Cape York Trip, how long is needed?

Gerday Greg.

The last time we went to Cape York we spent two weeks on the peninsula, nowhere near enough time to see & do everything.

We're heading back up there as part of our around Oz trip soon & intend to spend around four to five weeks looking around this time.

It all depends on what you want to see & do!!

Have fun, it's all good!

Not an experenced Cape traveller but I did Bris - The Cape - Bris in 30 days and felt i needed two more weeks and thats just in The Cape area making it about a month.

Next time I go I hope to do a month in The Cape area.

What time do you have?

Brian

Greg T
A magazine crew did a DASH up there in 10days, I am allowing 21 days from Cairns to Cairns in May and feel thats the minimum time to see anything, that like you, is due to work commitments.
Colin

4 weeks Cairns to Cairns, thats up via Cooktown and down via the Palmer/Maytown. Side boat trip to TI.

Have done a few "dashes" up there from Bris, total time 3 weeks . Far too quick, no time to see much, sample the fishing, walk the walk.
Have also taken a few longer trips and had a much more enjoyable time. It's that sort of place. If you're going to rush it, you might as well stay on the freeway :)))

Gday Greg, we've done a few trips spending 3wks cairns to cairns each time, while you can see a fair bit in that time you could easily spend 5wks and still not see it all.

If all works out me and the family will be up that way in Sept, 5wks Bris to Bris so might see you on the track.

Cheers

Al

Perfect timing for this quetion. Thanks Greg.

We are working our way up the east coast at the moment (still in NSW) - and are considering how far up we go. We have very limited time - but the trip is more spending time with our kids, time away from the usual routine, having a bit of a look around, and getting little snapshots of key places. So Cape York is one of spots we would like to consider.

Time is very limited - and we would love to spend a month or 2 in this area - but we cannot. It is not negotiable.

Questions:

1) If you just wanted to drive to the tip of Cape York to show the kids (8 and 10), how long would it take?
2) Are there options as far as routes to the top - ie less aggressive routes?
3) What is the best reference book etc to look at this in more detail?
4) Is Weipa worth a visit?

I appreciate that our plan may not be ideal - but it would be great to show the kids....even if only briefly.

Our car is well set up to tackle the trip. We would need to tow an off-road camper trailer with dinghy on top....Not interested in leaving it behind and tenting it if at all possible. May mean the difference between doing it and not doing it if this became an issue.

Any thoughts or comments appreciated.

Thanks

Alan

Hi Greg

We seemed to take less time than most replies spending 7 days Cairns to Cairns from our 21 day return trip to Melb. Its only about 1100-1200kms.

I think it depends on your interests , we drove out most of the regular tracks in our 7 days and as we were more interested in the 4wd driving side we have had no over riding motivation to go back.

There seems to be more swimable beaches in Melbourne but if you interest is fishing then you could probably go there and never return.

Robin Miller

Greg, I have been to the Cape six times over a 16 year period and am planning another run next year as I still have not seen it properly. Our first trip was for four weeks and thought that it was pretty comprehensive prior to going but but not really so. The longest was back in 2003 and was for three months. It truly depends(IMOP)on whether you like tp fish and explore a bit more than the basic up/down run. Vyrlia point area alone will take more than a week as will the area around Bamaga/Seisia/ the TIP. Have a look at Chilli beach and spend a couple of days getting there via High range and also a couple more getting out. let alone a couple more there. The list goes on. Quinkan galleries outside Laura or visiting Lakefield Nat park? What about time spent at Weipa and the areas around there. Guess it is up to you but it is a wonderful place. Travel safely

4 weeks ..... minimum