13-08-2017, 05:52 PM
Really enjoyed the oasis that is Lawn Hill. Spent 3 nights at Adels Grove and our days swimming, kayaking and walking. Just a warning that the road in has a couple of very rough patches.
Northward still through Burketown and Normanton then we finally arrive at the Gulf (Karumba).
Still with no real plans for the rest of the trip, we spoke briefly to a fellow at the CP who was headed toward Cape York.. This got US thinking.
I had wanted to go to the 'tip' for a long while. Originally in a dirt bike. Well I'm a bit older now and here we are with both time and the trusty Trayon. We decided to give it a go!
Now we were not really prepared. Ideally we would have the Rok fitted with a lift kit, snorkel, bigger tyres etc. So we decided not to take the tracks linking Karumba to Musgrave and to travel over to Cooktown and head up from there.
We met up with friends from Tassie at Cooktown who were on their way back. 5 Tasmanian Trayons outside the top pub provided a great photo opportunity!
The 'rig' handled the Bloomfield and Battlecamp tracks up to Musgrave Station well.
On the Cape we also stayed at Branwell Station and via a swim at Fruit Bat Falls, the Jardine river crossing, Mutee Head, Loyalty Beach (+ taking in a trip to Thursday Is) and of course we made it to the tip, then it was time to head back down via Sam Creek to watch some of the 4wd nutters do their thing.., Morton Telegraph Station, Mapoon, Pennefather River (croc city..), The Bend near Coen, Lakeland and then Port Douglas to wash away the red grime.
Enjoying some tropical conditions,we stayed at Karanda and now Mission Beach.
The Trayon performed at doing what they are meant to. The roads on the Cape vary greatly from 2nd gear horrendous corrugations and bull dust holes, to new sealed highway surfaces. In the very near future the whole road will be sealed and somehow the bucket list adventure will different. We're glad we did it now.
From here?
Townsville through to Longreach I think...
Carolann and Chris #796