G’day all,
22 August to 24 August 2010
We left Cairns mid morning and went in search of our friends. We knew they would be somewhere down the Coast between Bramston Beach, Fly Fishing Point and Cowley Beach South of Cairns. We headed for Fly Fishing Point first. Stopping at the caravan park we realised they were not there…where to now. Cowley Beach was the next obvious choice but it was about lunchtime so we made a sandwich in Innisfail near the skate park so the kids could have a play.
I should mention Fly Fishing Point is a small settlement right on the beach with a reef approx 300m offshore…apparently a good fishing area. The only place to stay here was a caravan park which was over the road from the beach. It was a small park and booking were essential. The park did have a pool which was a bonus though.
So onto Cowley Beach and the decision was made to stay here regardless of whether our illusive friends were there or not.
Finally we had found our good friends Hamish, Alex, Jacob and Emma. We were looking forward to a catch up them and the kids were eager for a play. The rest of the day was spent by the kids catching up while I took a drive to the Liverpool Creek mouth for a fish. I heard it was a hot spot for Queenfish, GT’s and Barra. I threw out a few lures for about an hour without much luck before talking to a local aborigine who was fishing the point with live bait. He had a great Mangrove Jack and we were just discussing Barra when low and behold several started jumping chasing bait fish. He quickly through a live bait to where the Barra had been jumping moments before and wholla, Barra for dinner…quite amazing.
I left the spot well educated for the experience but without fish. Hamish had been out on his dinghy when we arrived and had returned with a Golden Spotted Trevally, Coral Trout and Blue Fin Tuna…nice work and fresh fish for dinner. Needless to say we had fish and chips for dinner courtesy of the onsite eatery who cooked up the fish Hamish had caught and provided us with nice chips.
The next day Hamish woke me up around 7:00am for a fish. He had found a German tourist in the park who had a boat but no one to go out with. Step in yours truly…cool. So off we went out to the Barnard Group of Island a few klms of the Coast. These Islands are spectacular up close with sandy beaches and thick dense rainforest. Well worth an exploration and fishing is a definite bonus.
We fished for a few hours and caught plenty of reef fish with nothing big to note. I must say though just been out at the Islands was awesome just in its self and a morning I will look back on.
Back on dry land we had a cruisy afternoon at camp, chilling out in the afternoon sun. Later that evening we had a BBQ and caught up with our friends down the beach for a drink.
Next day we woke up early and caught up on some schooling. The middle of the day was spent relaxing out of the hot sun until later in the day when we had a rather philosophical Hamish entertain us for a couple of hours. The kids all caught up down the beach and later that evening we caught up for a dinner of fish and chips before a few beers down the beach. It was a great evening spent with Hamish and Alex whilst the kids watched a movie in the van. Hamish and Alex are great people who we admire and enjoy catching up with. They are people with a similar mindset to ours and love the great outdoors. This was our last night with them and hopefully we will catch them again somewhere on the road before they head West.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
G’day all,
11th August to 22 August 2010
It was no time for that unpleasant cleanup of the camper trailer and car after the abuse it had suffered over the last two weeks. Nothing had escaped the fine red dust of the good old outback, so it was a full cleanup required.
I think the trailer alone took almost a day with the car inside and out another half a day at least. All I know is by the end of the second day when I took the trailer back I was ready for a drink and stuffed.
It was now time for some R&R and plan Orangatan Amy’s birthday in a couple of days time. Amy had spoken about horse riding for some time but we had never been able to find anyone catering for 5 and 7 year olds. I did some research around Cairns and found a horse riding place just outside Kuranda that catered for both Jess & Amy with smaller horses – awesome Amy was going to love it.
So we booked horse riding for the day before Amy’s birthday at 1:00pm. We then spent the morning shopping with Amy for her birthday presents…that turned out to be lots of fun because she was so excited. We went to several different toy shops and the family had a great time.
Straight after shopping it was off to horse riding. Amy loves animals and it was a real thrill to watch her interact with the horses. The best part was that Amy & Jess got to ride and control their own horses Domino and Ninja. It was a guided tour and the guide led the family through rainforest to the top of a hill for a great view and some photos. We then headed back to the stables for some afternoon tea of cordial and fruit cake. It was so funny watching Amy and Jess wrestle with their horses at times as the horses took turns in making up their own minds who would be boss. It made for an entertaining ride and was a real eye opener for the kids. It was also great to watch Amy bond with the horses and watch her love for animals flourish.
Happy Birthday Amy on the 14 August 2010, six today. Amy of course was up early and opening all her presents and enjoying every minute of it. Next it was time to play with all the toys until lunchtime. On special occasions such as birthdays we always go out for lunch. Today it was sizzlers because the kids just love the salad bar. Not for the salads I might add but more so for the deserts. All you can eat deserts is a kids delight and a birthday wish come true. Amy & Jess got stuck into the deserts and had a great time, so much so that when we got home we decided to save Amy’s cake for the next day!!!
