For most of Cape York , the outside peninsula north of Cairns that run parallel to the Great Barrier Reef , the nearest major city is n’t even in Australia , it ’s in Papua New Guinea . You have it off , where foreland - hunt was a thing up until a couple of decades ago . We just drove through it on the most challenging off - road trail down under .
I had been to Cape York once before , when a few booster and I managed to take a WWII - era Jeep across the Old Telegraph Track , considered to be Australia ’s most - technological off - road trail . After I moved to Australia , and afterward step down my line of work , we decided we take to go back on our off - road lap covering of the country . Why ? Because you may leap off pristine falls , camp on abandoned beach a hundred geographical mile long , and then terminate your day in an ancient rainforest .
For the risky venture traveller , there ’s two main goals for Cape York : first to undertake the Old Telegraph Track , where you ’ll drive though river and creeks deeply than some vehicle are magniloquent , and then get through the tip , Australia ’s northmost distributor point . To do it the good way you ’ll be spending about two weeks in the bush with only minimal sustenance . Overpriced fuel and limited supplying are available every two or three hundred air mile at one of the roadhouse dispel along the region ’s master road ( which is dirt , and covered in washboard corrugations so vainglorious it rattles apart even the tough trucks ) but other than that , you ’re on your own .
You require to pack for almost every contingency that could happen to you and your vehicle : everything from broken axle , to pierce fuel tank car , to absolutely knackered suspension . You also need to make for enough nutrient . Because the only matter that ’s more deadly than the snakes , spiders , crocodiles , and jellyfish that are constantly trying to kill you in Cape York is the monotony of the little scrap of Australian nutrient you ’ll find along the way . Even though Cape York is part of Australia , a country that consistently ranks in the top ten internationally for quality of life , fresh garden truck is only available here once or twice a week , and at outrageous prices .
When I went a year ago , I scarcely ascertain another person , the place was pristine and outback as could be . Sure , a few cars were around , but it was a life of wild camping and solitude — just what I was hop-skip for after leaving my stress - bait job . Unfortunately , our trip-up coincide with the Aussie ‘ School Holidays ’ so every bogan and their family load up their oeuvre ‘ ute ’ to the brim with every gadget from home and proceeded to deform this pristine wilderness into their little turning point of Western Sydney . It was n’t what we were expecting , but it was still pretty damn sound .
The Mosman River Gorge is one of the most - approachable rain forest in Australia , and because of its propinquity to Cairns , one of the in use . But if you hike in a few mil , you ’ll find some beautiful lechatelierite clear swimming yap .
One - or - two hundred miles north of Carins by filth road is theLion ’s Den Hotel . you could camp , eat , and drink your lilliputian someone out here . There ’s no cell service either , which intend citizenry actually babble out to you . For some , this is the end of an adventure , but for those with a 4X4 , it ’s just the start .
Black Mountain is a sacred site to the local aboriginal universe , situate near to Cooktown , it ’s essentially a decomposing granite mountain , made up of boulders one-sided black from the being that stick to their exterior .
Pushing north , we decided to exploreElim Beach , a remote country on aboriginal lands home to pristine beach and amazing sundown .
corking sunset lead to great mornings . Here ’s the view from the tent , the water is fill with saltwater crocodile , so it ’s best to take note from a distance .
Lakefield National Parkis at the southeasterly corner of the Cape York Peninsula , it ’s a microcosm of the region , with tidal rivers ( filled with common salt weewee crocs ) , vast champaign , and mess of boo - rich billabongs . There ’s also no paved road , which is a fillip .
The Nifold Plains are home to some interesting , yet tiny creatures : charismatic white ant .
They build their termite hammock in a very specific centering , which initially lead citizenry to believe they were ‘ magnetic ’ . It turns out they build their agglomerate in coordination with the Sunday to regulate the internal temperature of their dwelling house . fresh . They also see like something out of Lord Of The Rings .
Australians love a in effect joke , which is why they apparently rename the ‘ Exchange ’ hotel , the ‘ Sexchange Hotel ’ .
They have decent burgers , and it makes for a gracious stop after another few hundred mile of hard corrugated grunge roads .
The Old Telegraph Track is one of Australia ’s most - famous , and supposedly most technical four - wheel drive track . It ’s fill with Honda Civic - high-pitched water crossing , and unconscionable turbid banks that can cause an ill - prepared machine driver to roll their fomite . This is one of the stead you really demand a snorkel .
For cite , Snoopy The Troopy , our Land Cruiser Troop carrier , is about 7 - metrical unit tall .
cover after foil , after crossing , through some of Australia ’s most distant bushland . Some were filled with soupy clay …
… and some were abstruse with a satisfying rock bottom .
There ’s only one ferry in Cape York and it need you across the Jardine River . Everything else you have to drive across . This crossing cost $ 100 . Apparently there ’s been a few instances of crocodile eating the great unwashed , or maybe that ’s just what they say to get you to cross . Either mode , it ’s all but mandatory now .
We had a battery fail on the Old Telegraph Track , which led us on a hunt to find one in Bamaga , where they only get overbold produce twice a week . Surprisingly , we find a good quality battery for an even better terms after about five minutes in town . unremarkably railroad car parts need to be flown or truck in — at massive price .
Laundry at its finest .
Here ’s Laura and I at the northernmost level of Australia . We were foul , a act tired , and a mo wired . But that ’s part of escapade .
We settled down to a decent campfire afterwards .
Matt Scott is a author and photographer who has somehow made a life-time out of fomite - based adventure . His motorize shenanigans have take up him all over the world in pastime of a good time . you’re able to follow him onFacebookand on Instagram:@mattexplore .
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