Weipa to Bramwell

Black headed python

We packed up our Billabong camp after a nice morning watching all the birds at the water and headed into Weipa. Ordered the roof rack, at Weipa Smash Repair and they let me store my kayak snorkeling gear and other excess weight to under a big aluminium Catamaran. With a pack of hard dogs, the jack Russell was the most vicious and the leader, and I high fence I figured it would be safe.
 Did some shopping at Whoolies, beer, but no Goon till after 5pm this far up.

Ratchet strap holding roof rack on, doubles as a clothes line. 

We decided to carry on up despite the dodgy roof rack, jandals under the feet of it and ratchet straps through the windows.  Headed north that same day didn't even stay in Weipa, across a short cut road at Batavia Station, past Moreton Telegraph Station, up to Bramwell Station Roadhouse. 

The price there asking for swamp water is ridiculous

I was a bit shocked at the price of gas at $2.05 for what looked, and could of been swamp water, low aroma 91, a special brew just for Northern Australia, that's nearly at NZ price.  Grabbed a couple cold tinnies off Kevin, in exchange for a hot shower. Then slowly went down  the start of the 'Old Telegraph Track' after dark to Palm River where we found a space to camp, the crossing looked a hit hairy in the dark so we will see what it's like in the morning. I've herd that if you can get across Palm river,the first crossing at the Bramwell end then you will get through the rest with exception of Gunshot , which there is a bypass road. 

Hot chicken from whoolies, wrap it up in a towel or hoodie and it will stay hot all day, perfect dinner after a long dusty day.

Palm river crossing drop in, it's worse than it looks. 

Read More

Bathurst Heads to Weipa

Corrugated Dust Roads
Backtracking from Bathust to Kowpowar Ranger Station, the roof  rack with jandals on it's feet seems to be holding so we forged on to Musgrave Road House, opting to empty the roof top jerry cans instead of re fueling, we stopped there for a nice hot shower, lunch, and a box of gold beer for James.

Now we hit the corrugations of the Development Road, no nursing the broken roof rack, go hard or go home! 80-100 km was optimal speed to smooth out the bumps, thankful for the engineers designed Nitro Iron man Shock Absorbers, Torsion Bars and Airbagman Firestone Airbag assist, the Mitsy Challenger floated along the roads alot like driving a boat through the chop, to a town called Coen, but I've heard the roads only get worse.
 

After James brought a loaf of bread from the servo for $5 (I think we will have to teach James how to make his own bread or damper or scones on the open fire), we found a free camp just out side Coen, a nice shady spot by the river, no facilities apart from a long drop Dunny.

The next morning I rung around to find a replacement roof rack, finding a load rated track mounted Rhino Rack system at TJM Cairns, but it's going to take two weeks to get it to Weipa. 

We decided to forge ahead for the tip, Cape York, and do the new roof rack when we return - hopefully the jandalls will hold, of course bro, kiwi & ozzy ingenuity at its best! 

Along more corrugated roads we pulled into a side track about an hour out of Weipa, set up a free camp next to a Billabong, boiled the billy and chucked a roast chicken & veges in the fire pot, can't wait.

Weipa tomorrow. Maybe I'll find some new jandals, there's too many bindies up here.

The Make Shift Roof Rack

James the swagman camped out by a Billabong near Weipa

Read More

Bathurst Heads

Mud, Mud Crabs & Giant Black Lip Oysters.



Sunset

Setting off from old Laura, we planned to check out track conditions to Bathurst Head, we stopped at the ranger station and he had nothing to tell us because it wasn't in the National Park. The only way to find out was to go there.
 

Our First obstacle was a long  long creek crossing, wasn't deep but about 100m long. After a couple hours of nice red dirt roads we thought we're nearly there if we keep this speed up, but the track kept getting smaller and slower until there was grass growing in the middle, and even in the wheel tracks too.

Then the mud started.

After carefully assessing each option through the mud, I chose the easiest one, through the muddy water, flicking mud everywhere, it was great fun, and I got through, the other two Misty's followed, and we carried on down the ever degrading track. The next mud pit was just as bad, I didn't hesitate to go, and just past that the track split into several tracks, all muddy, James walked ahead and said it was impassable, which is saying something, he always says just go 'she'l be right mate', after searching more of the rabbit warren we found the main track behind a fallen tree,so back on track!

