Jump to content

Cape York .... no boat?


Drop Bear

Recommended Posts

Hey legends,

Brrrrr its too cold here in Brisbane and its only gonna get colder over the next few weeks/month. 

Mrs Drop Bear declared that we need to head north and hibernate for the winter... And as everyone in the world knows, there is no further north than Cape York (you all know Drop Bears cant swim and cant get passports)

So... we plan to do a roughing it type quick trip for just over 2 weeks... road trip... sight seeing and perhaps some land based fishing... Take a tent and an eski and a few rudimentary things but that is about it. 

We are working on an itinerary but rough idea is;

Brisbane

Townsville

Cairns
Cooktown
Archer River Roadhouse
Bramwell Station
Elliot Falls
Punsand
Punsand
Seisia
Captain Billy Landing 
Weipa
Weipa
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA

Brisbane

 

Any tips, tricks, recommendations, fishing options, fuel carrying capacity, insect replant preferences are greatly appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Good luck @Drop Bear, I hope your trip is great. Yeppoon is always an option to stop for a night on the way up or back. Flicking plastics around any of the creeks/harbour/causeway lake may get you something. 

If you stay yeppoon stay water front caravan park headong towards Farnborough beach (free access 4wd) used to catch blue salmon and queenies off beach up top of beach (15min drive) at rivers mouth. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, natang said:

Hey Robbie,

Check out Cooktown museum amazing Captain cooks anchor and canon are there. Waterfront landing spot of endeavour lookout is good. Creb track on way with Lions Den accomodation(great pizza). Enjoy. Carry 20ltr diesel from Cooktown as it gets dearer further north you go! 

Thanks mate, Got any tips on where to stay in Cooktown? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Huxstang said:

Not going into Lakefield NP?  Cherubim on the crossing at Hahn Crossing camp area at night.  All you need is a torch and a scoop.  If Midway is open you can flick lures off the bank and dodge crocs

I think we will do Lakefield next trip. My old ute doesn't have a lift kit or a snorkel so we are taking it pretty easy for our first go at it. 

I love the sound of the Cherubim. Delicious. Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Angry51 said:

Yeah, fuel will be off the chart up in the cape.

Watch out for crocs!!!

Take most of your food from home as it's dear too.

Watch out for crocs!!!

I'd take a camping trailer as it's a bit nippy and wet from dew in the mornings and

a little bit of comfort for the Finance minister. They're pretty cheap to hire

for 2 weeks, only a basic one not to fancy.

Watch out for crocs!!!

Drive to conditions/ safely, you're on holidays don't have to hurry.

Watch out for crocs!!!

There was some crocs cruising the beach at Cardwell last week.

That's about it Robbie, enjoy yourself and did I mention

the crocs!!!

 

Did you see any crocs?  🤣

I will check out a camping trailer... We have been avoiding one as we mostly camp but if it is quicker to set up and has more stuff then probably worth it. Thanks for the tips

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Aaron H said:

Did the Tele track in 2016 caught Queenies off the beach on the walk to the sign.

Seisia jetty mountains of herring under the jetty lots of unstoppables lost more trevally than we caught couldn't get the mackerel past the sharks and had some good fun with some unstoppables

Hired a boat at weipa had some great fun on Queenies and trevally and the longtail tuna didn't spook like the moreton bay variety also did a barra charter but we had more fun in the hire boat 

 

Also watch for crocs they even visited us out near the tuna schools 

 

Trip of a lifetime enjoy 

 

Yep I have pencilled in a morning fish from the Jetty before we drive to Captain Billies Landing. Looks insane. Did you just jig up the herring? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Aaron H said:

Hired a boat at weipa had some great fun on Queenies and trevally and the longtail tuna didn't spook like the moreton bay variety also did a barra charter but we had more fun in the hire boat 

Do you have a contact for this? How did you find where to fish? Such a better option than towing mine all that way. Thanks for the tip

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Good luck @Drop Bear, I hope your trip is great. Yeppoon is always an option to stop for a night on the way up or back. Flicking plastics around any of the creeks/harbour/causeway lake may get you something. 

We won't on the way up but have a few more days on the trip home so might stay there. the beach camping looks nice. Thanks for the tip. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, natang said:

If you stay yeppoon stay water front caravan park headong towards Farnborough beach (free access 4wd) used to catch blue salmon and queenies off beach up top of beach (15min drive) at rivers mouth. 

