Cape York and The Tip

Hi everybody!   Thank you for reading my Blog; I am Mingo, a small pink Flamingo and I am the proud mascot for Steve & Laura's camping adventures. 

We live in "Sun City", aka Townsville, North Queensland and we are at a point in our lives where we are lucky enough to be able to devote lots of time to our Number 1 passion: Exploring Australia. Steve and Laura have recently invested in a beautiful Jayco Swift pop-up camper and are planning to take me all over the country in it from North to South and East to West in the next few years.

This Cape York trip has been their dream for years and we are so excited to be able to share it with you. You will read all about our thrills and spills (and there were plenty of those!) and hopefully feel like you were a fly on the wall as you read about our exploits far and wide. Happy reading SQUAWK!

We'd like to take this opportunity to say a huge "thank you" to our suppliers; without whose support we wouldn't be able to get out there and do what we do. (Scroll to the end of the Blog for more details on our fantastic partners)

Jayco Swift from Jayco Townsville
Triton ML8 from Mitsubishi
Ironman Suspension & Shockies from 4WD Central
Cooper All Terrain Tyres from M Group Townsville
4WD Accessories from ARB Townsville
Caravan Insurance from CIL
Maps from HEMA
Firearms Training from Asset Townsville
Firearms from Townsville Gun Shop

TOWNSVILLE TO CAPE YORK - OCT 2015

Planning

We did many hours of planning beforehand.  When you're travelling long distances in remote areas, safety is the most important thing and you have to be prepared to be self-sufficient, whatever the Universe should hit you with (more about that later!)  We chose to go at the end of the dry season when most of the Grey Nomads would be on their way home and thus attractions and camp grounds would hopefully be much less busy.

The Triton was pimped to within an inch of its life (all thanks to ARB); we added a winch with a 9 tonne breaking strain, a tow ball, snorkel, roof racks and an Andersen plug to charge the van battery as we drove.  On the roof, we carried a full recovery kit, including recovering tracks in case we got bogged, a block and tackle for winching ourselves out of sticky situations, a shovel and an axe, plus 60 litres of diesel. We also carried a comprehensive Army style First Aid Kit, a UHF radio and a PLB (emergency beacon), cos you just never know...

The Jayco Swift (thanks to Jayco Townsville) was equipped with a 100ah house deep cell house battery and 120w portable solar panels, a three way fridge, 9kg gas bottle and 80l of fresh water. We also carried a further 30 further litres of water and a second gas bottle for cooking. We planned our food needs out as accurately as possible and then added an extra 3 days as a contingency. 

We deliberately chose a route which formed a rough loop, by zigzagging a few times over the Great Dividing Range inland, then hit the East Coast before heading up the centre of the Cape York peninsula. On the way back we would travel more down the coast and visit those places and attractions we had skipped on the way up. We knew that approximately half of the total distance would be on dirt road and so we educated ourselves about lowering tyre pressure, passing road trains and so on.  We also took the van on a couple of short trips to Big Bend and Bivouac Junction, for some off-roading practice, to see how it handled.  We were more than impressed with its performance and also that of the Triton.

Our friend Cynthia arrived to travel with us on this trip and we were all set up and ready to hit the road....um dirt!

Steve, Laura and Cynthia - the three adventurers!

DAY 1: Saturday 3rd October - UNDARA VOLCANIC PARK

We were up early to finalise our packing, fold the Swift down, hooked up and rolled out of town. Spirits were high as we drove west of Townsville. We climbed up and over Hervey's Range and crossed the mighty Burdekin River which was nearly dried out. The highway became single lane about 2 hrs out - it was Laura's first taste of the true Outback.

Steve & Swifty at Undara Volcanic Park

Old train carriages at Undara

Further on, we took the Savannah Way to Undara Volcanic Park.  The whole drive took about 5 hours of easy driving but it was great to set up for the night.  We had booked ahead and scored a great spot in their bush camping area, with a fire pit right beside the creek and plenty of room to move.  It was magic! 

There were old train carriages dotted around the site; some are used as offices and tourist info centres and some you can stay in. There is also a tent city which has the tents already set up with wooden flooring and beds, chairs etc.   

Pretty Face Wallaby

We took a walk around and saw lots of Pretty Face Wallabies, Black Cockatoos and what could've been Budgerigars.    

Before dinner, we drove to the extinct volcano, Kalkani, and walked around the 2.5km crater edge. The views were magnificent and there were informative signs around the rim which told us all about the many volcanoes that had once existed in the area. The whole area is scrubby, dry and rocky with sparse gum tree forests as far as the eye could see.  

We went back to camp and Laura cooked up homemade Chilli nachos before turning in for the night.

DAY 2: Sunday 4th October - ELLIS BEACH

Inside one of the vast Lava Tubes at Undara

We woke up in a panic because we thought we were late for the lava tubes tour; turns out we were an hour early because only the clocks in NSW had gone forward and not QLD! So back we went to camp, for bacon and eggs! An hour later, we regrouped and were driven about 30 minutes in a little bus to the lava tubes themselves.   



The lava tubes formed thousands of years ago when molten lava ran across the land and hardened on the outside whilst the inside continued to flow, forming immense long hollow caves. The ones at Undara are in fact the longest on the planet.  

The tour was fascinating and very informative as we got to walk inside some of the tubes which are massive and pretty amazing. We also saw two species of micro bats, animal bones and huge moths, which flapping wings to break up bats sonar as a defence mechanism. We learned that Aboriginals didn't go into the tubes, possibly due to superstition and there are no paintings inside them at all. The verbal history has also been lost because the local tribes moved away. The last volcano erupted only 8000 years ago, so it's pity there is no record of it being witnessed, even though it must've been absolutely terrifying.

After the tour we packed up and headed North on the Kennedy Development Road for Innot Hot Springs near Mt Garnet, the Gateway to the Atherton Tablelands, inland from Cairns. This road was the first time Laura had seen huge termite mounds about 6ft tall and 4ft wide.

Innot Hot Springs

We arrived at Innot about an hour later and walked down to the creek which was pretty empty but still had enough water in it for wading or sitting it.  We could see the steam rising up from the water as we approached.  It was SO hot it burned our feet! Some parts were stone cold and some in between.  Fascinating and good fun.  Laura especially loved it!  Meanwhile, Steve was filling up the tank and paying $1.47 for diesel, which wasn't too bad. 

Heading onwards through Ravenshoe and the scenery changed almost instantly to become lush, green, beautiful dairy country. We saw huge wind farms beside the road, ferns and banana plantations as the landscape became more tropical towards the coast.  We drove through Atherton, a really pretty town where the Crystal Caves are. As we neared Kuranda we saw groves of mango trees, several wineries and coffee plantations. We crossed the Great Dividing Range for the second time and this time, the descent was very windy with many twists and turns until we reached the flat. The Triton and the van performed well on such a hair-raising road.  

