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

What a way to kick off an awesome weekend.  We had contacted the Trekka 4WD Club a few weeks ago and they were good enough to allow us to come along on the night run up and over Jeffery’s Track to Huonville, have dinner and head back over the hill again.  It is always good doing a trip with a little bit of a difference, especially where a beer and good company is involved.

Meeting at New Norfolk we headed off at about 5:30pm towards Jeffery’s Track.  This track is relatively easy but is good for a little fun with some slushy mud parts, a few muddy holes and a steep ascent or descent depending on which way you are heading.

Its funny how night time makes things look a little more challenging, the mud looks deeper, the hills steeper, the rocks bigger, etc…saying that though all vehicles made it up and over the track without too many surprises.  The biggest surprise for me was the fact we had been 4WDing with only the rear wheels for some time.  I had thought traction seemed a little off and the mud confirmed that it wasn’t the tyres it was most definately one of the manual locking hubs not engaging.  Funny really I had completed the Balfour Track, Monetzuma Falls, Ring River Road and Southern Forests run in 2WD…oops. 

Never mind I had the lockers in case trouble was around the corner.

Completing Jeffery’s Track we headed into Huonville for a delicious pub meal with some awesome deserts on offer.  The meal was great but the real delight was spending the evening with the members of the Trekka 4WD Club who are a top bunch of people.  Again we had stumbled on a great group of people with similar interests.

After dinner, dessert and a few beers, back over Jeffery’s Track.  We struggled up the initial steep hill in 2WD and had to engage the lockers to compensate for the faulty hub.  Apart from the distinct pull to the passengers side up we went.  The rest of the track was fun with one car mysteriously ending up driving the wrong way…we think…and lodging their car on the edge of a gully to be recovered.  The mud at the end of the track was fun and was enjoyed by the drivers. 

At the end of the track it was time to say goodbye to our friends made at the Trekka 4WD Club and look forward to future trips…little did we know what was in store for us…

Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZLat1Z9400

I had been eagerly anticipating this track for quite sometime after many hours of watching videos and reading articles on Tassies West Coast and its awesome 4WDing that is everywhere on the West Coast.  The day had finally arrived and we were out with our friends from the Ulverstone 4WD Club again.  Can it get any better than sharing 4WD adventures in the company of great people and the knowledge that safety in number is readily at hand…perhaps on this track we may need it…

I had driven the offroad van up from Evandale the previous evening and found a beautiful spot on the coast (right on the coast, 5m from the waters edge) near Sulfur Creek, just outside Burnie.  I chose this location as a central point for the Balfour Track today and Montezuma Falls/Ring River Road Track tommorrow.

We woke early on Saturday and headed towards Smithton to meet with the Ulverstone 4WD Club at 9:00am.   I must say it was hard to get out of bed with the view from my bedroom window, ocean, rocks and beach…the fact that it was cold, windy and raining didn’t have anything to do with it either!

The drive to Smithton was interesting partly along the coast with great scenery and then tracking just inland through farming land.  I thought we had left our run a little late setting off at 7:50am with a 100klm ahead of us…yet we arrived just before 9:00am after catching up with Trish & Dick along the way chugging along in thier Troopie.

The rest of the crew arrived not long after other than Micj who was trailing behind and would catch up with us on our way to Arthur River.  All of this country was new ground to me as we had not yet got out to the West Coast as yet.  The drive into Arthur River was picturesque through farming land with the road seemingly getting narrower and a little more windy.

At Arthur River, morning tea was called and all the drivers called in at the National Parks office to get there vehicle permits.  To travel offroad in this area you must carry a vehicle permit or risk a fine…good news though the permit is free and is used to track traffic in this area.

From Arthur River to the start of the Balfour Track.  The road turned from bitumen to gravel to very narrow and compact sand.  When we hit the sand track hubs were turned in and the excitement increased.  Certainly it was time for me and Mick to point out…that as the only Patrol owners along we were going to have a busy day pulling out all of the Toyota’s…that banter is alive and well in this club as in many other 4WD circles…all in good humour I hope…

The start of the sand track saw a few shallow water holes which Mick just couldn’t avoid.  Everyone else was driving around…Toyota thing…but Mick was enjoying being a duck in water.

