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Published: July 30th 2008
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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 water… again. Having said that it was a beautiful spot and after the first night we had it to ourselves for another two nights - apart from the ferocious midgies and mozzies at dusk. Every afternoon a pod of dolphins would come into the bay and frolic to keep us amused during ‘cocktail hour’. You can drive 8km up the beach here. We went for long walks to the point and during low tide we’d watch the thousands of tiny soldier crabs race across the sand. The downside here was that the tides and rough seas wash loads
Chilli Beach Thong Tree
Wes is just adding our contribution to the tree. of rubbish from Asia into the sand dunes. We know it was from asia from the Thai toothpaste tubes, shoes and cosmetic jars etc. We think that some of it might actually have come down after the tsunami.
After leaving Vrilya Point, we intended to go as far as the infamous Gunshot Creek to camp and watch as others tackled it, but in the end we were the entertainment because we decided to cross it from North to South (not common due to the steep exit). Wes climbed it with no real difficulty and so we went onto Morton Telegraph Station for the night.
It was here that we saw our first Palm Cockatoo which is endemic to northern Cape York only. It was basic camping but included amenities. The electricity needed is produced from a large generator which is turned off at 9.30pm. Knowing that this was imminent I went for a last visit to the shared bathroom for the night, but it was switched off a little prematurely and everything went pitch black. Stumbling out into the partial moonlight, I fell like a sack of potatoes down the 3 steps. I was lucky that I didn’t
break my ankle, but it was sore and swollen for the next week and I milked it for as much as I could when one is camping!
From Morton Station we travelled to Weipa. We had heard mixed reviews about Weipa and so decided, as we usually do, to check it out for ourselves. As mining towns go it is neat and tidy and quite pretty. In our opinion it’s on a par with Mt Tom Price, and the opposite of hideous Port Hedland, both in WA. The only campground in town was on the waters edge of the bay and we had the prime spot. Rio Tinto mine bauxite here which lies just under the topsoil - we went on the tour, it’s a big operation but not as spectacular as open cut mining. Went for a meal at the bowling club…. bowling club meals are never memorable.
Next stop was Iron Range National Park on the east coast and we set up camp (bush camping, but with eco toilet - code for toilet with millions of flies) at a place called Cook’s Hut in the middle of the rainforest. The bird watching here was spectacular, albeit
The End of the OTL (North to South)
We completed the southern section of the track twice - once going north and this one going south which comes out back at Bramwell Junction. the weather had turned messy. We must have parked under a rain cloud because it rained on and off for the 3 days we were here - more than anywhere else. We set up our very own camping resort, resplendent with humongous bright blue plastic tarp roof and end wall, under cover clothesline and open fire (helped along with some accelerant because of wet wood). One night during a break in the weather, we were reading and suddenly liquid began falling heavily on the tarp and then lumps of something. We donned our headlamps and looked skyward - there in the tree above was a ringtail possum staring us down - take that you squatters!
From here we went on a day trip to Portland Roads and Chilli Beach. We had intended to stay at Chilli Beach but it was just too miserable with very windy weather and some showers. Would be a beautiful spot in better weather. Through the binoculars, we saw a 3-4 metre croc swimming around in the bay at Portland Roads.
We saw the endangered Eclectic Parrot back in the rainforest and a number of other beautiful birds. Again we had the place to
ourselves until the last night, when a 4WD bus with 16 onboard pulled up and pitched 8 tents. Luckily we were leaving the next morning. Even things inside the rooftop tent were getting damp by the next morning and we had to pack up between showers with everything wet and muddy.
We headed for Musgrave Roadhouse, back through Archer River (best burger ever) and Coen and had another damp and rainy night, but at least a hot shower and a burger. There were plans to head to the very remote Bathurst Bay from here, but it is a very exposed location and the weather was dodgy so we decided against it and went back through Lakefield National Park and stayed the night on the Laura river at a bush camp called Welcome Waterhole where we were met by a 3 metre freshwater crocodile (not too dangerous). Again it was a wonderful and isolated spot and we were on our own except for the sandflies that could eat an elephant.
Things were getting even more damp, so we packed up and skulked into Cooktown and booked into a great motel with views over the mouth of the Endeavour River….with
our own bathroom….and one queen size bed each!!! It felt like pure luxury and was worth every cent - we liked it so much we stayed for another night.
We loved Cooktown - it’s quintessentially Australian and very pretty. Cooktown’s claim to fame is Captain Cook spending 58 days there repairing the Endeavour and everything in this town is dedicated to him in some way: Cooks burger, Cooks Landing restaurant, 1770 restaurant, Cooks Museum etc etc. We had the best pizza ever here (largely because suffering pizza deprivation).
Our last stop on our Cape adventure was just south of Cooktown (61km) at a place called Home Rule. The campground was lovely, with green grass and an amenities block. The caretaker told Wes the walk to the Home Rule falls took about 15 minutes, so we headed off about 4.00pm before we set up camp. We walked and walked and walked through the rainforest. The track was not maintained and we were scrambling over fallen trees, boggy patches, very steep slopes up and down hills. We finally arrived 50 minutes after setting off. We thought that he had either never walked to the falls, or that because of his
South African accent Wes though he said 15 when he actually said 50. The falls were the most spectacular we have seen to this point, but unfortunately the photo does them no justice. Because it took longer than we anticipated, we arrived back to camp just on dark - luckily as we had no torches.
We were feeling very melancholy on our drive back to Port Douglas the next day - looking forward to some home comforts (caravan style) and regular access to amenities, but were sorry to be leaving this unique piece of outback Australia. We’re already planning a return visit in a few years - there are so many more places still to see and some we want to revisit. We had had an awesome time.
Stats:
Highest Diesel price - $2.45
Total Kms - 2952 (95%!d(MISSING)irt)
Ave temp - 27 degrees
Nights with hot shower - 6/22
No of times driving in top gear - 12
Dust particles - 100 gazillion
Corregations - 50,000,000
Ave bedtime - 8pm
Meals out - 3
Number of mozzie bites - 8 per day
Number of sandfly bites - 20 per day
I videoed a large part
Coen General Store
I cropped the two dogs "getting it on" out of this picture. of the Cape trip and will edit and burn to DVD later in the year - the family will have to suffer through it if they want xmas presents.
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Vicky
non-member comment
Hi there!
thanks for sendign this through- looks absolutely awesome and making me very jealous as I sit here in my office at almost midnight catching up on work!! It's cold and miserably cold outside too........ so it was lovely to receive your blog with so much SUN. Think that poor 4WD needs a wash! ENJOY ENJOY ENJOY xxx