At Kuranda, we visited Heritage Markets (after several false attempts to find them as there are 4 so-called "markets" in the town) and had lunch at the Frog Cafe which was yummy and in a very pretty rainforest setting. 

Ellis Beach - Steve's childhood home

After lunch we cracked on to Ellis Beach, scoring the most amazing absolute beachfront site, only metres from the ocean.  Steve spent a year of his childhood at Ellis Beach in the mid-1970's so it brought back happy memories for him. 

Go Cowboys!

That night we went to the pub across the road for dinner and watched the Cowboys beat Brisbane to win the NRL Grand Final 17 to 16!  Laura wore her brand new pink Cowboy hat in honour of Townsville's finest and it ended up being the most exciting match of the year!  One of Steve's favourite birds, a Bush Stone Curlew, joined us in the bar - must've been a footy fan! It started to rain as we strolled back through the campground to our awesome camping spot and we fell asleep to the sound of waves crashing on the beach.  Ah bliss.

DAY 3: Monday 5th October - ARCHER POINT

Woke to the sound of the waves only about 3m away and had a quick coffee before heading north along the coast towards Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Ferry, on the Captain Cook Highway.   We passed through endless waving cane fields and drove through the town of Port Douglas. This section is known as "where the rainforest meets the reef" and it really does! We felt we were well and truly in the Wet Tropics.  

The beautiful Daintree rainforest

Further on, the road crosses a huge flat plain with houses tucked up on the hillside in the early morning mist.  We stopped briefly for fuel opposite the historic old church in Mossman and then drove on through more green and lush vegetation punctuated by banana plantations and more cane being harvested. Then as the road returned to hug the coastline we went through horse paddocks and beef cattle pastures. This area is also brimming with zoos and nature parks.  

Daintree Car Ferry

We arrived at the Daintree Car Ferry and it took all of 5 mins for the princely sum of $19! Quite exciting driving on and off the barge even so!  

We were now in Cassowary country, in the heart of the Daintree National Park and literally driving through the jungle.  We drive past several wilderness lodges and canopy experiences. There were lots of retreats and little eating places dotted along the road - it was actually quite touristy despite it being pretty remote.  Lots of businesses cashing in on rainforest and crocodile experiences.  

Laura at Cape Tribulation

It wasn't long til we made it to Cape Tribulation, the Easternmost point of the Australian Continent!  We walked along the beautiful deserted beach.  This was also the place where Captain Cook's boat, the Endeavour, was ripped on the reef.  Only the Northernmost, Westernmost and Southernmost points to go!

Back in the car, we then turned onto the infamous Bloomfield Track.  Wow - what a hair raising experience it was! The Bloomfield is 30km of slippery gravel and is deeply rutted, boggy and corrugated in places plus it has some of the steepest hills we have ever driven on.  And that's not mentioning the constant stream of vehicles barrelling along at 80km the other way in the middle of the road! Suffice it to say that parts of it were thrilling, other parts were downright scary but apparently that's only moderate 4WDing!! The Triton performed well and the Swift too. 

It was a welcome experience to emerge from the Bloomfield at Wujul Wujul falls, where we stopped for a snack and a swim in the beautiful, cool, clean pools. The falls are very important to the Aboriginal people and we didn't swim in the pool right at the base of the falls in respect of this.  We did however have a lot of fun!









After a refreshing swim, we drove onto the Lions Den for burgers for lunch. The pub is world famous and is covered in signatures and clothing donated by the thousands of travellers who've stopped there since 1875. It was really interesting to look around as the whole place is a living museum.  They also have a campground out the back and cabins on stilts which sadly looked rather run down.  Laura saw Dongas for the first time - tiny motel-type rooms made out of shipping containers! We also the first peacock of the trip; something that would become extremely familiar as the days went by!

After leaving the Lions Den, the road wound through thick untouched wilderness which gradually gave way to sandy soil and the rainforest gave way to thinner eucalypt forest. We drove past Black Mountain which is made up of piles of black volcanic granite boulders. It started to rain as we approached Cooktown but we stopped for a look anyway! 

About 13km south of Cooktown, we turned off towards Archer Point and took the dirt road for about 10km til we hit the ocean. We drove up to the lighthouse which was SO windy and had a great view of the coastline for miles around. We picked out what looked like a good camping spot with a pebbly beach and a grassy area above it, with rocky outcrops that looked like Easter Island heads. We had to drive down a narrow dirt track to get to it, but it was worth it. 

Archer Point - amazing camping right on the ocean

The spot was perfect, if a little windy and already had a stone firepit so we positioned the van with the door facing away from from the wind and set up camp. We lit a fire, got the cheese and biccies and beer out and settled in for the evening. 

Steve's love affair with coconuts began here as he discovered why they are such good burners; the oil starts the fire, the husk is great kindling and the the shell burns long and hot. The wind blew really hard all night and the van was buffeted but held firm. 

DAY 4: Tuesday 6th October - COOKTOWN

In the morning we had a couple of bovine visitors who ambled close by before wandering off again. We also discovered the pilot light for the fridge had blown out overnight. Not surprising since we had parked the van with its back to the wind and thus directing the pilot light straight into it! Whoops - one of our many steep learning curves but a good lesson to learn.  So we fashioned a temporary wind shield out of a cardboard box and duct tape and fired it up again. Meanwhile Steve did some car maintenance, checked the oil etc and then we had pancakes for brekkie - yummy.

Steve's Dunny!

After breakfast, we explored the area and discovered hidden beaches which all seemed to have their own micro-climates. We collected more coconuts for the fire before the rain forced us home again. Steve built a fantastic dunny out of rocks and an old spool - he was very proud of it and gave it a test run! Then we took a drive around a bit further and found a fantastic camp spot behind the lighthouse which was really sheltered and on a sandy rather than pebbly beach. Great spot for next time. We nicknamed it Cool Beach and the one we were on Easter Island beach and the furthest one Wet Beach (due to the weather!). Somehow, Steve managed to get extremely sunburnt even though it rained most of the day!

Captain Cook's statue

That afternoon, we went into Cooktown for sightseeing. Steve loves Cooktown and it was easy to see why.  It is not only incredibly historic and it was an amazing feeling to think that we were seeing what Captain Cook saw from Grassy Hill when he was trying to navigate a path out through the reef. We visited the Cook Museum and his Landing Point.  We strolled through the Botanical Gardens and then did a short walk through the rainforest to the beach.  It was absolutely beautiful. We learned about snakes and found out we are camping in the habitat of the Coastal Taipan, the second most deadly snake in the world!  




