In September, I went on a 15-day trip from Cairns to Cape York, the northernmost tip of the Australian continent. I will introduce the state of the trip along with the details of the places visited. I hope to include a lot of useful information for everyone reading this article to plan their Cape York trip.
The article on “Part 3: Exploring the northernmost tip of Cape York” is
here
The article on “Part 2: Old Telegraph Track” is here.
The article on “Part 1: From Cairns to Chilli Beach” is here
3 nights 4 days plan from Punsand Bay to Cairns
On the 11th day of the trip, the day before the departure of Punsand Bay, we made plans from the 12th day. First of all, spread out the map and stare at it.
According to the schedule, I would like to arrive at my home in Cairns on the 15th day, so I will go from Punsand Bay for 3 nights and 4 days. And the distance to Cairns is about 1000km, so the daily travel will be about 250-300km.
Also, the road to Laura is unpaved, so it will take some time to get there, and I also wanted to stay at a different campsite than the one I stayed at, so I decided to stay for 3 nights. I decided on a candidate for a campsite.
Day 12, Punsand Bay to Moreton Telegraph Station
On the morning of the 12th day of the trip, we left Punsand Bay and started heading south.
We took a bypass route on Bamaga Road, took a lunch break on the way, and arrived at Moreton Telegraph Station at 3:00 pm.
Moreton Telegraph Station
On this day, we traveled about 290km to Moreton Telegraph Station.
I stopped here for a restroom break on my way there, and I thought it had a nice atmosphere. I went without a reservation, but I was able to stay without problems. If it is a campground, it seems that you can go without a reservation unless there is a serious problem.
There are powered sites and non-powered sites at the campground, and the non-powered sites were $10 for adults and $5 for children (4-14 years old), so we (2 adults and 2 children) were $30 per night.
There is also a cabin tent, and it seems that you will need a reservation here.
The campground is a free site, so you can set up a place freely. It wasn’t so crowded when we went, and it was quite spacious.
Mango trees were dotted around and cows roamed freely around the grounds. And the best thing about this place is that the grass was so green. Sprinklers were frequently placed in various places to sprinkle water, and the lawn spread beautifully even in September, the latter half of the dry season.
Perhaps because of that, it felt very cool here, and the very comfortable breeze blew, making it a very comfortable place to spend time.
Another point that I couldn’t miss was the staff who frequently patrols the campground in a 4WD buggy. Why are you running around like that? When I thought about it and looked closely, it was collecting cow poop. This is great service too.
After the trip, I talked with my family about which campsite was the best, and all of them chose this one.
There was a big mango tree and there was some shade, but the sky was wide open and I could see the stars in the sky at night. I think it was the best starry sky in this trip.
When I checked in, I was told that there is a 3km long walking track along the Wenlock River that runs alongside the property, and there is a good fishing spot called Barra Hole on the way.
So, first thing in the morning the next day, my son and I took a walk and went to the Barra Hole.
There was no sign of catching any fish, but I got up early and had a great time with my son.
After returning to the campsite, everyone woke up, had breakfast, then packed up and left at 9:00.
Day 13, Moreton Telegraph Station to Musgrave Roadhouse
On the 13th day of the trip, I will go south on the Peninsula Developmental Road.
Around noon after about 190km, I stopped by Coen’s free campground where I camped on the second day of the trip and took a lunch break. It is a riverside campsite where you can stay for free, and it has become everyone’s favorite with a really good atmosphere.
After a lunch break, we ran another 108km and arrived at Musgrave Roadhouse, which was our camp site for the day.
Musgrave Roadhouse
If you look at Musgrave Roadhouse on Google Maps, it will appear as a gas station, but it is not just a gas station. You can eat at the shops and cafes, and of course you can stay overnight at cabins and campgrounds.
Here is the fuel station. Many people stop by for refueling breaks.
Many cows were resting in the shade. There were also many wallabies on the property. One thing I noticed when I got here was that I didn’t see many wallabies/kangaroos north of here.
Well, there is no problem here without a reservation. Tell the roadhouse shop that you want to camp overnight, pay the fee, and after a brief explanation of the facilities on the premises, head to the campground.
