Cape York
Submitted: Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 19:24
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Ian & Sue
Hi
My husband & I will be in Queensland from June 2010 on our big trip. He suggested that we should probably think about a trip up
Cape York while we are over there (from WA). We have a vehicle that is fully equiped to make the journey and have completed many remote trips through the
Pilbara and
Kimberley regions of WA as that has been our home.
My question is this - when you are going to
Cape York where do you leave your caravan? I am assuming it isnt the sort of trip you take a van unless perhaps its a Kedron or the like. We dont intend to do a lot of side trips just straight up Telegraph track. I believe there could be a cost to cross the
Jardine River by ferry is this correct?
Any info would be greatly appreciated - I have been Googling but havent come across much and do value your experiences.
thanks
Sue
Reply By: Fatso - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:09
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:09
Hello Sue
You will have no trouble storing your van if you are willing to pay a fee. It is very common for people to leave the van in
Cairns for trips in all directions.
In
Cairns several of the van parks will store it for you. I assume most of the parks would offer this service. You often see vans stored at Coconut & First City van parks. They seem to have reasonable security.
Cooktown has a couple of van parks & is now on the bitumen. I would imagine there would be at least one of them offering the service.
Pinnacle Village CP at
Wonga beach used to do it as
well. That is North of
Mossman & is in an area you will no doubt visit.
If you want undercover storage there are a few providers of that in
Cairns as
well.
One that comes to mind is Joes Car Lock-up in McCormack St
Cairns.
I think Handy Tow does storage as indoor storage as
well.
AnswerID:
397342
Reply By: Member - Peter D M - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:14
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:14
Sue,
There is a mountaine of info on this site in "trips" that will help you.
Being a visitor may restrict your access.
Google "
Jardine river Ferry" and there is a mountaine of info. There is a charge and 3 years ago it cost me $88?
People leave their vans at caravan parks in
Cairns, Pt Douglas or further North.
If you have existing experience you will not have difficulties. Depending on the end of the wet dictates access as you would know.
regards peter
AnswerID:
397343
Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:15
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:15
Hi Sue
The CP at
Lakeland will store your van. The CP should have had a stick of jelly put under the amenities block years ago but the sites are ok. Road to
Weipa is good & the CP there may allow you to leave your van there, give them a ring.
KK
AnswerID:
397344
Reply By: Member - Ivan (ACT) - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:22
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 20:22
G'day Sue,
I think you'll find this trip worthwhile - it's our trip report from 2006.
Contains fuel usage, do's and don'ts (what we would and wouldn't do again), a slideshow to music which will really set the scene (linked from the first page), track files and a fair bit more..
Hope it helps
http://www.ivanlea.net/photos/CapeYork/default.htm
AnswerID:
397347
Reply By: Member - OzGazza (VIC) - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 21:05
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 21:05
We went to Capeyork this year. Click through my profile to my blog for trip details.
We saw vans stored at Moreton TS by those taking the OTT. The main road was in very good condition and
well capable of taking a van at least that far.
AnswerID:
397356
Reply By: Member - Kevin B1 (WA) - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 21:10
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 21:10
We will be doing the trip up there in June this year also and leaving our van in storage, not sure where yet. Am in the process of doing my research at present and as stated there is plenty of info on this site. We will be spending a few weeks travelling over through
Alice Springs then up to
Cairns so won't know our start date until last minute but it will be late May early June I would think. May see you on the track up there, look for the Exploroz sand flag.
AnswerID:
397358
Reply By: GerryP - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 22:33
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 22:33
Hi Sue,
Did the trip last July/August - a fantastic part of the country! The group we traveled with left their vans at Mt Carbine. It's a great little
park with a beaut little pub just down the highway that does fantastic meals - their $6 hamburgers are HUGE! Anyway, the chap at Mt Carbine will store you van for free while you do
the Tip. The only thing he asks is that you stay one night on the way up and one night on the way back, which I reckon is fair enough. And if your interested, he does a talk about the old mines in the area and takes you for a walk up to the
lookout on top of the
hill in his back yard He does this every evening and all for free. I'd certainly stay there again.
Cheers
Gerry
AnswerID:
397371
Follow Up By: Fatso - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 23:00
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 23:00
If you are leaving a van at Mt Carbine it does not hinder you from doing the Peninsular Developmental route one way & the Coast Road, via
Cape Tribulation, the other. Mt Carbine is on the Peninsular Developmental Rd & only about 1 hour from Mosman on the coast.
FollowupID:
666215
Reply By: Member - Scrubby (VIC) - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 22:54
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 22:54
G`day Sue,
The caravan
park at Mt Carbine will store your van for free for as long as you take providing you stay there for at least one night before you go and again on your return trip.
I reckon there would have been at least 30 vans there waiting for their owners to return when we were there last August.
The
park area was suffering from the lack of
water when we were there but the ablutions were as good as any we found during the 20 week trip.
We didn`t do the cape trip so I can`t help re. ferry cost.
Enjoy,
Scrubby.
AnswerID:
397375
Follow Up By: Member - Scrubby (VIC) - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 22:58
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 22:58
OOPS,
Looks like Gerry and I were typing the same info and have clashed..... LOL.....
Scrubby
FollowupID:
666213
Reply By: GerryP - Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 23:18
Saturday, Jan 02, 2010 at 23:18
Hi again Sue,
Forgot to add in my previous reply that from memory, the
Jardine ferry will cost you $88 return, or $99 if you are towing.
Hope you have a great trip.
Cheers
Gerry
AnswerID:
397377
Reply By: Member - Don M (NSW) - Sunday, Jan 03, 2010 at 06:58
Sunday, Jan 03, 2010 at 06:58
Hi Sue,
We are doing the trip this June/July also and are leaving the van at
Wonga Beach. Cost is $3/night. You need to book soon, in fact it may already be too late.
The beauty of leaving it there is that you can get to
Cooktown via
Cape Tribulation and the
Bloomfield track, which is not practical from Mt Carbine, unless you backtrack quite a bit and Lakelands is more or less level with
Cooktown so same story.
AnswerID:
397391