At last the start of the Balfour Track was on us and a small but tricky little rock obstacle was at the start to greet us.  It seemed somewhat unassuming but our leaders had a couple of goes followed by Trish & Dick who struggled with two wheels off the ground and no forward momentum.  Dick tried a few different angle before a little momentum saw him over the obstacle with a rather loud bang and noisy crunch…ouch.  Mick followed and so did I without too much trouble with the rest of the group held up while we checked the damage to Dick’s car.  Wow, a broken side window…it appears that the side step hit a rock hard and the shock broke the window.  Not good on a rainy day with deep water ahead.  Next the fixit job and look out what better timing for the heavens to open up.  Everyone ran for their car and Trish and Dick were there fighting a torrential downpour and strong winds taping up their window…who needs friends anyhow…

With Trish & Dick completely soaked, everyone else completely dry (other than Susan’s valiant efforts) we continued on.

Following the track we slowely climbed away from the coast along a rocky track with numerous water holes, some deep, some long, some deep and long and some very deep and very long!!!  The saving grace was they all had a firm base so it was a matter of good momentum and a snorkel to get you through.

The first major obstacle was a 100m waterhole, which looked deep but proved a relatively easy challenge.  After the first couple of cars went through the muddy track to the left was taken as more of a challenge…who else but Mick leading the way. 

With this obstacle behind us the major very long, very deep water hole was reached.  Tarps came out, electrics were sprayed with oil and everyone watched on as our leader set off through the water.  About half way along their was a dip and a period of driving with water over the bonnet.  A little daunting when you look out of your side windows and see water lapping around your door handles…I know when I was driving through I was thinking don’t stop…don’t stop…please…With our leaders through, Trish & Dick were next.  They got through without too much trouble.  Enter Mick who got through the water hole only to find water in his air filter…very lucky escape with a diesel engine.  Bushman Bud next up.  With some extra lift the water only briefly passed over the left hand side of the front end of the bonnet and no water found its way inside the car…phew.  On inspection of the engine bay though I found water sat on top of the filter box so the snorkel was certainly required.  A few other cars came through before our biggest mishap of the trip.  The short wheel based 40 series land cruiser, with low clearance, no snorkel and petrol engine attempted the unthinkable and sadly didn’t get very far before the engine flooded with water and shut down, leaving the car full of water and passenger swimming with water over the seat…ouch.  The 40-shorty was towed backwards, spark plugs removed and water emptied from the engine.  Lunch was called and eventually the 40-shorty was restarted and ran the gauntlet around the sometimes very boggy chicken track.  With all  cars regrouped we set off again.  There were many short deep water crossings before we turned off the Balfour Track and headed for Mt Balfour.  We were hoping to get up the Mountain but were stopped short by a massive, wide bog hole…which looked bottomless.  The ever adventurous Mick attempted the impossible and unfortunately didn’t get very far before becoming hopelessly plugged in the mud.  Rescue time, one broken snatch and before I could fetch my car for the recovery…oh know…a Toyota pulling out a Nissan…doh.

Without being able to conquer Mt Balfour it was onto the main track again and a few more water holes including one last hurrah, which was a fairly lengthy deep water hole.  No casulaties here and the question of what to next?

We checked the maps and continued on up to Balfour for a bit of a fossick.  The ”locals” who still lived there had set up a communal lean to with a nice fire place (that was still burning, much to the delight of the females) at the site of the old Balfour pub.  You could stand under there and imagine the tales being told over the years by the many visitors who had visited the old and “new pub.”  It was a nice touch with some history captured on the back wall.  We all had a gossip and told some tales of our own before heading to the pub for a meal and well earned beer.

Luckily I can’t remember the pubs name, but unfortunately my memory won’t be the quality of the feed, nor Mick secretly sneaking in for an entree before continuing on home for his main meal feed of Oyster…but rather waiting what seemed an hour and a half to get our meals…the overiding thing though was the great company of a great club, a beer with mates and some friendly banter about the days events.

Great day out for all, and thanks once again for the generosity and friendship of the members of the Ulverstone 4WD Club.

Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia

With a short break in the weather and winter closing in; tommorrow is my chance to claim Tasmania’s highest peak Mt Ossa.  I am all packed and ready for a 5am start, sunrise at 7:15am so I should get a good start on a 36 klm return hike that I plan to do in one day.  This will be a tough challenge and I will be blogging all the way and bring you updates on “SPOT” for those who have subscribed.  My subscribers will know instantly the time I hit the summit and bag the Mt Ossa Peak.  I am excited, nervous and eager with anticipation.  Skies are clear, conditions mild not cold and I am as fit as what I have been in a while, so hear goes…

Bushman Bud…Enjoying Australia