Steve discovered an amazing variety shop which sold everything from bicycles to clothes, factory equipment and hardware!  Overall, we thought it was a great little town; very peaceful and laid back and in a beautiful setting.  The only industry is tourism and that's seasonal; it has a high proportion of Aboriginal residents and pretty much closes down for the wet season.  


After a great afternoon, we drove back to Archer Point to discover the solar panels had been caught in the wind and one side was completely smashed!  Bugger.  

Laura decided she wanted a hot shower so got out the 12volt shower pump and a bucket of cold water, added a kettle full of boiling water and then had a blissful 5 minutes of warm water to wash in.  Dinner that night was "Train Smash" - a mixture of canned casserole and beans - warm and yum!

DAY 5: Wednesday 7th October - MUSGRAVE 

We awoke to see we had new neighbours; a small sedan was parked about 50m away. We watched with interest as two people got out and then set up with fishing rods. They must've been keen to sleep in such a tiny car all night! We had a brew and then packed up, including putting some sandwiches and drinks into the esky in the car for the 400km trip to Coen.  We said goodbye to beautiful, wild and windy Archer Point and headed out on the Cooktown Developmental Rd. The weather was sunny and less cloudy than the last few days. We hoped we were leaving the rain behind as we headed inland towards the Great Dividing Range again. The road took us through wide open grassy plains with banana plantations dotted around.  We reached Lakeland and the road became the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR).  We stay on it in all its forms, for the rest of our trip North.  We drove over the Range for our third time and were met with several Brahman cattle and kangaroos crossing the road but we managed to avoid them all. 

Laura Gaol

We arrived into Laura township and had a bit of a look around. We noted a good looking pub with a historic old gaol cell across the road and one shop. Little did we know it at the time but we would become more intimately acquainted with Laura later on our trip!  

The main significance for us at this stage, was that this is the end of the bitumen and the beginning of the red dirt road north. A lot of people leave their full size caravans in Laura and carry on north with just their vehicles and small tents.  Having an off-road camper though, we forged ahead.

The end of the bitumen!

We started on the dirt road and were quite surprised that it wasn't too badly corrugated. However, it was extremely dry and dusty surrounded basically by scrub desert. We could really feel how remote we were by now and when we saw an airstrip with a little plane in the hangar, we figured it was probably the family vehicle! The road got even redder about 50km from Laura and there were thousands of Cathedral termite mounds; it really looked like a graveyard. We could see a bit further on, how they were getting ready to put drainage pipes in and seal the road. We passed Hann River Roadhouse, which is also the school - now that's an education, bring your kids up in the pub! The road got rougher shortly after but we managed to drive down the far left gutter where parts were white sand instead of red dirt. The only traffic we saw was people coming the other way - usually very fast and right in the middle of the road!


We stopped for a break at 11.30am at Musgrave Roadhouse to refuel and get a snack as we had covered about 270km in 4 hours.  They had their own airstrip with cattle wandering all over it.  There were several 4WDs coming back from the Tip with tyres let down and covered in red dust. The Triton looked very much in place with them by this point!  We only had 109km to go to reach Coen so we set off again.  We were in good spirits and making good time.  If only we knew what was just about to happen...

Poor Swifty on his roof 

About 35km out, we went around a corner at about 60km but as we came out of it, one of the van wheels hit soft sand.  The van suddenly became airborne, ripped off the tow ball before spinning 180 degrees in the air and smashing onto its roof. Steve fought hard to keep the car from rolling too, as we careered across the road, skidding and sliding with the van jacknifing and belting into the back of the car and bits flew off all around us. He managed to get control of the car and bring it to a stop, still upright, just before we would've rolled off the side of the road and gone up the opposite embankment into the trees.  Oh my God - we were SO lucky nothing was coming the other way as we ended up about 50m up the road on the wrong side with the van upside down but till attached to the Triton by the safety chains.  

None of us were injured at all and it was only due to Steve's good driving that we weren't. We were all in a state of absolute shock and staggered out of the car to survey the damage behind us.  The van was sitting on its roof and was nothing but a pile of broken pieces.  There was debris all over the road behind us; pieces of the van, food, clothing, bedding just strewn everywhere.  Steve was absolutely mortified but we all assured him he was not to blame and that in actual fact he saved us from injury or worse by his good driving.   

We managed to disconnect what was left of the van from the Triton and after failing to raise anyone on the UHF radio or the mobile phones, it was decided that Steve would drive back to Musgrave to get help and use their phone.  Cynthia and Laura set about salvaging as much out of the van as we could and stockpiled it in the shade under a tarp.  A fair bit of traffic came by and asked if we were ok and if we had food and water.  People were amazing and got out and helped us to clean up the mess and it was really heart-warming.  A lot of people said that this particular stretch of the PDR is notorious for rollovers and they wish something was done about it.  

Swifty getting dragged off the road by Mick

At this point, the van was still upside down on the wrong side of the road and we had a fluoro vest which we waved to warn approaching traffic.  We certainly didn't want to cause another accident by someone hitting the wreck. About 1pm a petrol tanker driven by a great guy called Mick, stopped to help.  He very kindly dragged what was left of the van off the road and out of the way of approaching traffic.  What a great guy! About 2pm Steve returned, having managed to contact the Insurer who were sending a tow truck, which was due to arrive sometime before dark.  Phew, that made us all feel better.  

Swifty after being winched right side up

While we waited for the tow truck, Steve decided to use the winch on the front of the Triton to roll the van back onto its wheels, so that we could then salvage the rest of the undamaged items.  He drove into the forest so the winch was pointing towards the van, connected it and then we all stood back.  As the winch wound in, all kinds of grinding and cracking noises came from the van, but it successfully rolled over as planned.  We then managed to salvage as much as possible that wasn't broken, leaking or ripped and packed it all into the Triton.  It was an extremely tight fit but we managed to get most of it in and the rest we just had to leave.  It was quite ironic that despite the carnage only one of our eggs got broken!

At this point, we could've left as it was getting dark, but we had been instructed by the Insurer that we had to stay with the van until the tow truck arrived, or the locals would've come and stripped it bare... At about 5.30pm it was getting pretty late and we thought the truck wasn't coming, so we decided to set up camp by the side of the road and stay the night.  We dragged the mattresses out of the van, rigged up a tarp off the side of the Triton and lit a fire.

