We Made It!!

What a wild five days it has been since we were in Weipa! Full of fantastic driving, adventure and camping.


I have spent many months, years even reading and watching everything there is on the very famous Old Telegraph Track. Watched hours of footage of the famous and often dreaded Gunshot creek crossing. Well, now I can say that I have my very own footage of this famed 4wding challenge as I tackled it and succeeded! What a fabulous little car I have, it went every where and then some that I pointed it at.


We are now camped at the beautiful Punsand Bay camping ground. We have absolute beach front here for 10 bucks a night! Sadly, you can't get in the water here...too many big lizards. I actually found evidence of one on the beach one morning as it had come out of the water and left some very clear prints in the newly washed over sand. Yes, I took photos! (There is not a lot up here that I haven't taken photos of, as you can imagine!)

Yesterday, we did the Tip itself, which involved a half hour trip down a 7km track with various water crossings and low range type terrain. It was heaps of fun and I really have enjoyed having Tony as a very capable and encouraging 4wding mentor! He even got out on the way home to film me making the water crossings in the FJ. Getting to the Tip itself was a bit of a walk but we made the trek in no time and soon we were standing on that also most famous piece of Australia, the northernmost tip. I can now add it to my list of being at the southernmost tip and the easternmost tip. Bring on the western tip!

The FJ has performed flawlessly and I think it is becoming a bit of a celebrity on the Cape. Just today as we were driving through Seisia after doing some shopping, I noticed someone taking photos as we came around the corner...and it wasn't the local highway patrol!

We are here until Monday morning, when we leave and start the journey south and into our last two weeks of holiday. Where we will go the first leg we've not yet decided but we know one thing for sure that we will be on a heading of south!

A couple of teaser pics for you...one of me at the Tip. The sign is especially for my mate, Bruce! The other is of my trailer coming across Gunshot, towed by our fearless tour guide in his mighty Landrover powered by a 6.8 litre Chevy V8 diesel motor! So no dishonour in that! I had decided to let experience take the trailer, so that I could concentrate on just getting the car down. The Landy made the descent down Gunshot look real easy, even with a trailer!

Weipa...not far to go.

After a few days travel we have made Weipa. Our camp is looking right at the water, which we can't really swim in because of the snapping handbags. We have had a good few days travel, made some new friends and finally have made the hot weather. It is about 31 degrees as I type and the sun has gone down! We will be here for two nights before heading onto the bottom end of the infamous Old Telegraph Track. As much as I want to see it, I am not so sure I want to do it! However, considering how good the roads have been so far, apart from the dust, I am thinking that even the OTT has been talked up a bit too! For now, its time to R & R, get over the travel and have a day off from packing and unpacking up camp...we are getting better at it!

Cooktown - The Windy City

"I had ambition not only to go farther than any one had been before but as far as it was possible for man to go." Captain James Cook


No one seems to know Cooktown's secret. However, it is hinted everywhere around the town. They were even talking about it in the 19th Century! Can you even guess what it was about? I'll let you in on it later...(yes, yes, I know...a cliff hanger!)

Today was a pretty amazing day. It started with a very bad night of not much sleep and a tree being knocked down. It started with breakfast at a contemporary cafe in the main street and included a spiked tyre. We've not even GOT to the Tip yet!

I enjoyed  a nice brekky of scrambled eggs, bacon and an amazing relish (don't worry, we're bringing some home!), I had 2 coffees at the Capers Cafe but I am still confident in the knowledge that I am very good at being a Barista and that these people, although trying up here in FNQ, aren't. That's a fact. I'm not banging a drum here.

After breakfast, myself and another couple decided to check out local accommodation that would not mean camping. Yes, you heard me...we didn't want to camp out another night. The tree coming down was just a little bit close. We met back at camp and made our decision to go to the Sovereign Resort. Good choice as it turns out!

A quick pack up and thankfully, the caravan park manager refunded our second nights stay. One bright point  in a bit of a dark 24 hours. As we left, I was a bit sus about my right rear tyre. Seemed a bit low, which was odd, considering how it really only has less than 3000kms on it. After hunting around I found a tyre service who was willing to take the tyre off and they pretty much found the culprit straight away. Yep, it was spiked with a 3 inch long piece of rod. I suspect it came from the camp ground. Another reason to leave. Well, that tyre now is just the spare until I get back to home, when I can source another. It will only be good for getting me out of trouble. I'm a bit annoyed about a new tyre being spiked and I did consider going back to the caravan park and letting them wear the bill of a new tyre.