Meandering along windy narrow and sometimes muddy tracks, around a lot of fallen trees, across long salt flats with more mud, pulled the two Pajero's through on one crossing,( My Mits'y Challenger Rules again), built a bridge across a salt flats creek, we finally arrived, Bathurst Heads at 5pm 3 hours later than expected.
 

The Rocky Shore

A perfect Beach, rocky headlands and camping anywhere you like, I'm fairly sure it's aboriginal land, or unowned land, so there's pretty much no regulation on anything. Or no one enforcing it anyway.

First thing I did was go down to the water to wash the mud and dust off, I took the cast net and got bait, and a Flathead for dinner all in one cast, and I hadn't even washed the mud off.  We got our lines out and went for a fish off the rocks, got a couple small catfish, James got a big catfish which I filleted, and baited the crab pot with fish head.

 We got two big crabs on the fishing line, a late dinner of Flathead and mud crab, well worth the long drive.

The next morning we had another big crab in the pot for breaky. I went for a quick paddle on the kayak, hoping to find a fish and hide from the croc's, we haven't seen one yet, I gave that up fairly quick after I discovered about 1km off shore I was still in 1m of water. So we ate our crabby breakfast packed a lunch and walked about 5km out to the next headland, the first bit of standing water at low tide. 

Black Lip Oyster

There were so many interesting shells washed up I had to stop picking them up.
About half way there we found giant Black Lip Oysters at low tide, I have tried oysters several times and don't like them raw, but these where something else. Big thick and textured, straight off the rock, we used a screw driver and collected a sack full in their shell to cook on the fire, and shelled a heap, filled my drink bottle lol, much lighter to carry without shells.


 Out at the heads we caught a couple of Brim, but I think we missed the best fishing time, got a good feed of oysters on the fire for dinner while watching the sun set.

sunset

The next day we packed up and went back down the muddy track by ourselves as the other 2 Mits'y had left the day before, was a good drive about 2 hours, and we stopped at the estuary for a quick fish and got  2 Brim, 1 Grunter and 1 Mangrove jack, within half an hour of stopping, the tide turned, sun started to set so we tried to move away from the biters to set up camp, no luck.



Mangrove Jack Fish

We set up camp on the side of the river, up a bank away from croc's. Got 8 decent catfish on the high tide that night, and thought we spotted our first crocodile, it was just something big swimming up the river didn't actually see it. We got a bit worried when the high tide came right up to the top of bank, we thought it was a high bank, but it turned out fine.
 

Catfish and Oysters for dinner, the rivers up here are nice and clean, so the dirty old catfish is actually nice, the trick is to fillet it from behind the ribs (wasting a lot), leave the skin attached to the tail so you can skin the fillet, because the skin is too slimy to grip without pliers, then you are left with a fish frame with two ties to tie it in the crab pot. Cooked in butter, coconut oil, and garlic, very nice. In the morning we had a nice crab in the pot, using cat fish for crab bait.
 

While packing up I found out why the roof rack has been moaning & groaning, turns out the rough track had riped the factory lugs out of the challenges roof, on three of six, so using half, no wait all my cunning bush mechanic skills  I jammed a jandal, under each mount and tied it down through the windows, seems to be working so far but we will see how it fairs on the corrugations of the Red Dust Highways. All Packed up and headed towards Musgrave.




Sunrise

When is Clean up Australia Day? because James can have a day off that day, he tidied up a deserted camp, got a perfect Coleman 2man pop-up tent 3 cans of rum and half a pack of smokes, not bad for a mornings work.



Old Abandon Truck

Read More

Cooktown to Old Laura

Our first stop was not far out of Cooktown, where we met up with a third Mitsy. Stopping at Isabella falls, must be named after my wonder full niece Isabella Churches. An amazing spot where you can go right behind the falls and chill out almost completely dry. The water was perfect for cooling off.
It was getting late so we decided to find a place to camp.
Not long and we hit the Red Dust,  the red dirt highways, smooth, straight, red dirt & dust. after a couple of hours and a couple nice creek crossings to wash a bit of red dust off we found a free camp thanks once again to Wiki Camps, between Old Laura and Laura. It was just a dusty pull off bay, so we could of stopped anywhere really, no facilities, lots of firewood, ahh not steak for dinner again. James slept out side under the stars in his hammock there where no biting bugs,
Probably too dry & dusty.

