Blog Review: Cape York – August 2018

My Blog Rating: My Rating 4/5

Hi Stephen,
Thanks for your blog
It has been a long time since going to the Cape ourselves. Bramwell station was terrific & we managed to get shade but that was in a very dry year in September and on an unusually quiet night apparently.
The cafe & the people running it were great. They had a pet teenage
Sulfur crested Cockatoo which they were raring ."Fluffy" . He helped every body eat a great meal. The place had just emptied out from being full for a show they have each year.
The Bramwell Junction stop was different than it looks in your photos It only had Microwave meals if
you wanted a break from camp cooking. At dusk when we arrived there we made the decision to go into the Station which was a fair drive but we were glad we did. We wanted the break & clean up & a good day off to get re organised for the trip up the telegraph track. I see that nothing has changed as far as the speed on the roads go. There had been 2 or 3 deaths on the PDR in the week before we arrived.
As we approached a corner the remains of a fatal crash were still in situ. I made a remark to people about the roads & speed on that road & you wouldn't believe some of the replies I got. I'm glad you saw it for how it is !
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Jan 05, 2019 at 20:14

Saturday, Jan 05, 2019 at 20:14
Hi Ma & Pa & Gus

We are glad we went there and I know that we will return, as there is just so much to see and experience.

It looks like nothing has changed regarding on how crazy some people drive up that way and at the end of the day, they do not achieve anything.

For us it was such a long drive, so we wanted to enjoy the experience, rather than just rush it.

At the end of the day, we would meet the same people when you pull up to camp and it was great to all relate to our days travel and where we were going to the next day.

Even on our return drive back down the PDR, there was a new section of bitumen that was being prepared on our drive up, and the road crews were working all the time.


All the best and thanks for taking the time to reply and look at the Blog.



Cheers



Stephen



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Follow Up By: Members Pa & Ma. - Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 17:44

Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 17:44
Hi again Stephen,
It sure is a long drive and we wanted to make it to the tip that trip so that if we didn't get it all done we wouldn't have to go all of the way to The Tip again.
Things didn't go to plan though, we only did the Southern part of the OTT because we left the little van at a roadside stop .

I've seen too many people wait until retirement to do their trips & one of them dies or they just can't do it for some reason.
Do it while you can, the chance may never come again.
You must have good talent as a photographer & a really good camera. Your photos are great.
We particularly picked a dry year so the creek crossings would be easier & clearer.
No need to wreck your vehicle as so many do.
Take care, safe travels. Ma
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Reply By: Member - McLaren3030 - Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 12:30

Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 12:30
Just finished reading your Cape York Blog Stephen, great blog & photos. We were there in September/October last year (2018) and I am in the middle of writing a blog of our trip. We left Melbourne on Sept. 16th, and arrived back home on Oct. 26th. We stayed at Punsand Bay at the Tip, but after doing a little more research & visiting Loyalty Beach when we were up there, I would definitely stay at Loyalty Beach next time, for all the reasons you mentioned. Once again, great blog.

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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 13:33

Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 13:33
.
Agreed, Loyalty Beach CP is the place to stay.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 14:07

Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 14:07
Hi Macca and Allan

Looking forward to reading your great blog, and will keep an eye out for it.

It will not be our last visit to the Cape, and we really enjoyed our stay at Loyalty Beach.

We loved the way it was so layed back, no regimental camping and to stay where you like.

We could not believe how they were crammed in at Punsand Bay, and it is obviously to get as many in to cash in on the Tourist Dollar, plus I do not like the way they cash in on people travelling with pets, and charging your pet or in our case, 2 pets a daily fee for absolutely nothing.


Cheers


Stephen

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Reply By: Member - kimberleybloke - Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 18:50

Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 18:50
Great Blog Stephen, we did a similar trip as this three years ago now, reading your blog makes me want to go again !! One extra we did was to go to Thursday Island on an organised day trip. Well worth it but a bit rushed. Next time I would get accommodation and spend a couple of days looking around. Yes agree Loyalty Beach is the go.