Our tour leader said that all should be good now...we've had our trouble.

I'm not counting chickens! We've still got a long way to go.

The rest of the day was spent in a bit of shopping, lunch, checking out the James Cook museum and getting some washing done.

Now, I am sitting here in the very nice resort room that I have for the night, slumming it as the next two weeks will be pure camping, like it or not!

We make our first leg of the trip now up to the Cape proper. As of tomorrow, it is all dirt! If I have fixed the leaking camper problem, then hopefully there won't be too much dust on the inside either!

Here's hoping we do make the rest of the trip safely. Its epic alright!

This is a quick shot of the three intrepid adventurers rigs at Black Mountain, near Cooktown.

Oh...and what is Cooktown's secret?

Well...lets just say that wind is not an unusual phenomenon here...even the nuns all those years ago were saying how it was always "blowing, blowing, blowing!!!"

The Tropics...Wet Wet Wet!!

This is a picture of the sun...to remind us what it looks like!! This was taken at Seaforth, just north of Mackay. We were camped not 100 metres from this beach.

Two days in Townsville and now a day on the road and every one has been overcast. Today was particularly wet as we headed north to Wonga Beach, about 60kms north of Cairns. Sometimes the rain was torrential, others it was just a drizzle! We weren't deterred however, as it made for some cooler driving.

We departed Townsville at 8am and did a poor hours drive of only 70km. Mostly due to the weather as there were not many road works happening today.

A quick stop in Tully to take a wet photo of the big gumboot (how appropriate!) and then a morning tea stop for those who wanted to eat.

Today we have a third car in our convoy, as Leon's brother Peter and his wife, Julie have joined us in their big LandRover Defender. It isn't towing anything so Peter has been playing tour guide for the day riding up front. He has also let us know where there are any hazards on the road and when he's turning...mostly!

We got through Cairns fairly quickly and I was sorry that we didn't have time to stop there as it looked like it was worth exploring further! Hopefully on our way home, our itinerary will allow for it. I've never been to Cairns before. At least now I can say I have!

Our lunch stop was at Ellis Beach cafe and I think we were about the only patrons there. If it had been a better day I am sure that the place would be packed as it has a terrific beach view. Today's view was of a very messy sea that was also brown.

We arrived at the Pinnacle Caravan Park around 4.30pm and quickly found our camping site. After playing a bit of musical cars and campers, we finally settled on our positions and set up in short order. With the drizzle about, we were quick to get things sorted! Unfortunately, I also noticed that apparently my trailer has decided to drink about a litre of water today, how or where it has got in it is hard to say as all the seals seem to be dry. Tomorrow we'll get a bit of a better look and try to drain the water out!

Our campsite is a bit damp but we are well protected from the strong NE wind blowing off shore and there are not many others camping in the unpowered section here. It is sometimes good to be self sufficient!

Tomorrow is our trek up the Bloomfield track to Cooktown. A distance of some 160kms but likely to take us the best part of the day. Hopefully, my trailer won't be drinking too much more water and hopefully NO mud!! On the upside, everything seems dry and safe inside.

With a bit of luck, tomorrow will dawn dry and I'll be able to get some photos of the campsite and the beach before we have to pack up once more and leave!

Over the course of the trip, we've done some km's. It has been an amazing thing to think on how vast this country is, however, it is still hard to believe that I am currently sitting north of Cairns, just a few days away from touching the top of Australia.

We have made Townsville!

After 3 full days of travel, some very cold nights camping, we have arrived at our stop where we'll get to restock, rest and relax!

It was a great trip, though the traffic on the Bruce Hwy was just...well lots!

I have seen a great deal of things I haven't seen before, including towns I've never been to and now can say that I have!

Both cars and trailers have travelled well, only problem being Leon losing a shackle pin that let the right side of his stoneguard drag along the ground. Lucky I was travelling behind at the time and noticed that something didn't look right.



Our lunch stop today was in Bowen, where it was blowing a howling southerly. We got to have a good look over the once Catalina base and now memorial to it. Along with discovering that Bowen was where Baz made his epic film "Australia."

ONE MORE SLEEP!!!

Here we are...one more sleep and it will be Day of Departure.

Excitement has yet to really set in, I don't think it will until I actually get behind the wheel and wave Wee Waa "See you" for 5 weeks!

Only a quick post tonight...I'm too tired for much else!

Next time I post...I expect to be elsewhere!