The rest of the time we spent at Coconuts was spent at the holiday parks water park or pool or spa. This is not to mention playing a couple of games of bingo at which we won $50, 3 hats, two stubbie holders, textures and a money box in total. We cleaned up. Then there was Thursday morning pancakes (all you can eat) which were tasty and had you going back for 3 or 4.
We also spent a day down at the Cairns foreshore where there is a large pool and play ground area for the kids. The kids had a ball and mum and dad enjoyed a coffee at the nearby Cafe.
So that was our time here in Cairns. We now had got in touch with our friends we had met in Jindabyne and decided to head off and meet them at Cowley Beach about 80 to 90 klms south of Cairns.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
G’day, all
Saying goodbye to Musgrave we debated over travelling back through Lakefield National Park or head towards Lakefield (township) and Laura along the highway. The highway won in the end, but I still have unfinished business in Lakefield National Park. The plan is to tow the Kedron that way at a later date…we will see Cape Melville, Princes Charlotte Bay and Bathurst Bay yet!
So onto the highway we went and the corrugations became even worse with the road now very uneven in parts. It was a rough ride to Lakefield and equally bad to Laura until we started hitting big stretches of bitumen…finally some relief from the corrugations.
Arriving at Lakefield we took the opportunity to eat some lunch planning to get to Ayton by late afternoon and hit the Crebb Track to find a camping spot. Onto Laura and turning left along the highway to Cairns…oh no storms brewing on the horizon. We pushed on and were almost at Ayton when the heavens opened and dumped huge amounts of rain all over the ranges and quite likely Crebb Track. For those who know the Crebb Track, 10mm will make the track impassable and dangerous. We checked the forecast and the next day was more rain. Damn, damn, damn, it was really too dangerous with trailer in tow to give the track a go, xxxx, xxxx!! We simply could not risk damage to the car and more importantly trailer from being stupid.
What next…the bubble had burst and we were over making up a couple of days tracking over ground we had already seen, so off to Cairns we went with the thought of a nice comfortable bed, warm shower and playground for the kids. We turned the truck in that direction and were back in Cairns at 5:00pm. We quickly found a site, setup camp and went out for dinner, thinking of the cleanup on the cards for tomorrow. Time to savour a beer and the moment.
The trip to the Cape had ended and the Crebb Track is yet to be conquered but we will be back up that way before we leave the Cairns region. The Cape York trip had been a massive adventure for all the family and a big thumbs u part of the trip. We all agreed we didn’t know what to expect and even the expectations we had were vastly different to what we experienced. All we knew was that the Cape had won us over due to its natural beauty, 4WD challenges and the memory of the adventure we had experienced as a family and will always hold close to our hearts.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
G’day all,
We left Chili Beach early in the morning. The wind had been strong ever since we had arrived at the beach and in the morning the tide was in and the wind was still blowing. We were on a timetable having to return the camper to Johnno’s so there was little point hanging around. It is about 140klms back to the Developmental Highway so quite a big side trip. On the way out we did stop by for a quick look at Lockhart River which has an IGA for picking up any last minute supplies you have forgot.
The drive out (once we had passed the intersection with the Frenchman’s Track was very interesting. The road winds and bends its way through small hills and valleys crossing many creeks on the way. I can see why the road was closed 10 days ago after heavy rain now. This road was well graded but even still because of its windy nature and the number of creeks you can only travel slowly on it anyhow.
We eventually hit the highway turned left and headed for as far as we could get. The plan now was to head for the Crebb Track before returning to Cairns. The road had deteriorated quite significantly since our trip up and we were seriously considering turning down the Southern section of the Telegraph Track for some fun rather than bounce along the corrugations. In the end the corrugations won and we bounced and vibrated all the way to Musgrave Roadhouse were we stopped about 3:30pm in the afternoon. It had been a long drive all the way from Chili Beach and so we treated ourselves to an awesome burger, some chips a camp fire and early night sleep. An awesome way to end the day and a well earned way to relax. Of course the kids enjoyed the friendly horses again and we also treated ourselves to a warm soothing shower…perfect!
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
G’day all,
Videos of Wenlock & Pascoe River Crossing below:
Wenlock River_Frenchman Track_QLD
Pascoe River Crossing_Frenchman Track_
After knocking back camping at Bramwell Junction the night before we awoke to our campsite perched on the road at the intersection between two tracks. We packed up and got on our way. Today held the crossing of the Wenlock River and then the rocky and steep, deep Pascoe River.
We continued straight ahead at the intersection and found we were less than a klm away from the Wenlock River. We had aimed to get there the night before and had stopped just before darkness…one foot from gold, huh. Either way the plan worked out fine because you don’t want to rush any river crossing up in the Cape, otherwise you will get caught out.
The descent into the Wenlock River from is steep, no doubt about that. With rain it would be a muddy, slippery slide right down into the river. Luckily for us the river bank was dry and we were able to hold the car from sliding under the weight of the trailer and edge down the steep slope to the river. The bottom of this river crossing is sandy and that means always a risk of soft sand. The crossing is quite long and can be deep too. Off we went, keeping the momentum up and thankfully we did because out in the middle the sad was soft. Closing in on the far bank the ground firmed up again and we pulled out of the river onto a sand bank, turned sharp left and followed a sandy track out of the river. One down, one to go – river crossings that is.
