Chris & Shirley's 2015 Cape York Trip: Chapter 6 - Cape York

Thursday 20 August

6-7-8 happened without fuss and we went for a walk along the road towards the Port Stewart settlement until Andrew caught up with us. Our first stop was the place when the Lama Lama people (traditional owners) were removed by police in June 1961 and taken to Barmega at the top of the Cape. In recent times these people have been moving back and trying to re-establish their culture and traditions. Click here to learn more.

Helicopter tree leaf/seed

Flower from the Bombax plant

Andrew pointed out the Bombax plant that has a lovely red flower and has bark that is very good for making canoes. He also pointed out the helicopter tree, so named because of flight patters of its leaves/seeds.

Next stop was the camp ground being developed by the Lama Lama people, where Andrew pointed out the mud that had therapeutic qualities, as well as the mistletoe on the native passionfruit plant.

A couple of the group were not happy with the tracks on the dirt road that were apparently either made by a python or a taipan. We kept moving.

Next stop was the (former) trading post of Port Stewart, although there is not much there anymore.

Smoko was held at a large lagoon that was nearly covered in water lillies.

The White Band across the middle of the photo is masses of water lillies

Mail Plane

It was here that Andrew pointed out the Jesus Bird (Jacana) that appears to walk on water.

We then crossed the lands of Lilyvale Station and watched the mail plane land, drop off mail, and take off again. Kristy had about 8 gates to open and close as we crossed the station. It was an excellent dirt road.

We stopped for lunch at Musgrave Station, the original repeater station for the OTL. A road sign soon after indicated that we were 570 km from the “Tip” and 450 km from Cairns.

Salt water creek was our next landmark as we headed further south and veered 3 km off the road into Low Lake – a very pretty spot.

Low Lake

Nifold Plain was next on the route – a rather flat and barren part of the world. This was a huge change from the many rainforests and treed plains that we had experienced. This soon changed as we entered the domain of many lagoons, virtually all of them covered with lillies. Andrew assured us that the numerous lagoons that we saw were a small percentage of those that exist in this area. Brolga and numerous water birds were ready for the photographers.

In turn we crossed over Hahn Crossing, bypassed Red Lagoon and visited White Lagoon, where a crocodile was basking in the sun. Now having our nightly supply of wood we camped for the night at Kalpower Crossing. Andrew pointed out a fossil in the rock and also a clumps of rocks that originated from a coral reef millions of years ago.

Fossil

Dinner was BBQ steak cooked as requested, either rare, medium or well done.

Dessert was creamed rice and fruit. 10pm bed time.

Friday 21 August

6-7-8 happened, although I had my breakfast sitting by the causeway just 200 metres away, waiting for a local sea eagle that never appeared. We had a good walk them jumped on the bus and headed south towards Old Laura Station – just 110 km north north west of Cooktown.

Old Laura Station

Kennedy Palm

We left the National Park and entered Battle Camp station, so named because of an indigenous/settler conflict that resulted in indigenous deaths. Normanby Station was next on our route. Andrew explained the story of Normanby woman so named because of the while girl that the police attempted to take from the traditional owners of the land. The action resulted in the death of the girl and an autopsy showed that she was actually an indigenous child. Sad. Smoko was held on the banks of Normanby river, where Andrew pointed out the Kennedy Palm, which lives for about 35 years, flowers, then dies.We crossed the Great Dividing Range and thin/bony cattle on arid land became fat cattle on lush green pastures. The transformation in such a short distance was amazing. Banana trees and cane fields started to appear.

We took photos at Isabella Falls then moved on.

Isabella Falls

Then we crossed over the Endeavour River, so named because of a famous ship that was moored in it some time ago.

Cooktown was our camp spot for the night, a town named after the guy who captained the Endeavour. After setting up camp Andrew gave us the “Cooks tour” (pardon the pun) of the town and set us free. Lunch was fresh barramundi & chips following (over time) by coffee, more walking and a cold beer.

Cooktown Hotel

Andrew picked us up and took us up Grassy Hill for a 360 degree view of Cooktown and surrounds. The Botanic Gardens were visited before we headed back to camp and happy hour.

View from top of Grassy Hill – Cooktown

My straw came out of the jar and I gave a thank you speech to Andrew & Kristy. My mere words were not enough for the wonderful job that they had done. Andrew, Kristy and OzTours all deserve the highest compliment for a job well done. Thank you guys.

Kirsty provided roast chicken and salad for dinner on our last night together.

Saturday 22 August

6-7-8 was modified to exclude the walk and get on the bus at 7:30. This was accomplished without fuss.

The first notable milestone was crossing the Annan river, which effectively denotes the southern line of Cape York. We had moved away from Lama Lama land onto land traditionally owned by the Kuku Yalanji people. Black Mountain soon appeared and we stopped for a photo opportunity. Black Mountain denotes the start of the wet tropics which extends for 890,000 hectares down the coast.

Black Mountain

We passed the historical (some say hysterical) Lions Den Hotel and moved south into Cedar Bay National Park. We ventured through the small township of Ayton which is probably the nearest town to Endeavour Reef, where Lieutenant James Cook reshaped his ship a little. Soon after a crocodile was sighted on the bank of Bloomfield river enjoying the sun. We followed the Bloomfield river for a while.

Soon after we entered Wugal Wugal community which has been alcohol free since the Tony Fitzgerald inquiry initiated some changes – encouraged by the female elders of the local people. We were allowed to carry alcohol through the community as long as we stayed on a pre-designated road and did not open any alcohol.

Andrew then pointed out the stretch of road between Wugal Wugal and Cairns that caused so much angst in the mid 1980’s as the Queensland government of the day decided to put a road through virgin Daintree rainforest. We had traversed some hills so steep and rugged that Andrew locked the hubs into 4WD.

The group was amused to see the bridge (and hear the story) over Woobadda Creek that has a 70 degree turn in its middle, thanks to some redesign during construction when the path through some rainforest was banned.

Bridge over Woobadda Creek

Emmagen Creek was next, then the northern side of Cape Tribulation. We stopped at Kulki and took a photo of the yellow footed scrub fowl and the eastern reef egret.

Yellow footed scrub fowl

The south side of Cape Tribulation beckoned where we strolled the extended board walk, while Andrew gave commentary.

Daintree Board walk

Chris, Shirley, Kay, Fay & Darryl at Cape Tribulation

Kristy provide a lovely salad for lunch prior to driving through the Daintree rainforest.

The ice-cream shop was an obligatory stop where everyone on the bus had some of the four flavours of ice cream, made from exotic tropical fruits.

We caught the Daintree ferry and drove through Mossman.

Ferry Over the Daintree River

An osprey in its nest posed for us as we got closer to home.

Osprey at Home

We arrived at our caravan park about 4pm. Eleven of us left the group after lots of goodbyes. Kristy got 11 hugs and Andrew got a mixture of hugs and handshakes.

We were home after a plane flight and 1677 km over eight days.

It was a wonderful trip thanks mainly to Andrew and Kristy.

The following map gives a good approximation of our route.