Cape York Trip - Sept/Oct 2011

[Dave]

Following all the discussions and interest in a Cape York Trip last year, I would like to run a trip in September/October 2011 which includes the NSW School Holidays. I have handed out copies of a proposed itinerary with more details of times, dates, distances and destinations, and can send a PDF copy to anyone that PM’s me with their email address.

In brief, the plan is;

Cape York Trek - Cairns to The Tip, Weipa and return to Cairns or Undara 2,736 km
Day 1 – Sunday 25 September - Cairns to Lions Den Hotel Helenvale – includes Bloomfield Track or CREB Track - 210km
Day 2 – Monday 26 September - Lions Den Hotel to Cooktown - 53km – afternoon sightseeing around Cooktown
Day 3 – Tuesday 27 September - Cooktown via Elim Beach to Kalpowar Crossing - Lakefield NP - 242km
Day 4 – Wednesday 28 September - Kalpowar Crossing to Archer River Roadhouse - 283km
Day 5 – Thursday 29 September - Archer River to Dalhunty River Bush Camp – includes Old Telegraph Track - 195km
Day 6 – Friday 30 September - Dalhunty River to Jardine River Ferry – includes Old Telegraph Track - 114km
Day 7 – Saturday 1 October - Jardine River to Seisia - 63km – free afternoon in Seisia
Day 8 – Sunday 2 October - Seisia to The Tip and Local Sightseeing - 150km
Day 9 – Monday 3 October - Ferry to Thursday & Horn Islands - Sightseeing Tours
Day 10 – Tuesday 4 October - Lay Day at Seisia
Day 11 – Wednesday 5 October - Seisia to Bramwell Junction via Captain Billy’s Landing - 276km
Day 12 – Thursday 6 October - Bramwell Junction to Weipa - 177km
Day 13 – Friday 7 October - Lay Day at Weipa including Mine Tour
Day 14 – Saturday 8 October - Weipa to Archer River Roadhouse - 197km
Day 15 – Sunday 9 October - Archer River Roadhouse to Lakeland via Split Rock Aboriginal Cave Paintings - 375km
Day 16 – Monday 10 October - Lakeland to Cairns - 248km, or optional Lakeland to Undara - 401km
Day 17 OPTIONAL – Tuesday 11 October - Undara Volcanic National Park Tours

Most of the trip will be D Grade, with sections of C Grade – such as the Old Telegraph Track. I have not done the CREB Track, but depending on conditions, I would imagine it is C to B Grade.

This is the same route as the draft I handed round last year, but I have changed the time of year from July to Sept/Oct and slightly adjusted the days. This factors in the flooding in Queensland in Summer and Autumn, most years the roads are repaired by September. Also, the Cape was very busy in July 2010. When I asked park operators up there what time of year they would recommend, well this is it.

Getting to and from Cairns or Undara is up to you, but I plan to leave Sydney on Mon 19 Sept arriving in Cairns on Thurs 22 Sept, then get the KJ serviced and sightsee for two days before heading North. I aim to get back to Sydney on Sat 15 Oct, making the whole trip 28 days.

Please PM me, or post on this thread if you are interested.

Please consider.

Thanks,
Dave

[Dave]

Coming to the Cape in 2 weeks we have:

Eddy G and James M
Hunty and Jax
Steve F and family
Hunno
John C
Miraz and Beth
Glen D
Dave (me)

And a friend of mine from work Renato and his brother John from Cairns to Seisia, and swapping with his wife Maggie to return South, in a Disco 4!

So that’s now 9 vehicles and 15 people! We have had a couple of number juggles...

It's going to be an awesome trip! 9 vehicles is a great number, not too many in a convoy, and we will have a good number of people around the campsites to have a great time!

Thanks,
Dave

[gp]

Dave

I would like to take my TJ on the trip to the cape

Regards John Clark

[Dave]

Thanks John that's good news! I have added you to the list. I know you have a copy of the itinerary, which has all my contacts on it. Please get in touch if you have any questions, otherwise we'll talk next meeting.

Dave

[Michelle]

Hi Dave
Now that we have canned our trip to Egypt, there is a very good chance we'll be able to come along on this trip. Please add us to the maybe list. Michelle and Adam

[Dave]

Hi Dave
Now that we have canned our trip to Egypt, there is a very good chance we'll be able to come along on this trip. Please add us to the maybe list. Michelle and Adam

Great (Not that you cancelled Egypt), I'm really glad that you are considering it. I'm sure you will enjoy the trip, we will see some sand, it will be hot, and we can do impressions of the Sphinx round the campfire some time! Hope you had a FAB day on Saturday!

Added to Maybe list!

Dave

[Dave]

An update from Cairns DERM (Qld version of National Parks)

Thank you for your email. I can confirm that a group of 10 vehicles / 20 people would need a Group Activity Permit.

The Creb Track is now managed by Cairns Regional Council and track openings / closures are posted on their website (http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/about-t...otices/notices). A permit to traverse the Creb is not required; however, if you intend to turn off the Creb Track at China Camp to go into Roaring Meg Falls (Kija) then you are entering the protected area and each vehicle must have a permit to traverse that section of track.

Department of Environment & Resource Management
PO Box 2066, Cairns Q 4870
Ph: (07) 4222 5242
Fax: (07) 4222 5060

So, when we do finalise numbers, I will organise for those that want to do CREB...
Dave

[Steve F]

The Group Activity Permit sounds a bit much, reading the doco on it it's only required if it will impact on the enjoyment of the area by the general public etc, sounds like we are being classified as a motorsport event!!!

Have a look at the definition in the document below. I think we want to stay as far away from this as possible and it seems like we shouldn't need one anyway!!

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/register/p01237aa.pdf

Cheers
Steve

[Dave]

I agree Steve. I originally asked about permits to access areas eg CREB and Elim... but they seem to have an issue with our having 10 vehicles (ie the scale of our group), not what I asked them about originally.

I replied and told them that I am NOT representing the club as an entity, am not an authorised signatory, have not designed a "project", and am not planning an "event" or other activity as per their notes... In other words I was not going to even try and complete all parts of the form. The bottom line is we are going to take part in public access of Cape York, not attempt to restrict it!

Now I have heard back again, saying that we do not need a Group Activity Permit. Think I might bring copies of the email trail when we go, just in case anyone asks!

Dave

[Dave]

Just keepin' it up there. Handed out a couple more itineraries at the club meeting yesterday, and discussed "usefull stuff" for the trip with a few people - we were at ARB after all.

Any questions or just want to discuss ideas, drop me a line!

Dave