The section of track between the Wenlock and Pascoe River is about 25 klms long and is full of water holes, small creeks, washed out sections and one steep rocky and rutted hill climb. There is a chicken track around the hill climb but where is the fun in that! Yep on, up and over the rocks, giving the suspension a big work out. The trailer was bouncing along behind us and copped a few more bashes to the ill placed number plate…that is going to need straightening.
At the top of the hill the track gets a little easier until your realise that you must be close to the Pascoe. If you are not following a live map or your odomometer you will soon guess where you are heading…get ready for a even steeper, rocky and rutted slide right down and into the Pascoe River. The descent probably starts a 200m back from the river and gets steeper and more rutted the further (or closer to the river) you go. There are a few hefty rocks on this section of the track and holding the car straight is almost impossible…what a challenge.
With about 30m to go there is a slight relief. Stop there and have a look at the crossing. The ground under foot is strewn with boulders and rocks that could catch the unwary out. From my vantage point of the river bank and high clearance as security I ignored the temptation to wander through the crocodile infested river and picked my line best I could…it looked deep and it was! Walk it or be warned, this crossing can catch you out…then again…what worse than wrecking your car is getting eaten by a croc…then again getting your car stuck in the middle then getting eaten by a croc trying to recover it is probably worse…I don’t know what to advise, probably get a 6inch lift, 35 inch tyres and just plough on through. This is what we did…slip and slide down the final 30m trying to keep the car straight and not topple into the river…getting hairy…picked a line slightly up river of the straight crossing, crossed the fingers and drove straight across. The car drove perfectly avoiding all the big rocks like we planned, what a dream crossing and how lucky were we! The trailer made a few clunks and bangs, mostly on the slippery, rocky descent to the river and other than being probably under water for a few moments didn’t seem to hit any rocks…it finally dawned on me that it had floated across behind the car!!!! The water was bonnet height, after recent rain, and on my highly lifted truck, that is deep.
Crossing the river is only half the challenge done. The exit is just as steep, muddy and slippery with some well placed boulders. Don’t stop on the way out of here cause you might not get going again. The saving grace is that the difficult part is only 30m or so. Up we went with ease, 35’s and rear diff lock providing security to towing the trailer and we were through. Pascoe River done.
We stopped to let a little water out the back of the trailer and had a well earned lunch break. Nothing like letting the heart rate get back to normal, huh. Me and the kids walked back down to the crossing for a few photos and crazily I decided to cool off and go for a quick swim. Funnily enough, there was no way I was walking the river only 10 mins earlier but with the adrenalin pumped a swim seemed like the perfect thing to do…what was I thinking!!!
The rest of the Frenchman’s Track is relatively flat and for the most part boring after the heart racing, adrenalin sucking section from the Wenlock to the Pascoe and after 7 klms we were turning right on the main road heading for Chili Beach. What I remember of this road was a windy road, crossing many creeks and then you hit the rainforest where you find more creeks and the road is even more windy. The drive through the rainforest is picturesque and is dotted with a few camping sites (fees apply due to NP). The creeks always spectacular whenever there is rainforest as a back drop.
Eventually we hit Chili Beach and the wind was blowing hard. This was unfortunate because I was really hoping to spend an afternoon soaking up the beach with a spot of fishing. Sand was blowing everywhere so we pretty much set up camp in a sheltered spot and played with the kids balancing on copper logs for the rest of the day.
Chili beach is naturally beautiful, but is an aweful place when the wind blows…only bugger is that it blows more often than not. That’s the trouble with some of the East Coast towards the top end, the beaches are beautiful but you generally can’t swim in them due to crocs and stingers when it is calm and the rest of the time it is ridicously windy.
We retired early and hoped the wind would drop during the night.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
Bushman Bud Tackles Elliot Falls to the Frenchman’s Track
Waking up at the moonscape of Canal Creek, we were on our way quickly to Elliot Falls. In reality, only a 10 minute drive from Canal Creek. We were looking forward to checking out the falls and going for a nice swim.
We pulled up in the carpark and headed towards the falls. You access the falls along a easy board walk which stinks of bats. There are bats everywhere and bat dung everywhere. Hold your nose and run I say. Luckily the aroma of the bat dung is not present at the falls. Arriving at the falls you have Elliot Falls and Twin Falls within 100m of each other. We found that Twin Falls is the better of the two for swimming. In fact if you had to compare the falls I would give Twin Falls the nod, just ahead of Elliot Falls. Luckily they are close to one another so you get to see them both anyhow.