The next day we plan to check out Bathurst Heads, if it was possible, track conditions unknown, maps not entirely accurate
The adventure is starting to get interesting, maybe we will find some mud for these tyres.

Red dust on my brand new Bridgestones

Water from Behind the falls

Isabella Falls 

Read More

Cairns to Cooktown.

Finally heading north again, picked up an extra passenger,  to share fuel & experience with. Didn't get very far, after a clean out and reorganise at Cairns I decided to ditch a few more things at Port Douglas Self

Daintree National Park

Storage (insert link here lol), and the nice owner recommended a nice free camp half hour drive called Rifle Creek near Mt Molloy. It was a good spot for us as it was late in the day, lots of space and lots of people, a fire is ok but wood is scarce. Cold showers, toilets, untreated water, but it is very noisy as it is right on the main highway going north  & it's Cane season. Found a fruit stall at the top of the range  (Port Douglas to Mt Molloy road ), bananas, fruit veges, & even dried bananas & mangoes made on the farm, perfect for long term storage.I will eat them to ward off scurvy when my fresh fruit runs out,lol 

Mossman George

Free Camp in the Bush

Drove towards Mossman Gorge, we didn't want to pay for the bus so we walked the road up to the gorge about 2km, better than $9 per person, once at the top of the road it's a nice 3km circuit, finishing with a swim in the beautiful Mossman River, deep clean & cold, saw some locals swimming the rapids so me & James gave it a go, was awesome. We spent most the day there then headed towards Daintree River and Cape Tribulation, unable to find a suitable free camp we took the ferry across the Daintree river, it was very late in the day but found a small track leading into the rain forest and a nice river, as the sun set we thought this would be perfect, and free. It was quiet, nice grass and lots of trees, facilities were just running water, perfect spot. 

Cape Tribulation Lookout

Had a quick look at Cape Tribulation in the morning, then hit the Bloomfield Track, which started with a good creek crossing, several creek crossings later and a lot of very steep hills we came to Bloomfield, turn left and came to a awesome waterfall called Bloomfield Falls-Wajul Wajul, where we bumped into one of our travel buddy's in their Mitsy Pajero, So now we got the Mitsy Club going LOL. with no coverage it's had to keep in touch.

Bloomfield Falls-Wajul Wajul

Wajul Wajul Falls- my outdoor shower

On to The Lions Den Pub to catch the final state of origin game, James had been wearing his blues shirt for awhile,must be time he washed it. Booked a camp, first pay one at $12 a head, nice waterfront site with sandy river to swim in, good food and pub facilities, pay laundry and reasonable bathroom, showers etc. 

We got set up early enough to start the fire & cook a hearty lamb roast in the camp oven, it was so big that I could barely fit any veges in. It was fun watching the Marones win in a packed north Queensland country pub. James was trying to keep his head low towards the end of the game lol. North again, driving the two Misty's to Cooktown to refuel & get any other supplies, (beer for James),

And we even found free WiFi at the library next to IGA. 

Black mountain

        They tell me the tarseal runs out at Cooktown, finally our journey has begun. 

  

Read More

Coconuts

A How to Blog -Coconuts Usage
Climb tree for perfect golden nuts or pick them up below the tree, a forked stick or light weight bamboo work well on the shorter trees to shake the nuts down.
Peel outer husk, if they are brown or dry ish husks its easiest with a flat blade screwdriver taking out 10-20mm sections at a time, sitting on the ground and brace the nut with your feet, a butter knife or any stout knife will also work.  If they are green or some golden ones are easy to slice with a big sharp knife always cutting down and away from you. 

Pierce eye, drink the juice directly or chill it in the fridge, awesome electrolytes on a hot day after all the work getting into it. crack the nut by striking it on the middle of it's forehead on a corner or hard surface, open &
Eat the white  flesh, try dry roasting it in the oven or camp oven with salt, th can be stored in a jar for over 6months. 

Make coconut water kifir, simply warm the coconut water up and add kifir culture, keep warm for 12-24 hrs very strong probiotic and tastes a bit  like cocnut lemonade. 

