first time to the Cape

Submitted: Sunday, Feb 03, 2013 at 14:26

ThreadID: 100347 Views:2668 Replies:5 FollowUps:2

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Cape York

This is the true 4WD journey to the tip of Cape York following the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) and its many challenging river crossings.

Cape York

Section: Treks

This is the true 4WD journey to the tip of Cape York following the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) and its many challenging river crossings.

Cape York - Travel & Adventure Guide

Section: Shop

Item Temporarily Out of Stock - All Orders Due for Dispatch 11/2/16.New 13th Edition - Previously titled Cape York - An Adventurers GuideRon and Viv Moon’s definitive guide to Cape York,

Cape York

Section: Places

A lovely 2 km return walk to the very top of mainland Australia. The track climbs onto a ridge which gives views in all directions before the descent to the sign at the Tip.

Member - David T5

Hi all
I am considering taking the family to the cape, we have done a fair bit of central Aus including the Plenty Hwy, Mereenie loop, track to Palm Valley, and Oodnadatta track to name a few, and we did them without too much problem so I think we are set up ok.
My main question is, can you take the Peninsula development Rd all the way to the tip, or do you have to get onto the OTT which may be a bit too much of a challenge for us, not keen on deep difficult creek crossings. Ruts, potholes, dust corrugations etc. don't worry me.
We are travelling solo, in June and have 4 weeks, in a Hyundai Terracan (suspension upgrade, snorkel, Dual batteries, bull bar, Ct wheels and car wheels match, 3 spares, and some recovery gear, no winch), towing a full off road CT
Any advise would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Dave T

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Reply By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Sunday, Feb 03, 2013 at 14:59

Sunday, Feb 03, 2013 at 14:59

Yes Dave, You can take the Development Road all the way. No need to go on the OTT at all. You will only need to cope with corrugations and dust or a bit of muddy surface if it rains.
Have a good trip.

Cheers
Allan

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AnswerID: 503972

Reply By: RobAck - Sunday, Feb 03, 2013 at 18:19

Sunday, Feb 03, 2013 at 18:19

There's plenty to see on the Cape aside from the OTT and without the associated driving challenges. You could spend a month doing the place and not see it all. Cooktown council has a very good website to help you plan along with other websites as well. I put two of my guides up there for six weeks last year planning a camper trailer tour and they bypassed the OTT and still had more then enough fun

Corrugations and speeding tourists will be your biggest challenges

Regards

Rob

AnswerID: 503995

Reply By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Monday, Feb 04, 2013 at 09:47

Monday, Feb 04, 2013 at 09:47

The OTL was so badly damaged last year by the idiot brigade, and so much rubbish and toilet paper and worse left behind, I'd encourage all to stay off the OTL. If the degree of damage continues, I see it being closed completely to non essential traffic before too long.

AnswerID: 504052

Reply By: Member - David T5 - Monday, Feb 04, 2013 at 14:11

Monday, Feb 04, 2013 at 14:11

Hey Guys
Thanks for the info, much appreciated, one question though how does the Peninsula Development Road compare to say the Plenty Hwy, Oodnadatta track or Birdsville track.
I guess I'm a bit of a nervous Nellie not knowing what to expect up there, but if its no worse than the ones I've mentioned above it will give me some peace of mind.

Cheers
Dave

AnswerID: 504063

Follow Up By: Mark T6 - Monday, Feb 04, 2013 at 14:48

Monday, Feb 04, 2013 at 14:48

David

I did the Oodnadatta and Birdsville in 2011 and the Cape (including the OTT bar Nolans Brook) in 2012 in my reasonably well set up 150 Prado.

The difference between the two is largely the corrugations...pretty easy on the Track up to Oodnadatta and certainly out of Birdsville back south....as compared to the Cape which was pretty bad.

BUT all depends on when you go....I was there late July-early August, loads of Corrugations, stacks of dust and a fair few vehicles....go during school holidays in June-July and the traffic (I would imagine) would quadruple.

Go earlier in the year , just after they grade the roads and you could probably almost take a stick standard Commodore up there.

The later you go the worse the ruts are....BUT..lower your tyre pressures to say 24-28.....stick on about 80-85KPH and I reckon you'll have no drama's, good luck!!

FollowupID: 780835

Reply By: jdpatrol - Sunday, Feb 10, 2013 at 21:07

Sunday, Feb 10, 2013 at 21:07

Hi all

Well i hear what some of you are saying re: OTL/OTT, but for for me it will be my first time up there this year and I always wanted to do the OTT. So just wondering, to experience a bit of this famous track I've been reading about for years etc, to get a sense of it, is there a section we could do, perhaps to see some nice bits of it, or perhaps where the track can take a bit more traffic?

I promise not to tell anyone else about any suggestions :-)).

Cheers

AnswerID: 504493

Follow Up By: CSeaJay - Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013 at 10:05

Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013 at 10:05

JD, simply go for it! there is nothing you have to do. If you come to a creek crossing, you feel not up to it or do not want to risk your gear, simply turn around and take a bypass road onto the PDR and then back onto the OTL.
Read Ron and Viv Moon;s book on Cape York, invaluable
Enjoy! Like you I reckon that a trip to the cape is not complete without doing the OTL. It is unfortunate that people leave rubbish, but luckily the big wet cleans things up there, there were probably metres of water over the campsites which are usually along the rivers and creeks
CJ

FollowupID: 781410