Arriving at Twin Falls we were lucky enough to have the place to ourselves for an hour. We had a great time swimming and splashing in the falls and swimming right up to the falls to be massaged by the water gushing down onto your back…a very refreshing place to swim and relax. Its funny though when you get to these areas and you are the first there, that you ponder where the safe swimming is. Finally you get enough courage to go for a swim and relax after 5 mins or so when nothing has eaten you. The even funnier part is that other people just come and jump in where you are without thought…thinking that if you are ok, then we should be too. How crazy is it that we act like sheep sometimes and it gets us into a whole pile of trouble. We had a funny incident where Lynda lost her hat down the creek, below Elliot Falls. I followed the hat and was just about to jump in and retrieve it when two things dawned on me. First was crocs and second was, how the hell was I going to climb back up the steep sides of the gorge without having to swim to find a spot…I would have probably found a croc before a safe place to climb out…lesson learnt again!
Twin Falls are a beautiful set of falls, two tiered (hence the name) that fall gracefully over the beautiful coloured orange and red shaded rocks. It is typical of the falls you find in the Kimberleys and is very pretty and a must if up in this region.
Elliot Falls plunder off a shallow river bed over a table like serrated edge that runs down the river instead of across the river. The falls in fact have created an umbrella formation as they continue to erode away the softer rock in the middle of the falls. Too hard to explain in detail, check out the photos, I am probably not doing the beautiful falls justice.
After a beautiful swim in the crystal clear cool water we were back to the car and heading off to take on the challenge of the Frenchman’s Track. We had missed out on the track on the way up due to heavy rain and a rising Pascoe River so we were keen to get stuck into it today.
Back on the highway it wasn’t long before we were bouncing along on the corrugations heading towards the start of the track. We had spent a long time enjoying Elliot Falls and we quickly realised that we were not going to tackle much of the Frenchman’s Track today. In fact we only passed Bramwell Junction around 3:00pm and debated over stopping there for the night. The thought of the track was too much though and we continued on finding the start of the track at about 4:00pm. At the start of the Frenchman’s Track there is a sign saying private property and no access allowed. I found this somewhat unusual because I had heard of plenty of people tackling this track. Well in an attempt to do the right thing I headed to the B?? Homestead which was 10 klm down the road to find out what the story was. The caretaker there informed me that you can use the Frenchman’s Track but are not allowed to venture off the track or camp before the Wenlock River. I then quizzed him about campsites and he noted that the only one he knew of was on the Wenlock River where there was a sandy bank on the far side. Well at now 4:30pm and 25 klms away that was our only option.
We were back at the start to the Frenchman’s Track at about 4:45pm heading for the Wenlock River and needing to cover 15 rough klms. It dawned on us early in the peace that this was probably wishful thinking as we would need to negotiate the difficult river crossing in darkness. We looked out for many camp spots along the way and in the end out of desperation camped on the track at an intersection with another track leading South. What had slowed us down was a very muddy and soft 300m section which required momentum and careful wheel placement. We were actually very lucky on a couple of occasions not to come unstuck (or rather very stuck here).
Cooking dinner in the dark is never a nice experience and neither are the ever present mozzies and midges. We were finally fed and into bed early looking forward to high expectations of adventure tomorrow when we tackled the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers…until then…
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
G’day all,
Latest Videos below:
Northern Section of Telegraph Track_Start
Mistake Creek_Telegraph Track_QLD
Log Bridge_Telegraph Track_QLD
Cannibal Creek_Telegraph Track_QLD
Deepest Crossing on Telegraph Track_QLD
Nolan Creek_Telegraph Track_QLD
Jardine River Crossing_Telegraph Track_QLD
Jardine River Ferry Crossing_QLD
Leaving Mutee Heads the plan was to travel South to the Jardine River to have a look at the crossing, make a decision to cross their or back track to the ferry. We wanted to complete the Northern Section of the Telegraph Track from the Jardine River down so that we had completed it in its entirety.
Back onto the corrugations and we headed towards the ferry crossing. Once we got there (with the aid of Ozi Explorer running live in car) we back tracked to find the vehicle crossing. We checked many camps that were on the Jardine River on the way. These campsites were nice but I think that there are so many better ones around the Cape and Telegraph Track.
We eventually found the vehicle crossing and the size of the crossing is staggering. It is at least 200m across the Jardine here with a rather big hole on the Northern bank which has crocodile written all over it. Looking at the crossing, you would be crazy to attempt this on your own. The river has a soft sandy bottom and is deep enough in places to cause flooding of your vehicle. Add the presence of crocodiles to that equation and without real thought, recovery gear and a good team of people and cars you would be asking for trouble.
Perfect recipe, why not give it a go then hey…no chance!!
Damn, retrace our steps to the Jardine Ferry, cross the river and back track on the Southern side of the river to the crossing. It was only this way that we could complete the Telegraph Track in fullness. So that’s exactly what we did, other than having to wait for lunch to finish before the ferry resumed operation. That took 45 mins of waiting and was a pain.
Over the river and down the Developmental Road until we picked up the Jardine River bypass track approx 15 klm South of the ferry. The track eventually comes out near the National Park camp areas and by taking the right hand fork in the track you will find the Southern crossing of the Jardine River.
