Walkamin to Cape York Part 1

DAY ONE

Friday 18 July

As our caravan is at Walkamin which is 76 kms from Cairns and through the mountains, more convenient we are meeting the rest of the group in Mareeba, ends up there are 3 cars waiting for the trip. 9:30am and the cars are all pulling in with a rush for the loo and then Mark our tour guide introduces himself and the rest of us to the other 6 cars waiting. There will nine 4 wheel drives and the tour guide so 10 car convoy, 18 people plus the guide.. We are handed a list of the cars and we are staying in that order for the whole trip. Gaylene & Jonesy, Scott & Julie, Louise & Ed, Peter, Hanna & Ela, Kevin & Leann, Alison, Zelda & Russell (Raptor 1) Mark & Sally (Raptor 2) & Us.

Meet the fellow travellers and our Tour Guide.

We leave Mareeba and head off convoy style for morning tea at Dimbulah population 975, famous for Tyrconnell Gold mine one of the richest mines on the Hodgkinson Gold Fields. The name Dimbulah is thought to have come from the local indigenous Australian word “long waterhole” referring to the Walsh river that runs nearby the town.

We are passing through lots of one horse towns and Petford claims to be the smallest & oldest active railway station in Australia, so cute. There are 10 cars in our convoy and quite impressive along the highway.

Heading out of town to Chilligoe where we are staying at the Eco Lodge but out the back in non powered site amongst the trees. First time to unpack and see what we have forgotten and try out setup. There are only 2 of us who have swags, 6 have tents and we have a single lady who has her sleeping arrangement in the back of her ute, actually probably the best set up of all.

Off to the Info centre to read about the geological aspects of the area where the gold & copper are found. Marble is a big mine here and told of how black marble is produced.Visit the old smelter where we are told the story of John Moffatt, tin mining magnate of Herberton & Irvinebank, took up mining leases on the Chillagoe fields. 1880’s saw discovery prospectors discovered copper, silver, lead. Zinc & gold. This shaped the future of the Chillagoe area and of North Queensland.

We then head off to the Chillagoe-Mungana caves. Our first taste dirt road in a convoy and the 30 second gap between cars to get clean air. Apparently we passed the test.

Gary is our guide from Parks and Wildlife and down we go into the caves.

Absolutely amazing and so many photos to try and show how amazing they are. We are visiting the Royal Arch caves so named after Queen Victoria, whose head is a rock formation near the entrance to the caves. “Limestone has been weathered, dissolved and reformed by water to create spectacular caverns and passages, decorated by secondary deposits, including stalagmites and flowstones.” We get to see micro bats and and spiders, and thankfully no snakes which frequent these caves.

We then head back to the campsite and thankfully no cooking tonight we have a Welcome dinner provided by Swagalong Tours. We get to social & met the others in our groups. A camp fire and we all sit around and tell stories and we learn about our fellow travellers.

Day Two

Saturday 19 July

Up nice and early as not sure how much time it will take to pack up, breakfast and all by 8am sharp for Toolbox meeting at the bonnet of the Mark, the tour guide’s Ute, a map is spread out and told where we are going and what to expect, for example how much dirt, bitumen and road conditions, then on the road by 8:15am Ha! Ha!

We travel on dirt roads and had a film of us going through our first bull dust and now we have a good coating of red dust.

Morning tea at the site of Thornborough homestead.

We stop at Mount Mulligan, opened in1915 but sadly the site of Queensland’s worst mining disaster which took 75 workers lives in 1921. the derelict remains of the township and mine give an insight into how coal mines operated during the era.

Moving on we head to Mount Mulligan, Lakeland & Palmer River Roadhouse. Caught red claw with nets to have tomorrow night.

Day Three

Sunday 20 July

Leaving Palmer River Roadhouse and our first stop is the James Earl Lookout looking over the ranges and valleys. A forest to behold.

Next stop was the Lakeland Roadhouse where we had photos taken of the loo’s quite unique. The Gateway to Cape York and a walk through there interactive displays. Quite impressive as this is where we are heading. A visit to the Lakeland local store for some much needed coffees for the addicts.

Lakeland settled in the 1880,s while the gold rush on at the Palmer River. Red soil basin that grew vegetables & cattle for the miners now a days large holdings growing peanuts, bananas, potatoes, beef & hay for stations out west.

Aboriginal Rock Art at Split Rock is our next stop and quite a walk to the rock art but well worth it. To sit and take in the bird calls and the rustling of the leaves. We see our first capos tree in bloom and bearing fruit.

We stop at Laura for lunch and to refuel.

Tonight we are staying at Artemis Station which is famous for the critically endangered Golden Shouldered Parrot being bought back from extinction. I did see one but not a very good photo. Lovely hot showers provided from a donkey hot water service.

Day Four

Monday 21

Stopping at lots of villages and Hann River is one of them.

Morning Tea Musgrave Roadhouse, we see our first freshwater crocs and turtles. This roadhouse was one of the telegraph stations that is still in existence. Memorabilia and some original ceramic insulation cups left on display.

We stop at a lookout to hear more about the history of the area. More dirt roads to arrive at Meluna Station where we are staying tonight.

Tonight is the first night to breakout the mosquito net, getting quite warm in the swag. A quick dip in the above ground pool if that is what you call it. It was very welcoming after the warm day Meluna Station dinner cooked, silverside and roast veges pav, cheesecake and ice cream Yummo!.

Day Five

Tuesday 22

Fog this morning to start our day. Weipa today traversing over first road bitumen, arriving at Weipa,took a tour of the town and Mark pointing points of interest like the supermarket, lunch at Red Beach explaining how Bauxite is mined and the trees that are important to the 1st nation are kept and then replaced in the exact spot after the bauxite has been mined.

Set up at the caravan park and the afternoon to wash, refuelling and groceries. Not that we need much because very little room. We all gather for a sunset but a bit of a fizzer as it pours with rain just as the sun sets.

Day Six

Wednesday 23

As we were late booking we did not have a seat on the bus for the mine tour but Wayne (Jonesy) has worked in the mines decides to give Cameron his seat and go with his wife Gaylene.

Cameron thoughts on Mine tour.2 hour bus tour around the mine and Weipa. .Bauxite mining is relatively easy compared other types. All trees to be replaced and remove from strip usual 1/2km wide and 2 metres of top soil removed to the side. Leaving the red bauxite, shovelled to belly trucks 350 tonnes to plant. After 2 to 3 metres of bauxite depth mixed replaced top soil and the trees. Mine then moves onto another area. School leavers are guaranteed work if they would like, a mine controlled town. Weipa even though a mine town there is a council that runs the town a mine person, indigenous elders and people elected by the community.

Leaving caravan park after mine tour and an early lunch, then on the road to Branwell Roadhouse. Dirt & bitumen, 80kms our speed limit but have to keep dropping as dust, dips and river crossings along the way. Once we reach the bitumen we all stop and a bike adventure group come out of a bush track. We were all taking photos of them. Pulled in to Branwell Roadhouse and we are camping at the back., along with the bike group, 30 with full protective gear and red dust.

Our cars are all red from the dust and wet patches. Setup and we then go onto the Old Telegraphic Track and both of us had a go pretty scary. Deep gully to drive through the Palmer River.

More to come …….