Poor Swifty being taken away by the tow truck

However, at 6.15pm the long awaited tow truck arrived! Were we pleased to see him!  He was very helpful and efficient and but it was heart-wrenching to watch our poor Swifty being hauled onto the back his truck in pieces.  Laura did shed a few tears as he drove off into the night with it.  We packed up our camp and at about 7pm it was pitch black, so we decided to head back to Musgrave for the night.  It was still another 75km to Coen and the thought of another 90 minutes along that road in the dark did not seem like the best idea!



The drive back to Musgrave Roadhouse was uneventful although we were all very quiet in the car. We managed to get two motel rooms and then decided to treat ourselves to dinner.  Turns out their burgers are the best ever!  They fortified us enough that we even managed to do some laundry before having nice hot showers and then falling into bed.  Wow, that was one long day!  Looking back, we all did very well to keep our heads and we worked very well on the recovery operation together.  We all supported each other through what was a very distressing situation.  We made a decision that night that we would press on and continue our trip regardless; possibly with some alterations to the schedule and accommodation but that we would make it to the Tip one way or another!

DAY 6: Thursday 8th October - LOYALTY BEACH

We were up early and did our best to repack the Triton after it had been done so hurriedly the day before. Laura made some sandwiches out of whatever she could find, we refuelled and headed out towards Coen.  We were all very quiet as we drove past the crash site but we kept our chins up and drove on.  

A bit further along, fires had swept through overnight and the ground was blackened and smoking.  We had been told that these fires were started all the time by the Aboriginals to encourage grass growth and therefore animals for hunting (even though they don't really hunt anymore). We also saw another area where a full size caravan had rolled over just after us. There was a sole microwave oven left behind which again made us think how lucky we were.

As we drove, we noticed a small python on the road and also a frill neck lizard. The weather was overcast and cooler. We made it to Coen township in about an hour and a half without incident. There was nothing much there but as we briefly got mobile signal, we were able to call the car insurers at least and report the damage to the Triton. We then stopped briefly at Archer River Roadhouse, topped up with fuel and cleaned the red dirt off the windows and lights before heading off again. There were quite a few Brahman cattle wandering around near to the fuel pumps which was amusing!  

By now we had discovered that the coarser red dirt is much better to drive on than the paler white sand, which is so fine and offers zero traction. That is what we slipped on when we rolled the van. It was still raining on and off as we drove which actually did a good job of keeping the dust down.  The other thing we had begun to notice was that every single place we stopped at had pommie girls working at them! 

We also noticed lots of road work going on which made us think again that it wouldn't be long til the whole road was sealed.  The weather warmed up as we drove and hig 27 degrees although it was still cloudy.  At 12 noon we reached the intersection with the road to Weipa but we took the Telegraph Track headed to Cape York only 200km to go to Bamaga!  This raised our spirits considerably.   

Hmm must be big Termites!

The termite mounds were the biggest we had seen so far - 10ft or more. We crossed the Wenlock River at 1pm, which was  the site of the original Croc Tent. North of the river the corrugations were so bad we had to drive in the gutter - not that Steve minded!  About 45 minutes later we stopped at Bramwell Junction Roadhouse and had a look at their excellent campground.  Good for later on we thought!  

The landscape changed through thick eucalypt forest, then low salt bush scrub and then rainforest as we neared the coast.  It was getting late and we were still 150km from Bamaga and not sure if we were going to make it to the Jardine Ferry before it closed at 5pm. It was pretty stressful as it was still raining and we didn't really have any option on where to camp!  






Just when we thought we were making good time, the road went from bad to absolutely horrendous.  The worst corrugations and boggy sand we had seen on the trip so far!  It was simply shocking and seemed to last forever.  The poor Triton was vibrating and shaking for about 20km.  We finally made it to the ferry at 4.30pm and paid the outrageous $99 fee for the 30 second crossing.  The Jardine Ferry is owned by the local Aboriginals and as it is the only way to cross the river, they can charge what they like.  It does cover camping fees north in the national park though, so it's not all bad.

"Nick & Mick's" shack, right on Loyalty Beach

Once over the river, we made a decision to head for Loyalty Beach instead of Somerset Beach as it was closer and we would arrive in the dark otherwise. We made it to Bamaga at 5pm and then drove about another 20 minutes to Loyalty Beach. Cynthia decided to sleep in her hammock and Laura and Steve rented a tiny shack called "Nick & Mick's" which was right on the beach!  It was an absolutely gorgeous location and and it was now a beautiful evening.  The other thing that we loved, and which was a huge surprise to Laura and Cynthia, was that right next door was the Fishing Lodge, aka the best pub in the whole district and less than 5 minutes walk! 

Fishing Lodge at Loyalty Beach

It was like walking into a secret garden, with fairy lights and chairs and tables set up on the beach, music playing and an extensive menu!  There were also horses just wandering around like dogs, just as Steve had predicted.  

What an absolute treat after such a hard day getting there. We ended up enjoying mackerel and chips and a few well-earned beers before sauntering back to the campground and falling into bed exhausted.

Fishing Lodge at Loyalty Beach

DAY 7: Friday 9th October - THE TIP

The next morning, we got a wonderful phone call from the van insurer telling us that they would cover us for our accommodation costs, plus all the contents and food we had lost in the accident!  This was music to our ears and we immediately booked another three nights in our little shack.  The camp ground owner told us they were putting in a long-awaited bridge across the Jardine River plus sealing the road over the next few years, so the whole area would become much more accessible to every type of vehicle. He even suggested we buy land and set up a caravan park now while land is cheap!  


The weather was windy but warm. We were hoping there would be no rain today as we drove to the Tip!  We unpacked the car and set up a proper camp with our gas stove, the food we had salvaged and our plates and cutlery. Laura cooked up a hearty breakfast of spam and eggs. We all then enjoyed hot showers after brushing red dust off everything! 

Just another horse wandering around!

After brekkie, we set off for the Tip. Steve had told us to expect to see half wild horses every where, wandering freely around the streets of Bamaga and we weren't disappointed! They were everywhere! The corrugations on the roads were just horrible so we drove as far to the side as we possibly could. 

On the way to the Tip, we stopped off at the Croc Tent which is a local icon.  It is basically a souvenir shop, currently run by Dale and Lea, a young couple with two small children, who live in a shipping container out the back.  Steve offered to organize a firearms safety course for Sunday if Dale could get enough takers.

We left the Croc Tent and headed on.  The road got smaller and smaller until it became a single lane track through dense rainforest. We reached the carpark and then scrambled about 30 mins over the rocky outcrop and the cairns to the Tip. 

Steve seeing both sides of the Continent at the same time!

