Travel to Cape York

Submitted: Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 08:05

ThreadID: 97955 Views:2679 Replies:3 FollowUps:8

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Cape York

This is the true 4WD journey to the tip of Cape York following the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) and its many challenging river crossings.

Cape York

Section: Treks

This is the true 4WD journey to the tip of Cape York following the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) and its many challenging river crossings.

Cape York - Travel & Adventure Guide

Section: Shop

Item Temporarily Out of Stock - All Orders Due for Dispatch 11/2/16.New 13th Edition - Previously titled Cape York - An Adventurers GuideRon and Viv Moon’s definitive guide to Cape York,

The Martins Place

G'day,

I am starting to plan a trip up to Cape York, this will be my first trip up their.

I am reading a lot about it atm, & one comment stated that "it is not recommended that caravans be taken north of Lakeland", yet the mapping shows caravan symbols at camping grounds all the way up to Seisia?

Can anyone give me some advice? I plan on taking a "Jayco Outback Expanda" van & a Triton 4x4, for the trip (yet to be purchased)?

Many thanks
Tony

Tony
"For the Rover's life has pleasures, that the townsfolk will never know" - sort of from Banjo Paterson

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Reply By: Rangiephil - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 08:31

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 08:31

If you are confident that your van is durable and can handle extreme corrugations , then there are always plenty of vans on the cape. You could even get to Punsand Bay with care. You need a good departure angle for some of the many creek dips . The "short cut" back to the main road from Weipa might be a bit of a problem at a couple of creek crossings.

The RACQ bloke in Coen makes a good living rebuilding suspensions of poorly made vans and camper trailers , towed by drivers with no mechanical sympathy. The road up to the Weipa turnoff can be very corrugated from the weekly Woolies semi and mining supply trucks.

The main road can vary from smooth as silk to rattle the teeth, but lowered tyre pressures and taking it slow gets most people there. Just don't try the OTL unless you are the Gall boys with a backup crew .

I once saw an old 80s on road van coming back from Kulumburu behind a Disco, and that road/track is far worse than the Cape, so anything is possible.
Regards Philip A

AnswerID: 494674

Follow Up By: The Martins Place - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 09:19

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 09:19

Thanks Philip,

Still worth investigating then.

What is the OTL?

Tony

Tony
"For the Rover's life has pleasures, that the townsfolk will never know" - sort of from Banjo Paterson

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Follow Up By: Member - bill j (VIC) - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 09:37

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 09:37

Hi tony

Old Telegraph Line

Enjoy the trip will go myself next year will keep a lookout to see how you went

FollowupID: 770323

Reply By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 11:21

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 11:21

Tony

When I started planning the trip to Cape York I went to Youtube. Mate there is a bundle of stuff there showing what the place has to offer and what the roads and tracks are loike. There is nothing like a picture/video to show you.

Try this one for a start. We weren't towing so the corrugations were okay.

There are heaps more just search for Cape York. Its like going there before you go.

Corrugations:

AnswerID: 494688

Follow Up By: Allan B (Member, SunCoast) - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 12:43

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 12:43

Hi PJR,

I noticed the big crack in his windscreen too.
And that's the other problem which concerns me more than the corrugations...... vehicles coming the opposite way driving like the Devil's chasing them and chucking rocks up everywhere! Bards!! And I don't mean poets.

Cheers
Allan

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Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 13:11

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 13:11

One son had his broken by stones coming off a trailer with a tinny on it. The tinny's trailer did not have any rear mud flaps. We stopped just in case. Why are fishermen always in a damned hurry and they protect their own car but stuff the rest. But that's another topic.

Overall we had an excellent time up there. The sons caught a 1.2M GT. And no we are not regular "mad" fishermen. We hired a bloke to take us out for a day and his boat of course. Mum and the two boys went. I had a relapse and spent the day in bed. Bugger!!!!

Phil

FollowupID: 770343

Follow Up By: steved58 - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 17:52

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 17:52

Just got back did not take my sterling outback used a rooftop tent I personally would not take mine especially if you want to go to elliot falls and you bet you would kick yourself if you didn,t
all the best steve

FollowupID: 770355

Follow Up By: Tonyfish#58 - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 18:03

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 18:03

That looked like the Lakefield Road near the kalpowar turnoff and not the PDR

The PDR is usually a lot better then the Lakefield Rd.

Must have been driving too slow :-)

Regards Tony

FollowupID: 770356

Follow Up By: Member - PJR (NSW) - Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 18:24

Tuesday, Sep 11, 2012 at 18:24

It may have been but that's irrelevant.

That is what the PDR was like from the turnoff to the northern end of the OTL all the way to the ferry across the Jardine. No worries for our car, it took it like a breeze. Just put it up to show what the PDR can be like.

Phil

FollowupID: 770357

Reply By: Willykj - Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 at 15:46

Thursday, Sep 13, 2012 at 15:46

Just came back from Cape York. Whilst I didn't take my van (only a standard pop top) there were heaps of vans up there. My last time was 8 years ago & the PDR was far better this year. They have done heaps of work & further improvements are currently underway.
If I had an "off road" van I would take mine up there. On the PDR there was only 2 sections of bag corragations & these were only for relatively small distances. Vans were just crawling through those sections.

There was some reference on the Wepia/Batavaia Downs road. That is currently one of the best roads...the bad creek crossings are no more - now have concrete causeways. Noticed that those who had vans were leaving them at the turnoff to Elliot Falls & going in for the day by 4WD.

We camped at Umagico & it was great. Many vans were camped there. People were leaving Seisa & coming to Umagico.

The road is now sealed as far as Laura.

Keep going on the plans as it is a fantastic trip,
Willy

AnswerID: 494813