road to Cooktown

George,
I've been to the Cape twice. Both times I've done the bit from pt Douglas to Cooktown via the Bloomfield track and you wouldn't take your m/home there. However, there is an inland road from Mareeba and I think you'd get thru that way....others will know better.

George the inland route is no problem at all for a motor home but I wouldnt advise the coastal road for a motor home. Is your Srinter a 4wd if not no way on the coastal road. In good dry weather you could drive to Weipa or Bamaga if you stay on the Development roads. You would not fit up the Telegraph Track. Cheers Rob

Hi George

Ditto on what Rob said.
The other way is to head to Mereeba, go through Lakelands (a nice place to stop for a home grown/brewed coffee) and onto Cooktown. Cooktown is a nice quiet place to veg out in, but can get quite blowy at times with plenty to see and do as well. Archer 's Point which can also can be very blowy is something to be seen. You would also get all the way to Weipa (even in a normal car) but take your time. Also watch the water level of the Archer River. I would see this being your only set back, if they get too much rain before you leave.
Weipa is a wonderful place to visit and up until June/July 2004 they still didn't take pre-bookings. It is a book as you arrive setup. The campsites are very shady in places with lots of green grass, it was for us.
You can also get a charted flight at Weipa which will take you to the Cape for the day if you want to go there but don't have the time or 4WD to do it in.
Another place you might like to ask about is Lafield N.P. with the Parks people in Cairns or direct contact with the Ranger at Lakefield. IF the road in has been graded b4 you get there (just north of Laura) then you can make it to Kalpower Crossing with little very trouble, but you must book here about 6 weeks in advance if going in peak periods to avoid dissapointment.

Have fun and enjoy our lovely Cape area.

Cya
Tripp'n
:)

As said above you can go the inland way to cook town.
When you get to lakland downs you ver right to cooktown and left to Wepia.
When at cook town you could stay at Cooktown caravan park you will have to book
Phone John and mary on 07 4069 5536. Its a nice small park very clean and Johno can give you a few tips on day trips from there.

All the best
Eric

Agree with most of the comments so far.

Have a look at Endeavour Falls Cravan Park about 30 Kms north of Cooktown - beautiful spot accessible by dirt road. Stop and look at the water lilly ponds on the way.

Don't know if it's possible to put the Sprinter on Seaswift's Trinity Bay cargo boat but if you can, it's possible to go up to Bamaga via Thursday Island from Cairns and/or back again.

We went up the Old Telegraph Track in the Pajero and came back on the Trinity Bay. Just be prepoared to blow your diet if this is possible for you . A great trip.

We avoided a doulble dose of corrugations, didn't miss a spot, and came back in 3 days two nights of luxury. Plus you can have the Sprinter to do sight seeing at the tip without having to suffer the corrugations on the Peninsular Developmen t Road.

George.
Whether the gravel from Lakeland to Black Mountain is suitable for a motorhome is open to discussion. We received conflicting opinions in November whether we should take our 24' van and decided not to, leaving the van at Atherton and taking just the 'Cruiser. Could we have got through with the van ? Yes. Would I want to subject my gear to the rigours of this road? No. I felt more at risk of tyre damage etc on this stretch than on the Bloomfield track on the return leg. Cooktown remains as unspoilt & beautiful as it is because of it's relative isolation and indifferent access roads. My fear is that when the bitumen goes through (1 to 2 years depending on who you talk to) it'll become another Port Douglas. I know it's hypocritical for a tourist to blame tourism for spoiling the good tourist spots, but it's a strange world, isn't it?
Mick

George,

You will destroy your motorhome if you travel the corrugations to the tip or only to Weipa. In the dry the developmental road is able to take two wheel drive traffic all the way to Weipa, and with good ground clearance you can make it all the way to the tip.

The corrugations are the issue. When i say destroy, i mean you will have so many rattles bangs clunks after doing the trip you will want to sell it.

I got rid of my new 100 series after 22,000 kms of Cape, territory and central desert for this very reason.

Cheers Pete.

hey george
we were in cooktown in august nissan patrol and kimberley kamper

road from mareeba thru lakefield to cooktown is fine about 50 kms of dirt road
in the stretch lakefield to black mountain and then on to cooktown is bitumen

you will do it fine as a number of caravans and 2 wheel drives do it every week during winter and dirt section is reasonably well maintained

forget the bloomfield / cape trib road as when the bitumen ends the road is dirt rough and dusty and a couple of real steep hills - low range for me in a 4wd to get up one on them

forget the battlecamp rd to lakefield its got to be the worst bl**dy corrugated road ever i average 15 kms an hour on it

you can get to weipa in a 2wd ok but a some significant risk as a very stoney and corrugated road is the development road in places - we blew two bfg all terrains on that bl**dy road and eventually gave it a miss about a 100kms short of weipa

forget about taking the motor home to the tip of cape york - again you can get there on the development road in a 2 wd but at a real cost in wear and tear and blown tyres etc

in cooktown the 2nd caravan park on the right is the one we thought was the quitest and best - dont go to the first as its sites are dusty and too close together - have a look at all three before you decide

wish you an great trip - is you have a small tinney and a trailer take that with you as it gives you some good fishing options

forget archer point its a really nice spot but people get there set up and stay for ever so no place to camp much unless your very lucky as the few spots usually taken

see you regrads greg