It was extremely windy but at least it was warm and sunny since all the rain clouds had blown away!  We made it to the Tip and the famous sign telling us we were at the Northernmost Point of the Australian Continent.  It was an incredibly momentous moment. After all we had been through, we had finally made it.  We were all extremely proud and happy...

Us at the Tip!

After taking lots of pictures, we then returned to the car and fought the corrugations again back to Bamaga. They were so bad that the antenna fell off; luckily we screwed it back on again! We bought the best and cheapest lunch ever at BP Bamaga which sells everything, including awesome $2 sandwiches!! 

After a feed, we drove to the Rifle Range and spent the afternoon having some plinking fun with the 22 rifle and the 9mm pistol, hitting coconuts and drink cans. It was great fun.  

Steve at Bamaga Rifle Range

Laura at Bamaga Rifle Range

We then headed home; sauntered across to the pub for a cool drink before dinner.  Steve made a great camp fire and Laura made hotdog stew for dinner. Laura and Cynthia went to bed soon after, leaving Steven finishing his beer by the fire.  At midnight, Laura woke up and found him snoring in his chair and had to rescue him to get him to bed!  

DAY 8: Saturday 10th October - PUNSAND BAY

Steve & Cyn at Punsand Bay Resort

We all slept in (especially Steve!)  We finished off the last of the eggs for brekkie then went back to bed! When we finally woke up for the second time, we decided to go to Punsand Bay for lunch. The roads again were completely corrugated and didn't seem like they had ever been graded. However, we finally made it and it was worth the journey. 

Laura at Punsand Bay

The pool at Punsand Bay

The resort is right on the beach and has a wonderful freshwater pool which Laura swam in. Very refreshing.  We had lunch and walked around the resort to admire their cabins right on the beach and the beautiful gardens. We thought we'd like to camp there next time we came up! They are also famous for their woodfired pizza but as they were closing down for the end of the season, that wasn't an option at least at that visit.  We were hoping to take a helicopter flight over the Cape but unfortunately they had already packed up for the season. Ah well, next time for sure!

While we were there, we made a new itinerary for the journey back, now that we knew how slow the road was. We added a couple of extra stops at Archer River Roadhouse and Hann River Roadhouse to break up the trip. 

The derelict bar at the abandoned resort

After lunch, we headed back to Loyalty Beach but we stopped off at what used to be a 5 star resort called Cape York Wilderness Retreat.  It is now abandoned and in ruins which is such a shame as it must've been beautiful in its day. What a criminal waste of something that would have been such a bonus for the community.

Abandoned rooms at the resort

Back at camp, Laura made tuna macaroni for dinner, whilst one of the local horses wandered around the campsite neighing randomly.  After dinner, we went for a drink at the bar and were amused at a Bush Stone Curlew running around and freezing every few seconds. It was a good day.

DAY 9: Sunday 11th October

We all got up late again. It was a beautiful sunny day and we had beans for brekkie.  The firearms course ended up not happening as Dale couldn't get enough takers in the end. We said we'd come up next year and run one for him and he was happy with that. 

Laura did a revised food plan and repacked everything into one container, with the aim of freeing up much needed room in the Triton. After brekkie, we drove into the township of Seisia and did some quick shopping before heading out to see the wrecks of a DC3 and Beaufort Bomber. 

Plane wreck at Bamaga

We were all loving it up here so much we started talking about living up here and just getting jobs locally.  As we drove, we saw lots of happy horses just wandering around freely in people's yards and all around town as usual. The one downer was that the March flies were biting hard and even kept up with the car at 30kph!

More horses just chillin' at Loyalty Beach bar!

That afternoon, we watched the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars on the tv outside the kiosk which was really cool as we were joined by yet another horse and her foal! 

Some other campers came over for a chat - they had driven past us just after we had the accident with the van and wanted to make sure we were ok!

Laura did some more laundry and then we all went for the famous Sunday night fish and chip dinner at the pub. Delicious!

DAY 10: Monday 12th October - FRUIT BAT FALLS, ELIOT FALLS, TWIN FALLS & THE SAUCEPAN

We got up, had a brew then packed the car. Somehow, it seemed like we had more stuff than before! We managed to stuff it all in eventually but then we got completely lost trying to find the road out of Bamaga. The GPS was useless too so we asked at the cop shop! We ended up leaving via a different road near the plane crash site. 

The road on the southern side of the Jardine Ferry was absolutely horrendous with the worst corrugations we had ever seen.  It was just nightmarish. After about 30km we came upon a stretch of bitumen that had been laid while we were at the Tip!  Wow!  But then we found out we couldn't drive on it as it was still curing! Bugger!

Laura & Steve enjoying a swim at Fruit Bat Falls

About half an hour later, we came upon the turn off for Fruit Bat Falls and after about 5 mins down a fairly corrugated track we came upon the Falls. Fantastic! They looked so cool and inviting so we literally stripped off down to our underwear and jumped in! It was so warm and the water cascading down was actually hot!  It was an absolutely beautiful swimming spot. A

fter a really good cool off, we got back in the Triton and headed down the track to Eliot Falls. 

Steve walking through Scrubby Creek

It was quite exciting with lots of erosion and deep trenches, which the Triton handled just fine. About 10 minutes in, we came to Scrubby Creek. 

We knew there was a river crossing but it looked a lot deeper than we were expecting. Steve walked through and it came up to his waist, which would mean it was well over 1m deep... He ummed and ahhed for a while and then decided to do it!  

Laura waded across and set up ready to video from the other side. Cyn and Steve wound down the windows, turned off the air con and removed their seatbelts.  

Scuba Triton crossing Scrubby Creek

Steve put the car in low range, kept the revs steady and drove straight in.  The water came up and up until it was over the bonnet.  Steve kept the revs up and ploughed on.  

About halfway through the water bottomed out and then began to get shallower as he roared out the other side whooping with delight and giving the thumbs up! 

Eliot Falls Campground

About another half an hour further on and we found the campground. It was lovely and bushy, with big sites and fire pits plus toilets! There was nobody else there either which made it doubly good.  We pitched Cyn's tent and she hung her hammock before walking to Eliot Falls. No swimming but pretty waterfalls. We then walked a little further to Twin Falls which was a nice little swimming hole with calm water about 3 feet deep. We hopped in and the water was beautifully warm. 

Steve jumping into the Saucepan

Laura swimming at Twin Falls

We then walked back upstream and discovered the Saucepan which was great! About 8 feet deep with cliffs around it - Steve took no time before he stripped off and jumped in off the side! It was absolutely beautiful. 

