Cape York Capers II

Cape York Peninsula

and Cooktown

Queensland

July 24 to August 4, 2016

Cape York: The Tip

We made it to the northern most point of continental Australia. There are many islands beyond but this is The Tip. Garry expected a band to greet us; I just looked longingly at the beautiful blue sea. Oh, for a swim - my constant lament in northern Australia. 

Looking west from The Tip

It was a beautiful trip to the Cape, passing through luxuriant rain, tall stringybark and sparse sclerophyll forests.

Somerset Beach, the site of the original administrative centre of Cape York and the Torres Strait

Sadly (or perhaps fortunately) we didn't see a saltwater crocodile during our time in Cape York. No doubt they were there, but they were being elusive whenever the Bangers were out and about. We did, however, espy this very handsome goanna, beautiful ridge-tail monitor and proud wedge-tailed eagle.

Pedro developed an computer sensor fault while at the Cape and despite the best efforts of Garry and his (phone) support crew it couldn't be solved. We decided to head to Weipa to have it investigated.

 We psyched ourselves up to tackle the road again but lo and behold the graders were working the gravel and half way along the bypass track the road smoothed and it was plain sailing. 

We stopped overnight at Moreton Telegraph Station on the Wenlock River ... 

... then pushed on to the Rio Tinto mining town of Weipa on the Gulf of Carpentaria. 

A load of bauxite ore heads for the port...

... stockpiled 

... and then loaded onto ships bound for Gladstone and the refinery.

Just north of Weipa is the Aboriginal settlement of Mapoon, the site of first contact with Australia when Dutch explorers arrived in the 1600s. It wasn't until the English arrived two centuries later that things began to unravel for the Indigenous people of Mapoon. Their story is a microcosm of what happened in many communities around Australia - massacres, missions, stolen children, abuse - but deteriorates further in the late 1950s when Comalco (now Rio Tinto) was granted a mining lease over their land. Despite strong objections, almost 100 people were relocated to New Mapoon near Bamaga, 200km to the north, their homes were burnt and buildings destroyed. In 1974 a handful of the original inhabitants returned to reclaim their land.  This an abridged version of events.

A memorial at the site of the former Mapoon mission acknowledging the first contact and relating the sad history of this community.

Back to the road. Pedro was repaired and we still had about 500km of dirt to traverse.
Myrtle looked a bit worse for wear by the time we arrived at Lakeland. Miraculously, there was no damage to either vehicle.

We stopped in Cooktown to catch our breath and take stock. It didn't take Garry long to settle in and challenge the locals to a game of pool ... which he continued to do every night. 

He lost by a whisker but lots of fun all round.

Of course, in Cooktown, it's all about Captain James Cook who pulled in here on June 17, 1770 to repair his ship the Endeavour after running aground on the Great Barrier Reef. He remained for 48 days before finding a safe passage north through the reef.

The James Cook Museum is fantastic. It's housed in the former St Mary's Convent built in the 1880s which has been lovingly restored by the National Trust and the people of North Queensland. The Endeavour's main anchor and one of its cannons are on display in the museum. These were jettisoned when Captain Cook was attempting to extricate the ship from the reef and were only recovered in the the early 1970s. Also lots of information about the gold rush which saw Cooktown prosper in the 1880s  and a wonderful section on the Aboriginal people of Cape York.

Another beautiful building, the former Cooktown Hospital, which is now the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall. A curious resident but they are caring for it very well.

A view of Cooktown and surrounds from Grassy Hill.

Cooktown and the Endeavour River where Captain Cook repaired his barque. 

The lighthouse now longer functions but stands sentinel.

Garry being a good sport on top of a rock at Finch Bay.

Cooktown Botanic Gardens were proclaimed in 1878 - less than five years after the town was established, some say to stop the spread of Chinese market gardens - and are now heritage listed.  A beautiful, tranquil place.

Some fellow travellers told us about Trevethan Falls, south of Cooktown. A pretty wild track to get there but worth the jarring ride. 

There was no one else swimming but we took the plunge, fairly confident there were no "clockadiles" in residence! 

Garry couldn't help himself. He had to give Pedro and Myrtle a scrub. 

We're moving south through the Daintree via Bloomfield Track this weekend. Garry is confident we can do it; the team is ready and willing. I'll keep you posted!