Week 10 July 17^th – 21^st

Thursday was not a long trip we were at Coen by about 10.00am, camping was about 3kms out of town so we decided to setup before going into town.  The Coen River was beautiful, fast flowing and an ideal place to camp.  We spent the arvo sitting in the shade of the paperbark trees, that hung over the large boulders in the river.  We went into town around 3.00pm. Coen is a typical town for this area, Hotel, Museum, Post Office and a couple of General Stores.  But it did have phone service, even out at camp so it was one of those magic pitch black, starry nights again where we made contact with family by the banks of the Coen River.

We packed up Friday to move onto Weipa, our next camp would be at Ron (Griz) and Mary’s old friends from our Hymix days.  But first we had to travel the dirt, corrugated and dusty Peninsula Development Rd for 220kms.

Weipa is owned by Rio Tinto Aluminium and bauxite is mined.  Coming into town a set of lights stop traffic to let the huge haul trucks continue on their way. A green light lets you past to the Port area.  Huge bulk carriers that take the mineral around to the Port of Gladstone and then on to Japan.

We spent the next couple of nights with Ron and Mary.  Friday night was pizza night with lots of catching up to do.  Saturday was a town tour while Mary worked.  The Comalco mine is huge with infrastructure that is amazing.  Sunday we went out to Pennyfather a local beach that is unbelievable, pristine white sand, the clearest blue water and she oak trees that shade the campers and day troopers.  “BUT you can’t swim here there are Crocodiles”.  We saw 2 small 4 metre ones.  The men fished, well tried to catch something while the girls chatted.  It was just a perfect day.

Monday saw us moving on, we were hoping to get to Bramwell Station tonight.  “Thanks Ron and Mary for allowing us to stay in your spare room and showing us around and for the laughs”. 

We made it around 3.00pm and spoke to the bar manager Garry, who told us about the history of the place.  Bramwell Station is the most northern cattle station in Australia, established in 1941 and is still working today.  It is 1340 sq kms and runs around 5000 cattle.  We were invited to happy hour and then dinner and for the live entertainment. “It was a good night”.

There are no photos this week the reason will be revealed in next week’s bulletin.

“A BIG HAPPY 40^TH BIRTHDAY TO TIM”

Week 9 July 8^th – 16^th

We had 4 great nights at Mt Carbine Caravan Park. Mt Carbine is about 80km north of Mareeba and 70km west of Mossman on the coast. The park was an old mining town, it has about 10 houses, swimming pool, recreation clubhouse and 3 amenity blocks all as clean as the Hilton Hotel. The park is all setup in a bush setting and a credit to Robert and Jennifer the owners.  This is where we will be leaving the van for a few weeks.

Monday saw us heading to the “Tip of the Continent”.  As it was about 10.30am before we parked the van, canoe and pack rack so decided that today would be a short drive.  Today was going to be a test, we had to put the tent up for the first time in 10 years.  So we needed daylight to get it right. Found a spot on the Laura River that was just ideal. So with John fishing, the sun going down on the river and black cockatoos in the sky, it was a good day.

Tuesday saw us rolling off the airbed onto our knees and up on to our feet to start the day.  Packing up was very leisurely. From our bush camp we drove to Laura and on to the red dirt.

We turned right to Lakefield NP and the landscape changed Eucalyptus, Cabbage Tree and Pandanus Palms and termite nests that stood like tombstones in the paddocks along the way.

We had planned to go to Bathurst Heads on the east coast, but when we spoke to the Ranger at Lakefield Station he explained that the road was closed.  So we headed to Musgrave Station an old property that now caters to travellers.  Fuel, supplies, hot showers and info on road conditions.  We asked if the road to Port Stewart was open and the answer was yes so we were off.  The road deteriorated from here on, corrugations that had our teeth chattering.  Port Stewart is on the east coast and is part of Princess Charlotte Bay. As we turned right to Port Stewart it was 3.30pm so time to look for a campsite for the night.  And once again Ron Moon’s Cape York Adventurers Guide gave us one right beside the Big Stewart River.