Cheers, Mark.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 21:20

Sunday, Jan 06, 2019 at 21:20
Hi Mark

Thanks for that but we did have one major issue with going to TI, which I/wanted to do.......no one to look after our boys.

There are no Dog Kennels up in the cape which I find strange,. There are a enough people travelling up that way with dogs and I thought it would be a good business opportunity for someone up there.

To be honest it would have been good to travel without them, but they are fantastic travellers and you would never know they were in the car. Also it was going to;cost us shy on $2000 if with put them in kennels down here in South Sustralia, who was just far too much money and I was not prepared to outlay.



Cheers




Stephen
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Reply By: Members Pa & Ma. - Monday, Jan 07, 2019 at 16:01

Monday, Jan 07, 2019 at 16:01
Hi again Stephen.
Pitty we weren't there because we would've looked after your boys for you.
We love most dogs.
We were thinking of setting up there to do that but were very worried that we'd be left with some.
Also the Insurance would've been enormous given the ticks & nasties up there I'd say!
You remember Roothy used to take his dog with him up there every trip & he adored that dog. Roothy checked him for ticks all the time.
The last time, sadly he missed one, he rushed the dog to the vet but he was too late.
There are people in this world who would then try sueing us if their dog got a bite & died ( like the mongrels who we last worked for.) Still, it's in our thought for retirement if we ever get our money back. I'm allergic to midges or Sand flies
(some say they'e the same thing. I don't know? but they make a mess of me.
Take care, safe travels. Hoping 2019 will be kind too good people.
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Monday, Jan 07, 2019 at 16:20

Monday, Jan 07, 2019 at 16:20
Hi Ma

I am sure that it would be a good dollar earner, as from what we noticed, a lot of people travelled with dogs.

We carried our vaccination papers with us, just in case, but that never eventuated, and made sure that their tick treatment was up to date, starting their medication a month before the trip started and continuing for a month after we got home, plus we inspected the boys every day

In a case like that, most people would pay a bond, plus copies of drivers licences, and take car rego in the event that the unthinkable happened.

That was one thing that we can proudly say, but Loyalty beach was free of mossies and sand flies, thank goodness, as I am a mossie magnet......lol.

All the Best


Stephen
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Reply By: Life Member - Duncan W (WA) - Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 13:19

Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 13:19
Hi Stephen, a good read and good to see that there are still sensible people around. It must be an age thing?
The guy at Gunshot is a peanut!!!!!! Why would anybody in their right mind go out of their way to potentially trash a $60k + vehicle and ruin their holiday. It beggars belief.
Good photo montage as well.
The Tip is on my bucket list but have been time poor to date. Looks like it will have to be a retirement trip.
Safe travels

Dunc

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Follow Up By: Member - A J - Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 16:41

Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 16:41
Stephen another great blog.
When you mentioned a few weeks on the forum that you were writing this blog I have been looking for it since then.

We will return later this year to the Cape the first time since our 1989 trip.

You have noted some new places for us to see which is great.

The traffic going like bats out of hell was a problem back in 1989 especially the traffic heading south.

Keep up the great writing - your subjects are always interesting to me.

Thanks

A J
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 19:34

Thursday, Jan 10, 2019 at 19:34
Hi Dunc and AJ

Thanks for those kind words.

Dunc, when you get there, my only advise, is give yourself as much possible time as you can. It has been at the top of our “to do” list for year and we are glad that we took the LSL to head up there, as within 5 weeks of getting back, all the staff were put off.

We will be going back, but not for a few years and next time we will take even longer. As for Gunshot and Nolans, we were travelling solo and we could not take any chances what so ever, as we were a very long way from home and when we were up there , we missed by one day a guy that wrote off his brand new Hilux from Sydney, doing the drunken thing late the day before we were there, drowning his new Hilux, no one around to pull him out and he ended up sleeping on his roof, as there is a resident cros there.

AJ, you will not believe how the place has changed since your first visit back in 1989. I thought back then people might have been more respectful, so it might be the kids from the previous generation that are following in dad’s footsteps today.

Enjoy your trip and safe travels



Cheers



Stephen
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