Camping costs $12 per adult per night, children 15 and under are free. So our house was $24. There is also a cabin, so it seems better to make a reservation in advance. Here is the website.
The campground is a free site and you can choose anywhere. I set it up near the shade of a little back. There is a pond just behind it with wallabies running around.
DOD Sugoissu
This is the children’s chair. DOD is amazing. Since it was a long trip of 15 days, I prepared to make my luggage as compact as possible.
This is also handled by Drifta in Australia.
What is your child’s favorite chair? When you say, it’s usually a chair that adults are sitting on, isn’t it? I often sit down quickly when my father and mother are not sitting, but both of them seem to like this amazing thing, and they are sitting properly. We did the assembly and cleanup by ourselves, so it was easy and hassle free.
Crocodile feeding show
When I checked in, I was told that the crocodiles are fed every day from 5:00 pm in the pond on the premises.
After setting up and relaxing a little, I decided to go at 5 o’clock. I think most of the people who stayed at the camp came to see it.
Before I knew it, the feeding station was right behind where we set it up. There was a thin and unreliable fence, but I watched the feeding show for about 10-15 minutes through the fence.
After that, we relaxed, ate, played card games, and went to bed early.
Day 14, Musgrave Roadhouse to Lions Den Hotel
It’s the 14th day of the trip, 2 days left. On this day, we moved to the final campsite for this trip.
First, we left Musgrave Roadhouse and drove 138km to Laura. This is where Laura River where we camped on the first day of our trip.
We only took a restroom break here, and headed in a different direction from the one we came from Cairns.
If you look at the map, you will leave the Peninsula Developmental Road from Laura and head north once. Head towards Old Laura, then head east towards Cooktown.
The road was paved all the way from Cairns to Laura on the first day of the trip. We decided to take the Endeavor Battlecamp Road dirt road.
To Cooktown
The Endeavor Battle Camp Road from Laura was a dirt road, but it was well maintained and in good condition, and it was a much easier road to drive than the road to Cape York.
Then we arrived in Cooktown, 144km from Laura, in the early afternoon.
It’s been five years since last came to Cooktown. This time, I searched for a good lunch spot with a view because it was just a gas supply and a lunch break.
I was looking for a good place to park my car while running along the coastal esplanade in the center of Cooktown. We parked here, made a quick sandwich and ate lunch under the shade of the trees.
After lunch, we headed to Lions Den Hotel, our accommodation for the day, the campground for the 14th night of our trip to Cape York.
Lions Den Hotel
We hadn’t been to the Lion’s Den Hotel for lunch exactly five years ago during our 10th Family Camp trip to Cooktown for a week.
We arrived just before 3pm, only 20 minutes from Cooktown. This is a famous spot that will definitely be on your list of places to visit when planning your Cape York trip. Many people who are heading to Cape York and those who have returned from Cape York gather here.
If you look at the car, you can tell which is which.
The front entrance hasn’t changed. A lion awaits.
First, go to the bar counter, tell them you want to camp for one night, and pay the fee.
Then enter the campground through the gate on the right side of the hotel.
Here you can choose from a variety of lodging patterns, including a powered site and a non-powered site, a shady bush area and a riverside area, safari tents, and cabins.
We went to a shady bush site, as this is also an unpowered site of your choice.
There were already some people, but there was still enough space to choose a place, so I was able to secure a good place.
However, when we finished setting up, the campground was almost full at 5 o’clock. It was a Friday in the middle of school holidays, so it was quite crowded.
On the last night of our 15-day trip, we decided to have dinner at the Lion’s Den Hotel. Beer first, juice for the kids.
Then, I ordered steak sandwiches and wedges, and enjoyed a leisurely meal while listening to the live band on Friday night. This is a place you definitely want to visit. Be sure to include it in your itinerary when planning your trip.
After finishing the meal, we returned to the campground and took a rest early on this day as well.
Day 15, Lions Den Hotel to Home in Cairns
It’s finally the 15th day of the trip. It’s the day I go home to Cairns. But I still made many detours before returning home.
