Cape york permits

for most places no permits are required. your $88 jardine ferry ticket allows camping north or the jardine.
fred

There are lots of maps, guides etc about the cape. It is getting tamer all the time.
Bitumen to Cooktown, bridge over the wenlock etc.

Basically the Cape consists of the telegraph track which is compass bearing from the Wenlock (Moreton) to the Cape. This track requires numerous creek crossings etc which are bypassed by the south and north bypass roads which have some of Australia's best corrugations. At the very top you have to cross the Jardine river (the ferry with the $88 ticket which is also a camping fee - this is the only permit etc required) then there is a short drive to Bamaga and the actual Cape. Plan for a few days at the cape for there are numerous items of interest. (The Cape, Air wrecks, Somerset, Jardine mouth, not to mention the fishing etc around Seisa (the port - Bamaga is actual slightly inland) etc

What can be done is to go directly to the cape using the bypass roads (two days from Cairns ) and then slowly work your way back down the telegraph track (serious 4WD) which is where some of the best waterfalls, campsites etc are located. After getting back down to Wenlock you can go west out to Weipa and then east out to Lockhart (both worth a look) before coming back down from the Cape.

Quarantine applies up there so anything fresh cannot be be brought back south of Coen. Beware of alcohol restrictions also.

It is a fantastic trip and I am sure you will enjoy it. Absolute minimum is two weeks and more definately better.

Buy Ron Moons Cape York book. All questions are answered in there & will be your best planning guide.
Usual route is straight up to Wiepa, Telegraph track to the Top leaving about 5 days to look around including a boat trip to Thursday & Horn Islands. Back down the Developmental road with side trips to Captain Billy's landing & Chilli Beach. At Musgrave you could cut accross through Lakefield to Cooktown.
Those with more time often include Vrilya Point, Bathurst Bay, Cape Flattery, The Creb track & Maytown.
Have fun.....Cheers Craig........

we went in 1998 and went up the west coast through the aboriginal lands fishing for barra at christmas creak etc
just contact the local aboriginal lands dept for r detailsor turn up at the settlement and gain access from the tribal leaders.. we also payed the ferry even though we crossed the jardine river coming back much to the delite of rent a crowd who just lopved watiching us from there deck chairs on the southern bank. i strogley recomend the old telegraph track, far more interesting than the development rd, which is just a race track off corrugations. visit wiepa and do the mine tour its fantastic. then go on to stones crossing and penny feather ( im not sure if you can still get through bertihaugh station and on to the main rd north???? im 1998 we got permission so didnt have to double back to cairns.
Just a note if you are planing trips and you are in a club(even if its a private trip) reguster the trip in the club calender so you are covered by third party insurance. this will help greatly with access to private propertys. One of the main concerns from property owners is insurance. so bye going as a club trip you have club 3rd party to back you up
cheers don