That night Laura made baked potatoes and chilli. It worked well except she didn't know to wrap the spuds in a lot more foil, as it all came off in the fire and the skins got burnt!  Still, they were very tasty!  The stars were amazing that night as we all went to bed

DAY 11: Tuesday 13th October - ELIOT FALLS

Steve and Laura had a good night's sleep in the tiny tent and Cyn loved her hammock as usual!  We got up and Laura made scrambled eggs and spam although by now, Laura was over spam and gave hers away and had muesli instead! Then we strolled down to Eliot Falls, jumped in and swam down the river itself, all the way to Twin Falls.  It was magic! 

We also explored up river a fair way and just had a wonderful time just relaxing in the warm water in the sunshine. We went back to the campsite, made popcorn, read trashy magazines and did some repacking of the car before going for a second swim at Twin Falls and then doing some laundry by hand.  

Eliot Falls

Laura made hotdogs for dinner and then tried her hand at making Damper dough boys, which is when you mould the damper around a stick and then cook it over the coals.  They worked out ok although next time we would use less dough as they drooped off the sticks a bit!  Still, they were pretty tasty with maple syrup dribbled into the hole left by the stick. Mmmmm.

After dinner we sat around the campfire chatting over a few beers. We talked about how this campground apparently gets absolutely chocca in high season and how Laura was amazed as it is so inaccessible.  Steve explained that it's an Australian tradition to go 4WDing with the family and what so what she thinks is inaccessible, is probably just normal to people who are used to doing it regularly! 

We commented on the almost total lack of wildlife which was interesting. A couple of crows and the usual bush turkey visited our camp but pre-dawn was almost silent and there was no animal poo. We just thought it was interesting since we were by the water. We did see lots of ants and the green tree ants which spin a type of web at the end of twigs and make a nest out of the leaves.

Some other campers arrived that afternoon and to our surprise it was the two couples we had met previously at Loyalty Beach! They hadn't wanted to do the Scrubby Creek crossing that we did coming in and so had driven an additional 2.5 hours to find an alternative route. We chatted for a while and decided that we would all leave together in convoy in the morning. That way, we could help each other out if need be.  One of their cars was fully set up but the other, an older model Triton, didn't have a winch or a snorkel.

DAY 12: Wednesday 14th October - ARCHER RIVER ROADHOUSE

Today was Steve's birthday - he got a pair of sandals and the promise of a cake as soon as we got home! 

We got up and had a brew and then packed ready to leave.  By now, we had eaten a fair bit of the food and Laura rejigged things quite a bit and so each time we packed the Triton it was easier!

Fording Scrubby Creek for the second time

Steve let the tyres down to 25 psi in readiness for the creek crossing.  We met the others at the creek about 9.15am and the first couple went across no problem in their fully loaded 4WD, although they had a hard time getting up the bank at the exit. Laura then walked across the creek as we had heard that one side of the ford was shallower.  It definitely was better and so the couple in the older Triton went through following that line, wearing a skirt across the front of the grille to help stop water entering the engine bay. They made it across fine, but then for some reason paused at the opposite bank.  We didn't think he was going to make it up, but he gunned it and just made it out ok! 

Then it was our turn. Steve did his usual prep by turning the air con off, removing seatbelts and opening the windows. He put the Triton in low low range 4WD and went at a constant steady speed. It entered the water, bounced around a bit and tilted as the bow wave came over. The water came right over the bonnet and halfway up the sides this time. He gunned it as he approached the exit and shot out no problem as all four tyres grabbed the rock and pulled him up. 

Everybody was clapping and cheering on the other side and the other campers were very grateful we were there to help.  We said goodbye and said we'd probably see them further down the track around Coen!

Bramwell Roadhouse

Heading south the PDR was bitumen almost as soon as we hit it which was a nice change from rutted corrugated tracks! It went on for a good 30km before it went back to dirt. We were all thoroughly over corrugations by now!  The weather was sunny and warm with a bit of cloud. We made good time all the way to Bramwell Roadhouse, where we stopped for a bit of a stretch before heading on towards Moreton Telegraph Station. The ULP here was up to $2.10 a litre! We did meet one of the local dogs which was a pure bred beagle! Quite inconguous in a place where most of the dogs look like pitbulls on steriods! We also saw a blue winged kookaburra which only occurs in far northern Australia and PNG. 

We headed onwards to Moreton Telegraph Station which is apparently very historic and a good place to stop for lunch.  Unfortunately, they were closing down in preparation for the wet season and had no food left either! We decided to head instead for the Archer River Roadhouse.  

Roadworks on the PDR

There were a LOT of roadworks which slowed us down to some degree, but then, the detours were a lot smoother as they were freshly graded so it really didn't make any difference in the long run. 

We hit Archer River Roadhouse about 2.15pm very hungry! We had their awesome burgers for a late lunch and the promise of hot showers and clean sheets were very welcome. 

Cyn's hammock at Archer River Roadhouse

Steve and Cynthia at Archer River Roadhouse

Cyn hung her hammock between some trees and Laura and Steve had a motel unit.  




















Steve and Laura went for a walk down to the river to find it virtually dry.  They did find a tyre swing which was fun and an upside down car half buried in the silt!

An Archer River casualty!

Tyre swing at Archer River

50 litres of diesel please...Moo!

Smoking area next to the petrol storage tanks!

We laughed at the cows queuing up at the petrol pump (for the shade!) and the Designated Smoking Area sign which was attached to the 1000 gallon petrol tanks! 


Cyn went to bed very early and Laura did some washing before her and Steve had a pie and a chicken roll for dinner then went to bed not long after!

DAY 13: Thursday 15th October - LAURA

We were woken up at 5am by the roadworkers going to work....groan!  We treated ourselves to a nice warm shower followed by a cooked breakfast at the Roadhouse. It was expensive but good and we hit the road at 9.30am. We saw lots more roadworks along the way, reinforcing the fact that before long the whole of the PDR would soon be sealed.  We were in general agreement that it was a good idea as it would enable more people to visit the far north and bring money to those communities.  The infamous 4WDing tracks such as the Old Telegraph Track and the Bloomfield Track would never be sealed and so people would be able to choose which route they took. It was quite cool to see the huge road graders and trucks working and hearing them chat in their indecipherable language over the UHF radio! 

The weather was mostly sunny with a few clouds as we drove along.  We weren't sure where we were going to stop for the night as it depended on how we went for time.  One thing we had learnt about this road, is that you cannot rush it and you never know how long it's gonna take! 

As we continued south, we got searched for mangoes at the Coen Inspection Station. It was quite funny as none of us actually remember the last time we had fresh fruit!  We drove through Coen at 10.30am and on the south side of the township, the fires lit by the Aborigines had burned through the whole landscape as far as the eye could see, for about 100km alongside the road.  

