Bramwell Roadhouse to Cairns

The Road was corrugated we think a lot worst that when on our trip up , the sections of bitumen helped, they were more frequent that 8 years ago when we were up here last.

  We Made it to Hann River where we set up camp, lovely spot with lots of different. Animals roaming around including Aussie the emu. We ran into friends on the road Dennis and Wendy and stopped and had a chat they were heading to Weipa. Spent the next night at Mt Carbine which was a good little park. Then did a stop at Coffee works at Mareeba, this was great, very interesting.

Before arriving back at Cool Waters Holiday Park Cairns for a few days where Nic leaves us and we continue on the next leg of our journey.

Loyalty Beach to Bramwell Roadhouse

It rained on and off up at our camp at Loyalty Beach but we really enjoyed our time here, but time to head back down so we visited the wharf at Seisa before fueling up and heading back to the ferry at the Jardine river crossing. It was then back into the corrugations on the Peninsula Development Road we did a quick drive into Nolan’s Brook , that has changed a lot it now has 5 entrances or attempt points where it use to have 2.
Then we stopped of at fruit bat falls and walked out to the falls still a pretty place.
Then on to Bramwell roadhouse where we camped the night

lotalty beach to the tip

Got settled into camp with the weather not on our side it was a bit rainy on and offm so we spent the first day around camp washing and fixing out water filler neck. Then we went for dinner at the open air restaurant at the end of the campground.

  We ventured to the tip the next day with our bottle of champagne, got some photos at the tip then made our way back down along the beach. saw a lot of soldier crabs on the beach.

Bramwell Station to Loyalty Beach

Set off up the telegraph track to see if we could get to Palm creek but didn’t get far when we came across a creek crossing which had some guys walking it to see the depth, they were going through and prepared themselves by letting their tyres down connecting their snatch straps then through they went in the water which was up to their hips.
We opted out of the crossing so we had to turn back as there was no other way to get to palm creek.
We drove up the Peninsula development road which wasn’t in too bad a shape then decided to call in to gun shot creek, drove in the 28k to the telegraph track then started down the 5 k to gunshot when the road turned to mud!! we had cars coming towards us and were getting bogged, then the Spanish shark wrestler turned up and offered to help up turn the car and camper around . He got out his chainsaw and then Tyson turned up with all his mates and they all chopped the trees down that were in the way of us turning around so with the trees down and Trevor directing Laurie we were turned around in no time.  We then continued up the developement road to the Jardine River ferry crossing , then on to Bamaga and Loyalty Beach where we set up camp for the next 3 days.

telegraph track

near palm creek

Telegraph track

Jardine river

Loyalty beach

Loyalty Beach

Cooktown to Bramwell Station

Packed up in the wind and then got a gas bottle , some fuel and then a few groceries and had a look around town including a drive up to grassy lookout.
  Heading out of town towards Battle camp road, first stop was Isabella Falls, then on towards old Laura homestead. We came to the Laura river which had a lovely rocky section near a nest of trees, it looked firm enough until we drove on it , then down we went.
    We locked the diff locks in which helped a bit , but still not enough to get us out. Next the Maxttax came out, they also helped a bit but they just got shoved down into the sand.
     Along came 3 4wd’s , they said “need a hand?”
Out with the snatch strap and we were soon back on hard ground, we thanked then immensely and they continued on their way.
   Stopping for lunch under the huge mango trees that shadowed a once used camp area , then called into the remains of the old Laura homestead. Getting beaten by The elements the old homestead still tells a story of long ago how people survived in this harsh area.
  Came upon the Hann river Crossing which is now a cement causeway that winds across the riverbed between small shrubby trees with a descent amount of water over it.
  The track was quite overgrown, the result of the recent wet season and the appropriate people had not been in to update the roads yet.
 Next obstacle a washed out crossing which needed some thorough  investigation before we attempted a successful crossing.
      The overnight stay at Musgrave roadhouse was pleasant with the meeting again of our rescuers.
Then on through Coen, Archer river , lunch at Morton telegraph station we decided to hang out hat for the night at Bramwell station.

 

Cairns to Cooktown

Up and packed and a meet with Jake and Heidi for a coffee, it was then off to get our battery looked at and a new water filler neck. Once that was done it was fuel then heading north.. we traveled up the captain cook highway which winds along the coastline past many small secluded beaches. Called in to “the Lions Den Hotel “ in Helenvale for lunch, had a huge hamburger, it was nice but the prices are a bit up there.
Made it into Cooktown and it was blowing a gale.

Rockhampton to Cairns

Left Rocky heading towards Townsville, weather was a little cloudy had good camp at Bowen and stopped at Cardwell a lot of tourists. Then continued up the coast through the kilometres of sugar cane farms with the odd banana trees becoming more frequent. We turned inland and headed for Paronella Park, this was a very surprising place , we decided to stay the night in their campground as they had a great deal and by this time it had started to rain. We set up camp in a good little spot , in the rain. We then went for a tour which included a bit of history of the place. Back to camp before our evening tour which included a a 4 string quartet down on the meadow at 9pm. Absolutely fabulous, amazing it was pouring rain but that didn’t seem to make a difference, love Paronella Park.
It was then into Cool waters Holiday Park in Cairns and set up for a couple of days.