The crossing is a good place to visit for a couple of reasons, one you can do the crossing (if stupid), two, it completes the Telegraph Track. Yeah for all of those reasons but most of all to get a feel for what the crossing is like. It is enormous and full of danger as a 4WD enthusiast would know.
After experiencing the Jardine River crossing we now headed South along the soft sandy track, picking up the rest of the Telegraph Track. The first real challenge on this section of the track heading South is Nolan Creek (also a nice place to camp). The creek use to be bridged by a log bridge which has now been washed away. This crossing is a vehicle swallower due to the very soft sand hole in the middle of the creek. The creek also has two exit points, looking South the one on your right is the shallower and easier exit of the two. Use a bit of momentum on this one and keep driving through the bog hole in the middle. Be ready for water over the bonnet and let the bottom settle before crossing straight after another person. This way you should easily do the crossing. We survived the crossing with trailer in tow, exited on the right hand back with a bit of a phew and kept going. Nolan Creek is a great crossing and fun for a swim.
Your next challenge is probably the deepest crossing on the Telegraph Track. This one is definitely over bonnet height for a standard vehicle so strap on the tarp and wish you had a snorkel. In fact if you don’t have a snorkel around here you will probably go home without your vehicle.
You are then in for a bit of a drive before the next crossings. When you get to Cannibal Creek, the next crossings come quickly and seem like a blur. As far as camping is concerned, camp at Elliot Creek or Canal Creek if running late in the day or Nolan Creek, there isn’t much in between and in takes some time to get from Canal Creek to Nolan Creek.
The first up is Cannibal Creek. Cannibal Creek has been washed out big time and has steep entry and exit points which need to be carefully negotiated. The entry is also very windy so if towing you have to be really careful that you don’t lose your trailer down the steep and very deep washouts. This creek bends back on itself you look right around the corner for the exit which goes up, up, up and is steep and rutted.
Carrying on you get to the log bridge. The bridge was in really good condition and has been reinforced considerably from photos I have seen over the years. The real challenge here is getting in, over and out of the crossing. From the North side the track drops suddenly at to the right. You basically follow a big washout down to the log bridge. However just before you get to the bridge there is a tight 90 degree bend and then straight onto the bridge. This turn becomes difficult because the side angle on the track needs care and attention. If you are towing a trailer like us then it becomes an even greater challenge to line yourself up nice and straight to get over the bridge. Check out the video xxxx. It is good fun and gets the heart rate up. You certainly feel relieved being at the other side. The Southern exit is straight and easily negotiated. With a trailer this crossing is better approached from the South.
Next is Mistake Creek and probably represents the steepest and most rutted entry and exit points. The creek itself is easily crossed once you get to the water (and fairly shallow). The challenge is finding traction to get up and out of the creek from either side. Careful wheel placement is the key and is made harder with a trailer in tow. Saying that, with the right tyre pressure (yes let your tyres down and look after the track for all) you should get up either bank easily.
Now you should be in a real spin and just down the road (bypass to the Developmental Road inbetween) you reach Canal Creek. This creek has so many entry and exit points that you have to search for a way through. Park your car at the top and go for a wander to pick your line. The major things to look out for with this crossing are the slippery white clay, big pot holes in the crossing itself and water depth. Because the creek is so clear and has a sandy bottom it is easy to misjudge depth and find yourself in trouble. You can walk this creek with little risk of crocs so do so!!
We entered the Creek on the far right, driving down the creek before exiting left. This was totally different from our earlier crossing but a lot easier. We did however almost make a big mistake by first following another set of vehicle tracks into the crossing in the wrong place. Closer inspect found a deep drop off and a definite recovery. This would have been ridicously hard on our own with the trailer and whilst we would have recovered the vehicle the likelihood of damage to the trailer or car would have been high…so look first!!
By the time we had crossed Canal Creek it was late in the day and we needed to find a camp quickly. We knew Elliot Creek was just down the road so we raced down there for a spot. Turning up late for a camp spot at Elliot Creek is a no,no, so back to Canal Creek where we squeezed in. We did however save ourself a camping fee. Canal Creek is free whilst Elliot Falls is $5 per person…hey another round of icecreams for us…you beauty.
What an absolutely awesome day. The Northern section of the Telegraph Track is my favourite. The creek crossings are more of a challenge and you get the old log bridge thrown in for good measure. Saying that we leave the Telegraph Track behind with lots of fond memories and great 4WD experiences…add that to the family adventure we all enjoyed and you have a winning recipe. We have the Cape bug and will definitely be back. The good thing about the Cape is there is so much to explore and the tracks are always changing…therefore so do the challenges.
Dinner and sleep and onto the Frenchman’s Track tomorrow…another day, another great adventure…life is great!!!
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
Cape York Peninsula...Enjoying Australia
G’day all,
The day had finally arrived…our chance to enjoy being at the most Northern Tip of Australia, Cape York Penninsula, QLD…yeah!!!
Video: Cape York Peninsula_Northern Tip of Australia_QLD
The plan was to travel to Punsand Bay, drop the camper trailer off, take the 4WD track up the coast through to the main access road to the Cape.