About 60km north of Musgrave we got stuck behind a roadtrain which was weaving all over the road, which was now white sand and very slippery and corrugated and then another roadtrain overtook us both. Completely crazy driving. He couldn't have seen anything coming the other way and forced us nearly off the road. Bloody idiot. The road was really badly corrugated and it was horrible crawling along at 20kph inside a huge dust cloud behind him. Finally, he let us pass on the inside! 

The road became very winding and had lots of nasty dips together with soft sand, as we approached the crash site.  It was a sad moment as we past it and we all had a lump in our throats.  We continued on and had a short break at Musgrave Roadhouse at 12.30pm. We then headed about another 60km to Hann River - planning to stop for the night. We got overtaken by a lunatic doing about 100kph on the dirt road. Just crazy and not only dangerous for him, but puts us at risk too from stones throwing up and hitting us.  

Hann River Roadhouse's resident Emu

Made it to Hann River at 1.45pm but kept going as the campground was very uninspiring and dusty with no shade or grass. We did meet the famous resident emu though!

So we decided to crack on and headed for Laura. We came across yet more roadworks which went on for about 20km. We made it to Laura and the welcome start of sealed roads again, at about 3pm, but Steve decided to drive over the dry riverbed not once, but twice, just for fun! 

We managed to get two rooms in the brand new Laura Motel across from the pub we had seen on the way up and we were feeling very pleased with ourselves for making it back into semi-civilisation.  That feeling however was shortlived.... 

We took a drive up to the local Roadhouse, which runs the campground, just to have a quick look and while we were there Steve decided to fill up with fuel.  He got the pump out to fill the Triton up when the owner ran out and told him she'll do it for him.  She took the pump off him and fills the tank.  We got back in and drove the 500m back to the motel when, suddenly, out of the blue, (just in front of the village store and their petrol pumps) the Triton splutters and conks out, completely dead!

We were bemused and then suddenly it dawned on Steve...the woman had put petrol instead of diesel into the tank!  Oh no! Just when we thought we thought nothing else could go wrong!  We all burst out laughing - there was really nothing else we could do!  The old guy from the Store, Harold (or as he prefers to be called, "H"), came out to help and Laura went and got some cold beers from the pub!

Steve and H siphoning the fuel out of the Triton

We tried various different ways to drain the petrol out of the tank. We discovered that the Triton has a ball valve inside the tank where you fill it up, to stop petrol flowing out in the event of a rollover.  However, it also stops you siphoning the fuel out in the normal way, via a tube straight from the tank!  We also found out that the Triton does not have any kind of valve adjoining the tank that could be undone.   






So then we started to think about the fuel pump.  H and Steve found a valve under the fuel pump that could be removed and could have a tube connected to it, running into a jerry can. That was all fine, but we still couldn't work out how to get the petrol from the tank into the fuel pump without the engine being switched on.  We were momentarily stumped and then Steve had a brainwave!  He ask H for the air compressor that is normally used to pump up car tyres. He inserted it into the petrol tank and then turned it on...lo and behold, it pushed the petrol down the fuel line, into the fuel pump under the bonnet and it flowed steady and strong down the tubing into the jerry can!  

Laura Motel

It worked brilliantly and in about half an hour 60 litres of unleaded petrol had been removed from the Triton's tank.  Steve refilled it with diesel and it started up with no problem at all. What a steep learning curve, but also what a great trick to know!  Of course, it did turn out to the he most expensive tank of fuel of the whole trip! 

H feeding the local Galahs

The Triton looking a bit battered & bruised

We parked the poor old Triton at the motel - he was definitely looking a little bit worse for wear!  

We then went back to our rooms that had the hardly remembered luxuries of ensuites, aircon and TV, to get showered before dinner at the Laura Hotel. H was busy feeding the local galahs before dark - they were SO noisy!  We had great steaks and lasagne and chatted to the locals and had a few laughs. We enjoyed the kangaroos hopping through the beer garden. It was a great fun night and then we all hit the sheets.

DAY 14: Friday 16th October - GRANITE GORGE

We got up late and had chocolate milk and ice cream for brekkie yum! We then set off for Mareeba at 9.30am. The bitumen felt so smooth compared to the corrugated roads we had been used to and Steve was enjoying being able to go at 110kph without Laura telling him off! The Triton showed no signs of the drama from yesterday which was a relief! The weather was perfect - sunny and warm.


We stopped off just outside Laura to visit Split Rock for its ancient Aboriginal rock art. Sadly it was all very run down and what could have been a wonderful tourist attraction was basically just being left to crumble.  Such a shame as it would be such an asset to the community.  Still, the rock art itself was amazing and wonderful to see.

Famous Palmer River Roadhouse Steak Sandwich

We drove on until we arrived at Palmer River Roadhouse which is an enduring icon from the old gold mining days.  These days they're famous for their steak sandwiches which didn't disappoint in either size or flavour for $15! We watched the Lousy Jack birds fight over a piece of bread which was very entertaining. Also saw some cuckoo type birds with neon pink crests. 

After lunch, we headed down the Mulligan Hwy for Mareeba and Granite Gorge, which was to be our stop for the night. About 5km south of Palmer River, we came upon a car accident where some poor guy had taken the corner too fast and ended up in the gutter with his trailer and boat as well as his car written off. The cops were there but nobody had been hurt luckily. Still it was sobering. 

Steve started pining for corrugations so kept driving on the white lines, just to be annoying! Actually we were all noticing how boring the road seemed and how time seemed to pass much slower than driving on dirt! As we drove the 80 or so kms to Mareeba we were surprised to still see quite a few caravans heading north.  There was also the constant street of road trains cracking along way over the speed limit. Very dangerous and they don't stop for anything.

We passed Mt Carbine Roadhouse and the familiar sight of the Great Dividing Range loomed ahead. We passed Bustard Downs and Rifle Creek campground towards Mt Molloy, which is a cute little town with a few cafes and shops. For the first time in while we noticed roadkill again - some wild pigs and kangaroos.  We hadn't seen any roadkill at all on the the dirt road so initially it was a surprise.  The reason was a combination of green grass at the side of the road and an increase in traffic. 

We then passed Lake Mitchell which was full of bird life. Still this far south the earth had been burned off by the Aborigines. When we had been driving north, we had thought it was bushfires, but at the Top End, we had learned the real reason.  

Steve patting a wallaby at Granite Gorge

As we approached Mareeba we saw mango and cane plantations and a mango winery. Petrol was also back down to $1.41 a litre!  We arrived into town at 1.45pm and had a walk around, replenished a few items then drove 12km out of town to Granite Gorge Nature Reserve.  It is in the most gorgeous setting. There are tame wallabies and peacocks everywhere and there are self guided walks around the property including access to two swimming areas nestled among the immense granite boulders. 

