bathurst bay

IT SHOULD BE OPEN BUT TO MAKE SURE RING LAKEFIELD NP
ON 40603271 THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU.
BOSHIE

you will have no problem towing a boat there is a couple of sand stretches There were detours around them when we went a couple of years ago. But Bathurst Bay is a beautiful spot the fishing is great. Just do not go swimming there beware the tiger sharks & crocodiles. Just take the normal precautions & you'll be fine. There's plenty of fresh water in a creek away from the beach. Are you travelling with others! You will have a good time we did 3 years running.

Boshie

Hi Hopefull
I will be arriving at bathurst headland on 1st may depending on road conditions,camping at boat bay,just around the headland from the old resort,see you there.
Friar

hopefull,
Where are you actually going. Bathurst Head as in the thread or Bathurst Bay as in the heading. Two different places, same area, but a fair way apart.
Reputedly no water at Bathurst Head, but plenty at Bathurst Bay.
Lot of good camp sites at Bathurst Bay, either in the Cape Melville National Park or just out of it on Kalpowar land.
Fishing is done in creeks on the western end, on the beach in front of your camp or at Cape Melville itself. (Stay out of the green zone)
Oysters at the Cape.
I have been in parties that have towed boats in on off road boat trailers and normal boat trailers. Tipped the off road boat trailer on it's side, (driver error) and broken the tow bar on the normal boat trailer. Two years ago one of our party towed a 17 ft tinny in on a normal boat trailer, loaded up, with no problems. Last year i towed my semi (as described by the manufacturer) off road C/T in no problems.
As Boshie says there are a couple of sand patches that can get chopped up pretty bad but some times you can get around detours.
Phone numbers are the one Boshie quotes, or (07)4069 5777 = Cooktown Rangers.
(07) 4060 3319 = Kalpowar traditional owners. I have never had any luck with the last one.
Last year we camped about 300 metres west of where that croc attack took place. When we were there people were camping a lot closer to the water than the ones in the attack. Keep your eyes open at all times, let common sense prevail and hopefully you will have a safe and good time.
The sunsets are excellent looking across the bay toward the Flinders Group of islands. We are going back in early August, all things being equal.
Cheers,
Bros.

Austravel,
When you first arrive at the beach on the access road you have a choice which part of the Bay you want to camp at. Straight ahead across a little bit of mud flat or around the side of it takes you to the Kalpowar end or turn right and continue along behind the beach in the scrub for another 5/10 k's, across your fresh water stream and onto the beach on the National Park end.
On the Kalpowar end as you come off the small piece of mudflat there is a sign and everything to the right of the sign is National Park.
As far as i know the ownership of Kalpowar and who gets what in the carveup is yet to be decided by the Qld Government.
Definitely a beautiful place a place you never want to leave.
Cheers,
Bros.

Austravel,
The only problem staying up the western end is the occasional sandy or two, but they only seem to be there early morning or late afternoon. That is if the prevailing 20/60 knot wind isn't blowing.
Cheers,
Bros.

Hi Hopefull you may already know ,the ansering service at Lakefield said the road to bathurst headland is open with extreme caution,this was on friday, you probably wont have any problems by May as it dries out pretty quick, provided they get no more rain.
Friar