At the turnoff to Punsand Bay is the Croc Tent. For me it was an overpriced junkyard of Cape memorabilia. Don’t get me wrong I have no problem with people selling memorabilia for people to take home…but be reasonable…I reckon you could have bought gold cheaper, it was that ridiculous. I also reckon that the items on offer were poor quality. You can spend your dollars on many other different memorabilia places along the way so just look out for the right one…with the right price!
We left Sieisa mid morning and were soon bouncing around on the corrugations towards Punsand Bay. These were the worst of the corrugations thus far and limited us to very slow speeds. It took us about 45 mins to travel 17 klms to the turnoff.
Turning left we made better time and arrived at Punsand Bay around lunch time. We secured a beach front camp ground which was sandy but not the same red dust dirt bowl we had experienced at Sieisa. Quickly, the amenities here were pretty poor but at least there was a bar. Hey if you could have transported the amnities from Siesa here it would have been near perfect…in fact, perfect if the fish were biting.
We were excited to get to the Cape and quickly set up the camper and were on our way. Leaving the campsite we turned left along the scenic 4WD track towards the Cape. This was a great alternative and keeps you away from the shocking corrugations. The track meanders through bush scrub and rain forest on a sandy base for most part…some areas soft.
After about 14 klms you pop out about 10 klms from the Cape. Turn left out of the track and mark your spot if you want to return this way.
We finally arrived at the car park and set off on the Cape Track (which is not easy to find…mind you it doesn’t take Einstein to work out which general direction to head in. The walk seemed to be about 1klm to the tip, with great views of the Cape throughout the walk. We went up over the headland. The last few hundred metres you drop down from a high point and the nostalga of the journey catches up with you as you descend on your final destination. For me, my hair was standing up on my neck such was the excitement of being at this place. The last few hundred metres is awesome with the scenery of the Cape and nearby islands, the whole Cape region is a fascinating place.
Finally we were there and what a great place to take in the moment once more. I am an emotional person and the feelings of being at the Cape were like scoring a ton in a closely fought out cricket match or the exhileration of shoooting a massive whitewater rapid in a raging river. It was simply awesome to be at a place I had dreamed of for many years. What made it better is the adventure we could all share as a family to get there.
The camera ran hot with the number of pics we took. The tripod was setup and we all enjoyed the various poses, some silly, some funny, some serious, strange and some just plain crazy. It was just a great experience and beautiful memory for the family to recapture. We all set some amazing goals for the future at this spot and recorded them all on video.
This is a place of breath taking beauty and one where you just have to sit and take in the moment. How many people would love to be in the very spot you are right at that moment. We had the place to ourselves for the rest of the afternoon which is unbelievable given the amount of traffic around the Cape. We were certainly blessed to enjoy this special spot to ourselves with the sound of ocean wind and nature doing its thing. We just soaked up the feelings, sounds and sights of being at this special, iconic, great Australian place – the Northern Tip of the Australian Mainland – you beauty!!
The Cape will linger forever in my memory (until next time I return) not only for the adventure and amazing scenery of the place but more so the family time we spent there that afternoon making plns for the future and deciding on our next great adventure. Travel has brought the whole family together, it is such an amazing voyage of discovery and I know for us has built foundations for joyous times in the future.
Leaving the Cape was tough but we decided to take the beach track back to the car. This can only be done at low tide and the mangroves look a little dodgy for crocs so always be on the lookout. It is a great contrast to the headland walk so if you can…do it.
Back in the car and back to Punsand Bay for dinner and watch over the ocean as the sun sets in the West. Perfect day in a perfect place.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
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- Cape York Peninsula…Enjoying Australia
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- Been There, Done That
Tags: 4WD, 4WDing, 4x4, Adventure, Bushman, Bushman Bud, Camping, Cape York, challenge, Free Camping, Nothern tip of Australia, Offroad, QLD, river crossing, scenic, Telegraph Track, Track
G’day all,
What a great spot to camp is Gunshot Creek. You just have to camp on the Northern bank of the creek and just soak up the moment of being there. Put it this way…you travel how far?? to get there and to spend only a few moments there is sacrelidge. I had to withdraw myself, take a cold beer down to the creek with a chair and just enjoy. When you are there imagine how many other 4WD enthusiasts would do anything to be there right at that moment…and if that doesn’t get the hairs standing up then you probably don’t enjoy the great outdoors with 4WD in tow as much as me! Take my advice, take a moment, take a stroll, kick back have a beer, swim and whatever else you need to do to just reflect.
Taking A Moment...Gunshot Creek
Ok, all of that said we left Gunshot about 10:00am with the plan of heading towards Fruit Bat Falls. We passed through a couple of creeks before coming out at the Northern Bypass. 6klm’s further and you go straight ahead and onto the Northern section of the Telegraph Track. Within 5klm you hit Fruit Bat Falls and a little further on Elliot Falls and Twin Falls.