We had booked a 3 person cabin which was really cosy, with a double room separated by a door from a set of bunks. It also had a kitchenette with a fridge (a rare luxury!). It also had a a lovely back deck overlooking the trees, a firepit and hot plate plus a BBQ. Not bad! 

Our cabin at Granite Gorge

Cyn went straight out to do one of the nature walks though it was a bit rainy. Steve made a fire despite the light rain and Laura whipped up spaghetti with canned turkey for dinner. We sat around the fire and watched as the wallabies came out of the bush to sit by the fire with us. Steve even patted one! We discussed our next trips; Sydney and back; then Melbourne and back via Alice and Uluru in Dec/Jan; then putting the car and van on the ferry from Cairns to Cape York and then driving back down in June/July; and finally doing Kakadu in Sept. Went to bed to dream of future adventures!

DAY 15: Saturday 17th October - PARONELLA PARK

We got up early and had a brew. The weather was still cloudy but warm. Laura cooked up corned beef and eggs for brekkie. Laura and Steve did the nature walk after breakfast, taking time to stop at Wallaby Rock where all the cute little guys were sunning themselves and were happy to have pats. What a great place. We would all absolutely love to come back. 

Chocolate Shop inside the Coffee Factory at Mareeba

After that, we packed up and headed to the Coffee Works at Mareeba. It was a really cool place that sold a lot more than just coffee. They had all kinds of tea and a gelato bar and a chocolate shop selling chocolate pizzas among other things! Plus they had thousands of gifts and homewares of all kinds. We just managed to resist temptation and headed down the Kennedy Highway past the Drive-In Movie Theatre, towards Atherton and Paronella Park at Mena Creek. We passed countless banana plantations, mango groves and blueberry vines. 

Gallo's handmade cheeses

We drove through Atherton and straight into a rain cloud hanging over Lake Tinaroo! Driving out of the cloud we then stopped off at Gallo's Cheese and Chocolate Factory, gave into temptation and purchased a cheese platter and some Chai Latte chocolate balls. Oh so yummy!! 

Handmade chocolates at Gallo's

Heading onwards on the Palmerston Hwy, the landscape was so green and lush it was a world away from the red dust we had become so accustomed to. We drove through Malanda, past the waterfalls, the milk processing plant and the local markets. We passed Mungalli Falls and the Waterfall Circuit and more dairy and cheese factories. It was such picturesque countryside with rolling green hills and mist over the Range. We passed Steve and Laura's favourite boutique winery at Murdering Pt. 




We drove on through rainforest pockets, paddocks and sugarcane fields. The road became the Canecutters Way and we knew we nearly at Mena Creek when we saw the Cane Mill chimney stacks at South Johnstone. 

Cabins at Paronella Park

Steve and Laura were very excited to be back at Paronella Park and to show Cynthia how cool it was, even though it was raining pretty hard by now. Steve and Laura checked into a cute little cabin and shoehorned the Triton into the tiny space alongside it. Cyn set up her tent on a little patch of grass amid the asphalt and concrete sites. We indulged on some of the cheese and crackers we'd bought from Gallo's and then Steve decided to spoil himself by watching TV in bed, while Laura went for a walk around the park. 

Paronella Park Waterfall by Day

Paronella Park Castle by Day

The rain finally stopped and we all walked 10 minutes up the road to the pub and had either a late lunch or an early dinner at 4.30pm!  Great steak, schnitzel and burgers. We then sauntered back to Paronella Park for the amazing evening tour. 

Steve and Laura at the Castle at night

The castle and waterfall were all lit up and beautiful music was playing in the background. We took a walk through the rainforest and found phosphorescent mushrooms and fireflies. So magical. We also saw bats and heard about how the snakes come out to try to catch them. We saw the turtles, eels and fat fish wanting even more food. We all got a present of a little piece of the old wall to take home and heard about their $1.5 million plan to rebuild the Ballroom and refurbish the rest of the castle. 

We also found out that the owners also own Mamu Sky Walk, the pub and 100 acres behind it where they're building 50 cabins and a new campsite. It rained heavily in the night but none of us got wet, not even Cyn!

DAY 16: Sunday 18th October - HOME

We packed up and had delicious smoothies for brekkie at the Paronella Park cafe, then left at 9.30am to drive the 3 hours home. We passed the familiar vast plains of cane fields and the chimney stacks of Tully cane mill, where we refueled and Steve got some nice greasy spring rolls and dim sims! Onwards via Cardwell, we admired the beachfront that was completely rebuilt after Cyclone Yasi. South of Cardwell there were still thousands of acres of pine plantation that was levelled in 2009 and has still not recovered. We passed through Ingham and watched as four lanes of traffic from both directions, were halted to allow a cane train to rumble through the centre of town.  All part of life in the sugarcane belt! 

South of Ingham the lush landscape and cane fields gave way to the drier landscape we are used to in Townsville. We headed towards Paluma Range as the land got drier and the vegetation more sparse. The cane fields ceased at Crystal Creek and pineapple farms snd mango orchards started. We saw the shrine at Sleeper Log Creek where one of our friends tragically lost his life when the car he was travelling in hit a feral brumby.  The day it happened, we were camping at Bivouac Junction with his brother, otherwise he would've been in the car as well.  As we passed it, we saw family members placing flowers at the site. It was a very sobering moment and reminded us all how lucky we were not to have been injured in our own accident.  

Triton looking much cleaner

When we got home we set about our most favourite task of all (not!) - cleaning up!!! Poor Triton was covered in red dust and so was everything else (including us).  There was red dust in places we never even knew we had and it had worked its way into ever tiny crevice and hidey hole in the car too. 

Steve and his gurney!

We knew that the car was going to have to have extensive repairs after the accident so there was no point in doing a perfect cleaning job, so Steve got out the gurney and washed off the worst of the dust with the high pressure water.  

He also laid everything else out in the driveway and gurnied all that as well!  If Laura and Cyn hadn't kept moving, he would probably have gurnied them too!








Wow what an amazing trip.  The highs were high and the lows were low, but it was still the most awesome trip any of us had ever done. We absolutely loved every minute of it and the memories will never fade, in fact Steve and Laura are already planning to go back next year! And we just found out that all the repairs to the Triton are going to be done in mid-November and he will be as good as new! So once they get a new van they'll be back on the road .... wait, what's this...?


OMG it's Steve standing in front of our NEW Swifty! And it's the brand spanking new design to boot!  Woo Hoo!

Watch this space for our next adventures and til then, it's

Mingo, over and out

SQUAWK!