Ok that is pencilled in for the trip home. What bait/lure did you use for the salmon and queenies? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Aaron H said:

I am guessing fuel is going to be scary over $2 in some areas in 2016 and we also may have paid $144 for a carton of Bundy cans in seisia 

Good point. I will pack the xxxx gold and some wine... I don't think we are going to any dry communities but will double check. The fuel will be expensive... I am expecting to spend around $1,500 on it. This will probably be the biggest expense as camping is pretty cheap. Thanks for the tip. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

got any tips on where to stay in Cooktown? 

Van/Camping or hotel?

Its been a long time since I was up there - we always stayed in the van park as you head north towards the airport.   We stayed at one - for a night first time - it was sort of the middle of the town and it was hot - no breeze and had more big scotch greys than we could bear…..most hit you back when you slapped them.  I think the names of them have changed - we used to stay at the Sea Breeze I think.

Best hotel in town and location wise is the Sovereign.  

Good feed at RSL and Bowls club….. 

Mate is going up in July to build a airbnb on his block up near Grassy Hill, so next year I will have a better place to recommend.  He is taking up one of his tinnies to leave as well - so perfect for my next visit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Drop Bear said:

Do you have a contact for this? How did you find where to fish? Such a better option than towing mine all that way. Thanks for the tip

We stayed at the weipa caravan park and they hire out polycrafts with I think they were 40 to 60 hp  fishing spots we found were mostly rocky outcrops and  fishing near beacons near the  shipping channel for the pelagics

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have time, Pennefather River might be worth considering Robbie. Have heard good things about it and has good landbased fishing (pretty sure there'd be no crocs, but perhaps check with @Angry51 ....... 🙂).

https://www.capeyorkaustralia.com/pennefather.html

Looking forward to following your progress - exciting!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For sure, I class anything north of bundy with water

in it as croc country.

I've seen crocs 20 mile from the Flinders river in a fresh water billabong.

I'm not paranoid but geez I'm aware.

12 hours ago, kmcrosby78 said:

Have heard good things about it and has good landbased fishing (pretty sure there'd be no crocs, but perhaps check with @Angry51 ....... 🙂).

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Angry51 said:

For sure, I class anything north of bundy with water

in it as croc country.

I've seen crocs 20 mile from the Flinders river in a fresh water billabong.

I'm not paranoid but geez I'm aware.

 

There'll be plenty of crocs in Pennefather - pretty sure I've read there's a large resident one in the lagoon there. Yep, certainly pays to be vigilant.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 08/06/2022 at 1:56 PM, Huxstang said:

Mate is going up in July to build a airbnb on his block up near Grassy Hill, so next year I will have a better place to recommend.  He is taking up one of his tinnies to leave as well - so perfect for my next visit.

Bucket list! Thanks for the info mate

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 08/06/2022 at 5:35 PM, Aaron H said:

We stayed at the weipa caravan park and they hire out polycrafts with I think they were 40 to 60 hp  fishing spots we found were mostly rocky outcrops and  fishing near beacons near the  shipping channel for the pelagics

Thanks for the tips.

I gave the camp ground a call and they don't do it any more but gave me a number for the Tackle world that also don't do it any more haha. 

They gave me a number for Nathan that does do it... 0419 703 624 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 08/06/2022 at 10:28 PM, kmcrosby78 said:

If you have time, Pennefather River might be worth considering Robbie. Have heard good things about it and has good landbased fishing (pretty sure there'd be no crocs, but perhaps check with @Angry51 ....... 🙂).

https://www.capeyorkaustralia.com/pennefather.html

Looking forward to following your progress - exciting!!

Wow... I have booked at Captain Billy Landing campground... Perhaps I will forgo the camp fee and do that instead. Looks amazing. Thanks for the tip. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Updated/current itinerary
 
Brisbane Proserpine
12 Hours  
Proserpine Bramston Beach
Or Wonga Beach Caravan Park if we are up for the drive
6.5 or 8 Hours  
Bramston Beach  Lions Den
3 hours  
Lions Den Wild Wishes
5.5 Hours  
Wild Wishes Bramwell tourist Station
2 Hours  
Bramwell Station Elliot Falls
2.5 hours  
Elliot Falls Punsand
2.2 Hours  
Punsand Punsand
Punsand Bamiga
40 mins  
Day Trip to TI - Peddells Seisia warf, Seisia Rd, Seisia
Bamiga Captain Billy Landing campground
3 hours  
Captain Billy Landing campground Weipa
4.75 hours  
Boat Hire - Nathan 0419703624  
Weipa Weipa
Weipa Lakelands
7.5 hours  
Lakelands Alva
8 Hours Drive  
Alva Yeppoon
7.5 Hours  
Yeppoon TBA
   
TBA Brisbane
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...