First, check out the Lion’s Den Hotel and drive south on Bloomfield Road.
And our first stop was Wujal Wujal Falls.
Wujal Wujal Falls
This is my second visit to Wujal Wujal Falls in the rural town of Wujal Wujal, a small Aboriginal community.
Park your car in the parking space and walk a few hundred meters along the riverside walking track for about 10 minutes to reach the waterfall.
It’s a short and easy course, so you can go with small children.
From the middle of the road, it becomes a rocky place rather than a road, but you can go further and go close to the waterfall while being careful. The river is so clean that you may want to swim, but please refrain from entering the water as there may be crocodiles here.
If I remember correctly, there was a warning paper pasted at the beginning of the walking track. “There have been sightings of crocodiles recently, so please be careful.” So it seems better not to get too close to the waterside.
Bloomfield Track
After seeing the waterfalls in the small town of Wujal Wujal, continue to Cape Tribulation on the Cape Tribulation Bloomfield Road. This road is Bloomfield Track
At approximately 30km in length, this off-road track is one of Queensland’s most beautiful 4WD tracks, passing through rainforest from the town of Wujal Wujal to Cape Tribulation, with beautiful coastlines in places.
There are two fairly steep slopes and several small river crossings that require a 4×4.
Although it depends on the weather and road conditions at that time, I think that a standard 4WD vehicle can go without problems. The steep slopes are paved, and when we went (September), the river was no deeper than our knees. Some rivers were dry with no water.
Of course, the road may be closed during the rainy season or just after a heavy rainfall, so be sure to check if necessary before going. You can check road conditions here.
Leaving Wujal Wujal, it took us about an hour and a half to drive slowly along the Bloomfield Track to Cape Tribulation.
Cape Tribulation
I just arrived at noon, so I parked the car in the parking lot and it was lunch time. After that, I went for a short walk to the beach.
Cape Tribulation is said to be “Where Rainforest meets the Reef”, and it’s true. This is the view that emerges as you 4WD through the rainforest and walk the boardwalk from the parking lot to the beach. I’ve been here several times and have been impressed each time.
Cape Tribulation, which can be visited on a day trip from Cairns, is definitely one of the recommended sightseeing spots.
I think it will be one of the most popular routes that many people consider when planning a Cape York trip. Start in Cairns, head to Cape Tribulation, follow the Bloomfield Track, see Wujal Wujal Falls, and then Lions Den Hotel.
Great Barrier Reef Drive
Heading from Cape Tribulation to Cairns, this road is called the Great Barrier Reef Drive and is counted as one of the most beautiful driving routes in Australia.
Drive through the rainforests of Cape Tribulation and the Daintree before reaching Port Douglas and continuing along the coastline overlooking the ocean.
After admiring the superb view at the Rex Lookout along the way, we stopped just before Ellis Beach.
Once you see Double Island off the coast of Palm Cove, you’re almost there. 15 minutes from here to home.
When I returned to this scenic spot, where the green of the rainforest and the blue waters of the Great Barrier Reef spread out, a car covered in outback red dirt appeared strangely floating. Until a little while ago, everyone had the same kind of cars covered in red dirt. .
The 15th day of the trip, safely home at 3:30pm
I got home at 3:30pm and successfully completed my 15 days trip to Cape York. As expected, everyone couldn’t hide the color of tiredness.
However, when I purchased this car 5 years ago, my goal was to travel to Cape York. I started planning more than half a year in advance, and even though my schedule changed along the way, I came back from the trip safely and was filled with a sense of accomplishment. Definitely the best trip I’ve ever had.
Summary
We introduced the 15-day trip to Cape York in four installments, along with the details of the places we visited. There is very little information in Japanese about Cape York, the northernmost tip of the Australian continent, so I would appreciate it if you could leave as much detailed information as possible and use this article when planning your Cape York trip someday.
Starting from Cairns on the first day of the trip, I introduced the places I visited one by one like a diary. I think it’s good to choose a place that looks good while thinking about it.
A trip to Cape York, the northernmost tip of the Australian continent, is a special place that few people visit even if you live in Australia.