Fruit Bat Falls...Great Place For A Swim
Fruit Bat Falls is located about 2klms further off the Telegraph Track and is a great place for a swim…and that is exactly what we did. The water was beautifully clear and sooooo refreshing. Any thoughts of crocs passed quickly by and me and the kids had a ball swimming and playing around. The falls themselves…lest we forget…are certainly worth a visit and again cause you to think about the vast array of changing landscape and vegetation you travel through on a trip to the Cape. Fruit Bat Falls is worth a visit and, yes bring the bathers.
A quick stop for lunch and on our way again. We passed the turnoff to Elliot Falls as we planned to stay there a night on our return trip.
The next stop is Canal Creek…and you can very easily get this one wrong. There are a multitude of different entry and exit points here and the other tricky thing is the large potholes, really sticky clay and crystal clear water (which hides big holes). Tread very carefully here and go for a look or a walk before crossing…you might save yourself some pain.
We entered the creek on the left hand side and then did a constant zig zag up the far bank avoiding pot holes and sticky clay. This proved difficult with a trailer having to take constant care not to end up dropping the front or rear end into a big hole…phew safely across and on our way again. This crossing is fun and a different kind of challenge and one you will enjoy for sure.
We continued on along the track until we reached the bypass (just before hitting Mistake Creek and Cannibal Creek and the infamous log bridge). At this point the decision was to take the bypass track and head for the ferry. We made the decision to pick up the Telegraph Track from the Jardine River on our return trip.
Hitting the developmental highway we travelled another 40klm to the ferry crossing of the Jardine River. It cost us $88 for the car and another $16 (I think for the trailer). Fuel here was $1.85 P/L which was cheaper than anywhere we found North of the ferry.
Across the ferry we headed for Siesa and a camp for the night. We arrived there about 4:00pm set up camp and had a look around. Must say the caravan park here is just a big dustball and the amenities average…but remarkably probably among the better ones we saw on the Cape side of the ferry.
The camp ground is right on the ocean and the view is spectacular. I took the time to take a walk along the beach chatting to one local who gave me the thumbs up on a few fishing spots. He was having a chuckle at a dinghy which had just returned to the beach with very few fish. He noted that the dinghy should be over flowing and almost sinking if they knew what they were doing. We both anjoyed a good chat and laugh before we continued along the beach to the jetty.
The jetty is reknown for a good fishing spot. Again I had a chat to a few locals on the jetty about the fishing who told me that at the right time the jetty is awesome…but had been slow for a good few weeks. They said the best times around here were in the wet. They also said that without live bait around the jetty you are wasting time.
Must say, I saw very little caught here and on the beach which kind of reiterated what the locals had been saying.
We walked back along the beach and enjoyed one of the prettiest sunsets I have witnessed. The sunset over the western ocean with the back drop of many small islands that make this area glorious. It was about this time that I was really annoyed that I hadn’t bothered to bring the dinghy…next time huh.
With darkness all around and early night and trip to Cape York beckoned for tommorrow. Can’t wait…a dream come true.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
Tags: 4WD, 4WDing, 4x4, Adventure, Bushman, Bushman Bud, Camping, Canal Creek, Cape York, Free Camping, Offroad, river crossing, Sieisa, Telegraph Track, Track
Bushman Bud...Enjoying Australia
G’day all,
Videos below:
Telegraph Track_Bramwell Junction_Starting Out
Palm Creek_Telegraph Track_QLD
Gunshot Creek Crossing (with trailer)_Part 1
Gunshot Creek Crossing (with trailer)_Part 3
Gunshot Creek_Guided Tour_Telegraph Track_QLD
Gunshot Creek…Enjoying the Moment of this Iconic Place
Gunshot Creek_Main Entry_Telegraph Trach_QLD
How exciting, I was finally ready to hit the OTL Telegraph Track. Gees, I have thought of this day for so long and finally it was here. Law of Attraction, what you think about comes true. This had been a dream for over 7 years and finally I was here.
We got up early and headed off with excitement and nervous anticipation. I quelled the excitement just enough to pull off the main Developmental Road and head into the Bramwell Homestead. The owners here are very friendly and when we were there the kids were treated to playing with two small puppies…they loved it. There were other animals for the kids to play with and the amenities were fantastic. We tagged this for a night on the return trip from the Cape.
We pulled out of the Homestead and within minutes were at the junction between the Telegraph Track and the Developmental Road. Carrying straight on (rather than turning right) we headed up the first part of the Telegraph Track…awesome!!! we were here…one of Australia’s iconic 4WD trips was about to start..yes!!
Along the track we went arriving at the first creek crossing after not long…Palm Creek. The entry into this creek had been well and truly washed out and the descent into this creek bed was now steep, rutted and had one very large rock right in the middle of the steepest section. This was going to be interesting with a trailer in tow. So over the edge we went 1st gear low and trying to hold up the weight of truck and trailer by tapping the brake. We managed to slowely edge our way down into the creek, gently nursing the trailer down. The car got to the bottom and with its high lift and great departure angles with little problem. The trailer was stuck higher than the car up on the track still though. Easing the trailer down it bellied out on the big rock crumpling the number plate (??? hanging down from the trailer woudl you believe…have to fix that one Johnno!). We slowely dragged the trailer down and now had trailer and car in the creek. We crossed the creek and arrived at the other side (the creek bed was firm) and looked at a somewhat steep (not as steep as entry) and slippery exit. Engaging lockers for trailer insurance the Patrol easily came up the slippery rutted section and we had completed the first major challenge of the Telegraph Track…awesome. We had been asking people along the way about the challenges ahead and they had all noted Palm Creek, Gunshot and Nolan Creek as the car crunchers this year. One creek down many to go…yipee.