Wednesday we could not believe our luck the 60km to Port Stewart was just unexpected.  It was partly bitumen and dirt that was like a good country road.  The road and port area were once the supply route to Coen in its hay day of gold mining. It is a wide spance of water where the Big Stewart River meets the open sea.  The bay area is tidal with lots of hidden gems washing ashore in the mangroves. 

The temperature hit 31c today and an overnight temp of 21c.  The bay is renowned for being a large crocodile habitat, so consequently we camped a bit further inland from the waters edge.

Week 8 July 1^st – 7^th

Another week of sunshine and we are back at Rocky Creek, with a bit of maintenance to be done.

We have the car booked in for a service, hair to be cut, gas bottles to be refilled and of course banking, there are always bills to be paid. So Tuesday was done and dusted.

We went for a drive on Wednesday through the hinterland Yungarburra, Lake Echam and on to the Galleo Cheese and Chocolate factory.  I won’t tell you what we bought.

Thursday we got news that the storage boxes that we have been waiting for, have arrived in Cairns.  So Friday we hired a small trailer and went down to pick them up.  The afternoon was spent installing.  Men came from everywhere, as soon as the drilling started.

Saturday was spent moving camping gear, filling draws and creating a list for Bunnings.  It was fun we are getting close to our adventure now.

A couple of days creating a menu and we should be on our way.   Service will be limited so it may be two – three weeks before we are in touch again.

Week 7 June 24^th – 30^th

With rain and grey cloudy skies still hanging around we had to move to recharge.  We had been at Walkamin for 8 days. We travelled up to the Mareeba Country CP a little out of town across the mighty Barron River.  A little claustrophobic. This was one of those van parks where people come up from the south for months of the year.  Very friendly but to close.

With everything charged and Cairns holding us up for another week, we decided to take time out up in the Cooktown area. With cloud and misty rain on the way up we decided to have a powered site at the must do Lion’s Den Hotel. This would be our base for the next few days.

The sun came out on Friday and we were off to Cape Tribulation via the Bloomfield Track.  “A little disappointed”.  The Cook Shire Council were doing roadwork’s to upgrade the track to bitumen.  So there is only about 40km of adventure left.  A rutted red dirt track that winds through rainforest, fast flowing creek crossings that gladly are not deep and a landscape that is what you see in the brochures with pristine beaches.

We got to Cape Trib and it just blew us away. An open bay with rainforest hills stretching down to the waters edge and about 60 people.  Tourists from nearby resorts, buses, cars and private tours from Port Douglas and beyond, just amazing. It was hard to take a photo without someone else in it.

On our return trip the Bloomfield River was the feature, coming right to the road edge, then concealing its shelf back into the forest, crystal clear water.

Friday night was date night and what better place to go than the Lion’s Den in Far North Qld.  It was great, one of those night where you drink and eat and watch the locals.

Saturday we drove 30 km into Cooktown.  What a great place, lots of history from a long time ago. Captain Cook, gold mining and of cause the people that built the town all very interesting. The museum is excellent and there are great views of the town and Endeavour River from the grassy hill lookout.  We travelled back along the Mulligan Hwy and stopped in at Archer Point.  John read Ron Moon’s book on Cape York and Ron was very impressed with this area and now we can see why.  Archer point is what you would imagine a deserted tropical island to be, a small sandy beach with swaying palm trees and just a light breeze.  There is good fishing here so it is a place we will be back to when we are in the tent.

Sunday we did a round trip to Lakefield NP (over 200km) Mulligan Hwy, Battle Camp Rd and the Peninsula Development Rd. And once again we hit gravel roads, creek crossings and some bitumen.  We stopped in at Trevethan Falls, which was deep in the rainforest, with serious boulders at the bottom of the falls, beautiful clear water.  We visited the old Laura Homestead, just amazing the strength and stamina that people have in such harsh country.

Travelling on we stopped at the Split Rock Art Gallery, climbing the track to the artwork was painful, breath taking and heart pumping but we made it and it really was worth the climb.

Monday has come and we are sad to be leaving our base camp at the Lion’s Den Hotel it has been great, friendly staff, good food and coffee and great atmosphere.  We are heading back to our bush camp at Walkamin.