Do I need a Permit for Cape Flattery and Bathurst Head?

The National Park and Wildlife Service (NPWS) now comes under the Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) and yes, you will need permits for the Cape Melville National Park.
... follow the link to
Cape Melville NP.

Great place to visit - we have been to Bathurst Bay, Cape Melville and Ninian Bay.
We did the loop in from Cooktown via Starcke, and out via Kalpowar.

Tuco in Cairns

Tony - You can still camp on the Cape Flattery Beach without a permit, it can be very windy and you most likely have to get in behind the dunes. The beach is quite e few kms long so easy to find a spot. There is a fresh water spring that flows up near the high tide line 3/4 the way up the beach that will give you ample water - There is no access to the mine or the Jetty. You can drive under the conveyor belt through a culvert to access a beach on the other side out of the wind. The mouth of the Mcivor is hard to get too and only done at low tide, also very windy and too many sand flies for me. It does not really fish good so you will do better on the beach.

High tide comes right up to the dunes so you have to travel at least an hr each side of the high. Be aware that it is some sandhill climb off the beach, especially the beach the other side of Flattery. Best done in the cool of the day and tyres down to a max of 18psi.

The beach the other side of the conveyor fishes great from the rocks South of where you get on to the beach, also a great spot to camp. Lots of live bait can be caught to go after the big ones.

There is a couple of creek crossings on the road into Flattery, keep left on the second one, it can be deep on the right (Fresh water)

The Mt Webb Wakooka Road that takes you to Cape Melville this way is Now open - see link below for warnings

Road Condition

It is a slow rugged track and I would say with the amount of people that used it when it was wet and closed, probably dug up as well. You will need a permit for Cape Melville.

Cheers Tony

Hi Tony,

If you time, be sure to check out Elim Beach too ...

http://ozmatrix.com/?p=97

Regards,

Scott

Lets try it this way.

Every link I have tried for camping at Cape Melville registration keeps coming up with self registration at Lakefield Ranger Station.

If you go up the Starkie Track, from Cooktown as we will be, its a hell of a detour over to Lakefield to register.

Where other than the ranger station at Lakefield can you register? Anyone!!!!!!

Phil