’ scrambling the last 500 mtrs over the wet rocks as fine rain began falling, not to mention a strong SE wind, but nothing could dampen our excitement as we all took it in turns in front of the sign marking the spot.

We went to the Fishing Club for their Friday night soiree and a $5.00 meal (yes, you get what you pay for) but the beer was cold and just as cheap. For a change it was a white minority crowd. Even the band were blackfellas and we found out that Aborigines love karaoke as much as the Japanese - but have much better voices.

We also did a ferry trip to Thursday Island for one day - surprisingly it has a very interesting history and is a pretty place. Back on the mainland, we visited the wrecks of the WWII planes and fuel dumps hidden amongst the jungle just outside Bamaga. We were surprised by the lack of concessions to tourists in the top end in general - outside the National parks, most other roads, tracks and points of interest are not signposted with some much as a pointer and so here again we were wondering around for a while until we came across them amongst the trees, having had the approx spot marked on a general map of the Cape.

After 3 nights in Seisia we left our new friends for Vrilya Point, but they have invited us to visit when passing through Toowoomba.

At the risk that you have all gone to sleep due to the length of this blog, its best in the interests of audience wellbeing if I split the adventure into two parts. And so:

To be continued in Part 2 - Southbound………………………….

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Photos

Camp Spot Six Mile Lagoon
First night reality for bush camping.

Lakefield Lagoon
This lagoon was very isolated and as we drove up near it I saw the tail part of a very large croc (at least 4 mtrs) slip into the water. His head was out of sight. We went up to near the edge of the water and watched for about 30 minutes but he stayed well hidden which is probably why they have survived past the dinosaurs.

General Store in Coen
Coen is one of the few towns along the way - population about 150. Used to be big when the gold rush in the area was still going.

Twin Falls
These are falls that are part of the river loop for the Elliot Falls. Very pretty.

Fruit Bat Falls
Not the most flattering of names - but great spot for a swim.

Elliot Falls
Its a shame that all the falls occur within a 10km stretch.

This is Australian Dead Dog Tree - scroll down
......because it has no bark!!!!!!! Ha Ha.

Sheldon Lagoon on the OTL
There are lat least a dozen turtles within this lagoon and they must be used to getting fed by passing vehicles because they came the waters edge as soon as we pulled up and loved the bread we threw them.

Cypress Creek Crossing on the OTL
The bridge is a bit hairy because the logs that make up the crossing are getting broken and very dodgy.

Termite Mound
We started to give the termite mounds names - we called this one "Willy" !!

Comments

[Katie]

NICE!
Looks beautiful up there, but i think i should have been more worried for you guys up there, than you were for us in Bali!!