Cape York and Caravan ?

Hi Mate , the best bet is to leave the vans at Laura Pub camp grounds ,got power cheap and they will keep an eye on things, all you have to do is ask. Just ask for Stumpy(Kev). If you come through Kalpowar Crossing come in and check us out at the Veterans Camp , the rangers will show you the way (Visit Only) ,unless you or your mate is a Veteran.

Going off the current road closures plus a few trips in a semi up there last year, I would say leave it at Mt Carbine. That road was murder on the gear. At the moment it has a 5 tonne restriction between Lakeland and Wiepa. Which would suggest that the corrogations are as big as the Murray river.

Good luck....

We recently completed the Cape York trip right up to Bamaga with our Jeep Wrangler and 5.4metre Coromal Pioneer. It was a rough trip but both Jeep and caravan made it with no breakages and very little dust inside - we took it easy over the corrugations sometimes so slow we joked we could have walked faster. At Weipa caravan park there were quite a few non- Bushtracker/Kedron caravans but further up it was mostly the "true" off-roaders - having said that we met a B/T who had done a spring and was waiting for a repair so it goes to show anyone can be unlucky I guess.

We really enjoyed the journey and the comfort of the van when we travelled - getting weak I know. LOL.

G'day Scrubby

We left vans at Lakeland CP @ $6 / day in July/August 2010.

From general discussion and observation during a month on the peninsula from there on, there are many who take their vans (all sorts) all the way, but having done the trip, we wouldn't change what we did.

No van behind also means that you can do the Old Telegraph Track, and get out to Portland Roads/Chili Beach/ Lockhardt River.

Towing and recovery fees up that way are not cheap.

Cheers
John

Thanks Matt, Hollywood, Ian & Sue and John.
It`s very early planning at this stage, I have always dreamed of fishing near Cape Melville after reading an article many years ago. It is just one of the many off the track places that I would like to see, so I may have to "dump" the van at several places along the track to enable us to do some side excursions.

Coming from Vic and having limited funds but unlimited time I want to see as much of the other end of Oz while I can, I will probably only do this trip the once.
I have an Off-road C`van and also a good set up for camping independent of the van so some decisions about the type of abode can be made on the run.

Matt thanks for the invite, if and when this trip happens ............... you know ?

Regards

Scrubby.

It really depends on what condition the roads are in at the time you go. They can change drastically is a short time span. When we were in Punsand Bay (August) there were all manor of vehicle & trailers who had made the trip. There was an xtrail with an Avan using a WDH! One old guy on a 110 posty bike with panniers so large I thought he was smuggling Santa! There was this guy who had an old caravan who was sitting under his awning making pencils with a wood lathe that he had carried up there. So if you know what you are doing, anything is possible. However, we also seen quite a few trailers with broken A frames, cracked chassis and other failures and then it just becomes a PITA. For the record, we towed our KK, drove to the conditions, carried spares and had no real issues. The decision as well as the responsibility are all yours, that's the fun bit :-)