Onto the next challenge. I remember many creek crossings in between, a few deep, a few shallow. The track itself was a ever winding trip around trees or skirting over and around washouts.
This section of the track is about 50 klms long, starting at Bramwell Junction and passing through Palm Creek, Dalhunty River, Gunshot Creek and a few others before coming out again on the bypass track approx 6klms South of the Northern section of the Telegraph Track and 11 klms South of Elliot Creek.
The next major obstacle I remember (or rather well known location) was the Dalhunty River. This crossing has some nice campsites on either bank..although I would favour the South bank. The Dalhunty crossing is relatively easy and generally not too deep. Not too much to watch out for other than a few rocks. The bigger challenge is the exit. When you dip into the river you can see two very steep exits, very worn out and really winch material. Luckily there is a third exit which is relatively hidden at first sight which doglegs to the right and can be easily negotiated. With a trailer in tow this was a relief…phew.
Crossing the Dalhunty, we filled up the water bottles, had a cooling dip in the water and a well timed stopover for lunch.
Leaving the Dalhunty the next creek was Cockatoo Creek. This one you need to be careful of. Approaching the creek from the South you need to follow a rocky ledge on the river bank for 30m before turning sharply left and accross the creek. A work of caution, there are some massive potholes in this crossing that would easily swamp a vehicle and at the right angle…I imagine would flip a vehicle into the water current. Get out and walk…but watch out for the crocs too…this Cape York adventure is special, creek crossings in croc infested creeks, big potholes, quicksand, bull dust, massive corrugations, beautiful rainforest, harsh open plains, etc, etc…it is awesome.
We negotiated the creek well (without walking…you decide which is more risky…car swallowing potholes or snapping crocs…I took my chances with the car swallowing potholes!) with no mishaps and were on our way again arriving at the Gunshot bypass turnoff. If you don’t want to do the iconic Gunshot Creek, exit the Telegraph Track here. It is a further 14 klms North to Gunshot and if you want to take a look a the crossing you are better to go around the bypass and have a look from the North section…not as much backtracking should you chicken out!
14 klms to Gunshot Creek and the nerves were beginnning to think of what might be. More washouts and winding around trees, plus a good 45 mins later we were at one of the most Australian iconic 4WD locations…awesome.
Looking at Gunshot Creek you can almost read the history in the air…this place could tell some awesome stories and has been the scene of many written off vehicles. In fact we were later talking to a ranger who informed us that two cars had rolled end over end here two days ago…and…they would get a dozen rollovers a year plus numerous other vehicles being damaged and needing an expensive recovery. When you look at some of the drops into the creek bed you can see why. Some of these entries are vertical in places and you would need to tie the rear end of your car down to even contemplate an attempt.
I scouted around the various options and came across a doable entry into the creek on the far left hand side as you aproach from the South. I jumped back into the car and headed nervously for the only path I could see to conquer Gunshot. Down we went…no problems…into the first part of the creek. The mud was negotiated and then a sharp 90 degree left hand bend. This proved to be difficult with the trailer in tow. We were at this spot for about 10 mins reversing and moving the trailer slowely around the bend…thanks to the help of the onlookers. Finally we cleared the bank and crossed the sandy creek bed and easily negotiated the far bank. Yes we had conquered Gunshot Creek, an iconic 4Wd location and the ultimate challenge in 4WDing…yes and with a trailer in tow…simply unbelievable to be here.
We decided to camp here the night, being about 3pm and soak up the atmosphere of this special place. This gave us time for a swim in the creek and have a cooling beer. You owe it to yourself when you get to these locations just to soak up the moment and imagine all the people who would love to be right where you are, right at that second…this way you apprecite the true significance of the moment in time and can enjoy living the dream as it should be.
We set up the tent and then watched 5 other cars attempt Gunshot. Three of the five vehicles damaged their vehicles in one way or another which just goes to show how much the right mods to your car actually prevents damage and allows you to travel so much further.
Down in the main creek bed, up in the tree are all the memoribilia that people have left behind over the years. Whether that be autographed parts of cars, spare thongs, stubby holders, etc, they add a little more depth to the experience and history of the place. Whether you choose to tackle Gunshot Creek or not…YOU MUST VISIT THIS PLACE on your way to the Cape.
Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia
Tags: 4WD, 4WDing, 4x4, Adventure, Bud, Bushman, Bushman Bud, Camping, Dalhunty River, Free Camping, Gunshot Creek, Offroad, Palm Creek, Telegraph Track, Track