Other uses:
Husk:-the outside shell
Rope
Pot scrubber
Park bbq cleaner
Fire lighter

Why do they have to be so high

Coconuts for Breakfast

Read More

Cairns

Got to Cairns on Thursday, after a quick look at the waterfront park lands we found another free camp at Trinity Park Beach, amazing spot lined with tall coconuts and big paperbarks, heaps of room even though we arrived late. No facilities, but a beautiful little beach, no crocs or stingers when we were there anyway. Checked out the night markets on Friday night in Cairns, I will have to look into making my own crocodile belt as I can't afford $220 for one. Picked up a nice kangaroo leather hat to keep the sun off.

Had to sort out a few things in Cairns and ended up staying till Monday to get it all done.

1/5 new Bridge stone 674 mud terrain tyres, 265 75 16. Awesome tyres
2/Replaced all my dual battery fuses with auto reset 12v breakers after a flat battery problem.
3/Repacking the Mitsy Challenger to fit all our months worth of food and filling up the fuel tank 170litres worth.
Oh and a couple bottles of fermented grape juice, and aged fermented malted & distilled barley.

Met some good people who have similar plans and we will try travel together, always good to have another vehicle in uncharted territory. And there both Mitsy's .

Finally Monday arvo we are ready to leave the northern-est city in Queensland and make for the northern most tip.

Read More

Babinda boulders

Awesome spot

Crystal Clear Green Water

Babinda Boulders. is just south of Cairns right near the highway.
We stayed at the free camp which had toilets & an enclosed cold shower. Cooked a lamb leg roast for dinner in the camp oven, I don't think the other campers liked our fire but the roast was very good. While waiting for dinner to cook we had a look down the river in the dark, and James spotted a platypus, under the the full moon was a rare sight in the Crystal clear water.

In the morning we went down to the river early before all the tourists showed up. James found a nice spot on the boulders on the other side of the river, ruined every ones photos. The water is an amazing green emerald clear colour and seems to glow, due to the clean sandy bottom I think. Drops off very deep right next to large boulders. Awesome spot. I  Highly recommend  to visit this spot..
I don't recommend learning to do back flips off the boulders, water slap hurts, especially when the water is icy cold.

Balbinda Boulders

Read More

Australia's Highest Waterfall !

After a couple of nights in Townsville camping  at Saunders beach, and catching up with old NZ mates from way back,you guessed it. Matt Thurston  who gave us some good tips on places to visit along our route, and other places only good for a piss stop lol.

We headed north ,stopped for lunch  at Jourama Falls close to the highway and I think there was also camping there. A nice easy well maintained track through the valley & up to the falls lookout, 3km return. highly recommended even for unfit participants the view is well worth it.

The main track wasn't enough for us, James said you haven't seen the waterfall till you've swum the waterfall. I hadn't had a shower that day so I was keen for a swim.  We trekked up steep rocks,  boulder faces & canyons, past many excellent photo and bathing, I mean swimming opportunities till we finally got to the bottom of the  falls. With solid rock & huge boulders all around a deep black cold pool, we jumped in & swam under the cold falls, refreshing & exhilarating. After a few photos we headed back down  to the Mitsy Challenger, satisfied we had found a hidden treasure of water holes & waterfalls. What we found the next day was even better. Wallaman Falls, Australia's highest free fall waterfall in full form after recent heavy rain.

We drove further north from Jourama Falls & turned inland at Ingham,  51km through mostly rain forest, the road was quite narrow windy & steep but most vehicles would manage it fine.

Camped at the national park campground that night & went to Wallaman Falls the next day. The view from the car park is spectacular, if you are there before lunch, the sun on your back makes a great rainbow in the mist from the falls, 268m high, the highest free fall waterfall in Australia.
There were awesome panoramic views of the falls & the whole gorge right  from the car park. But once again we wanted to get closer, the track to the plunge pool takes  2 hours return & descends through thick rain forest, that is constantly wet from the mist of the falls, and when you come back it is very steep & hard going, but worth every step.
The mist / rain is so thick at the bottom it's was difficult to get to the pool, nearly blown over by the force at the edge of the pool,  but this is as close as we dared to go.
When you are standing at the bottom lookout the rainbow in circles your vision and  it's hard to take photos in the wet. 

Next stop Babinda boulders.

Read More