Weipa - Mapoon Road Condition

Alan the roads / tracks are good the run to mapoon is good and the beach run to ............. is good and the fishing at .................... creek is great but watch for the crocs on the sth bank . Also check the tides before you go to .................. beach, or you can get caught .
All the best
Eric
www.capeyorkconnections.com.au
4wd Tag Along AdventuresCape York Connections

Hi Alan, who biuilt your trailer? I had an off road one built by Mackay trailers in Melb and towed it all over the country and back.It turned out to be bullet proof! Like always drive to the conditions.
I was talking to a boat/trailer repairer in Darwin and he said that he often got owners to sit in their boats and he would take them for a quick spin down a nearby dirt road - he said he could hear them scream over the stereo as soon as he got up to around 60kph. The moral is just because you feel comfy up front - remember that the boat a trailer are feeling every bump.

Have a fantastic trip, and I'll look forward to reading your report when you get back.
Cheers
Alex

The Trailer was made by Phil at Bartel Springs and Trailers in Townsville.

I am 95% happy with it. I let him have his way on a couple of items I am not overly happy about, but, I will wait and see how it goes on the trip. I wanted a full centre keel support and he believes keel rollers work better. I wanted the same wheels as my hilux, he said they were too high and would raise the boat to high making launching difficult and increasing the chance of rollover. I have a spare for the trailer and 2 spares for the hilux.

It is reasonably solid but still flexible enough not to fatigue whilst keeping the weight down. It has a treg hitch and a second extended draw bar for launching the boat. The boat is a 455 Hornet with a 70HP Johno. It will travel with no fuel and no gear stored in boat.

Towing vehicle is my every reliable 92 hilux dual cab 2.8l diesel. I replaced all the hoses, belts and had a service. The diff was a little noisy and lucky for me they pulled her down. One collapsing bearing a little bit of iron in the oil. They replaced all the bearing. She is so quiet now I can here the diesel clacking away.

I have been trying to fish Mapoon for four years but work commitments have popped up on every trip.

This year work can wait.

I must fish.

Alan

We were up at Mapoon a month or so ago. As Eric said the drive out there is easy with the roads in good nick. We went out to Janie (I think that spelling's correct) and the camping area was magic - plenty of shade and no-one else there at the time. The run along the sand was quite easy even for the one guy in our group that was towing. Fishing wasn't too good, even with a tinnie. Best results were from those on the beach (but we're not dedicated fishermen). The Ranger told us that those who get there early in the season tend to do best. Apparently some group makes an annual pilgrimage and spends a couple of weks there. Hard core fishermen as he told it (and hard core drinkers too). Good luck with the fishing. Plenty of bities so take plenty of aerogard or similar.