AFF Gathering #9 at CNS on 16 - 18 October

[Deleted member 29185]

I am a few years older than 21.

Twenty-Four?

 

[Jacques Vert]

+1 & I have booked the Rydges Plaza (best rate I could find) but may change if a better rate becomes available closer to the date.

After the festivities, we plan to drive to Cooktown for a couple of days.

 

[dfcatch]

+1 & I have booked the Rydges Plaza (best rate I could find) but may change if a better rate becomes available closer to the date.

After the festivities, we plan to drive to Cooktown for a couple of days. I rang one of the car rental places today to confirm whether their well-priced vehicle is allowed to go up the coastal route. He advised that their vehicles are not allowed to go on non-bitumen roads but the road to Cooktown is now all bitumen so no issue.

Are you sure both roads are bitumen?

He said: "I'll check on google."

To cut a long story short, I had to explain to him that there are two roads and only one is sealed; and yes, I did check that he was based in Cairns, not a call centre somewhere else. Good to see that professionalism is still a foreign word in the tourism industry in Australia!

If we seriously want to compete with the rest of the world we need to do better than this!

In fairness - hardly anyone ventures to Cooktown. And most tourist shops / car rentals only deal with enquiries for Cape Trib at the most.

 

[dfcatch]

Hey all you lot. Can I place an order for at least one trip report on Green Island? Last family trip we were tossing up between Green and Fitzroy Islands and were getting mixed reports (all good but differing responses to "which is best"). We ended up doing an outer reef (yet again) as the eldest daughters boyfriend had never been :shock:. (can you imagine living in Oz your whole 21 years of life and never having snorkelled or dived the GBR!)

It's like Holden or Ford.

Green Island is nice, small, full of Chinese tourists during the day.

Great for sitting on the beach, a little snorkeling and seeing tons of green sea turtles.

The island is VERY small. But the bar make some mean margaritas.

Fitzroy is MUCH bigger, there's a much bigger resort on the island and most locals would probably choose Fitzroy for various reasons.

I actually like Green.

 

[dfcatch]

Green Island

 

[Jacques Vert]

In fairness - hardly anyone ventures to Cooktown. And most tourist shops / car rentals only deal with enquiries for Cape Trib at the most.

Thanks for that; but I would have thought that he would at least know that there are two roads to Cooktown; I knew and I don't even live there nor work in a tourist related industry. And if he is hiring out cars, then he should know where you can take them.

As you are in Cairns, do you have any recommendations on getting to Cooktown and where to stay?

Thanks in advance,

JV

 

[dfcatch]

Thanks for that; but I would have thought that he would at least know that there are two roads to Cooktown; I knew and I don't even live there nor work in a tourist related industry. And if he is hiring out cars, then he should know where you can take them.

As you are in Cairns, do you have any recommendations on getting to Cooktown and where to stay?

Thanks in advance,

JV

I think most visitors would know more.

Eg. Let's assume you're from Sydney.
If I asked you how many roads are there to Parramatta?
It's kinda the same thing.

To answer your question - unless you have business there, there is only one road to Cooktown. It's sealed all the way, but not terribly exciting.
Cooktown is pretty - although never actually stayed overnight.

The Bloomfield Track is only suitable if you know what you're doing, have a decent off-road vehicle, time the tides correctly, and not in the wet season.

But it's very pretty. I did in my Outback - but probably wouldn't repeat it.

 

[straitman]

We are considering a trip to Green Island as part of the gathering, so perhaps hold off for just a short while in case it becomes part of the itinerary.

For those asking we aim to include Green Island on the Sunday with options of half or full day.

Plans are progressing well at this stage.

 

[Jacques Vert]

I think most visitors would know more.

Eg. Let's assume you're from Sydney.
If I asked you how many roads are there to Parramatta?
It's kinda the same thing.

To answer your question - unless you have business there, there is only one road to Cooktown. It's sealed all the way, but not terribly exciting.
Cooktown is pretty - although never actually stayed overnight.

The Bloomfield Track is only suitable if you know what you're doing, have a decent off-road vehicle, time the tides correctly, and not in the wet season.

But it's very pretty. I did in my Outback - but probably wouldn't repeat it.

Thanks again.

Your information is most helpful.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

I rang one of the car rental places today to confirm whether their well-priced vehicle is allowed to go up the coastal route.

Awh....c'mon........if a Getz can drive to Straddie, the Bloomfield track should be a Sunday afternoon walk in the park! Where's your sense of adventure? :mrgreen: *

* Note - comment typed in jest.....I do NOT advocate taking a hire care up the Bloomfield........even if it is an amphibious Getz!

 

[Jacques Vert]

Awh....c'mon........if a Getz can drive to Straddie, the Bloomfield track should be a Sunday afternoon walk in the park! Where's your sense of adventure? :mrgreen: *

* Note - comment typed in jest.....I do NOT advocate taking a hire care up the Bloomfield........even if it is an amphibious Getz!

For the record, the well-priced vehicle to which I referred was a 4WD, albeit a small one. And I have edited/removed my comments and apologize for criticizing the guy at the rental agency as well as taking the thread off-topic.

(Yes, I do realize my comments can be seen in the quotes of others.)

 

[Major]

Is it possible to schedule a short workshop in there somewhere ?

I need some help with the Android App

 

[Hoe Bing Lo]

Aw...so sad, the gathering clashes with tough mudder in Melb.

i really wanted to attend the workshop. I bet there are gems that'll never make this forum.

 

[JessicaTam]

Aw...so sad, the gathering clashes with tough mudder in Melb.

i really wanted to attend the workshop. I bet there are gems that'll never make this forum.

The AFF annual gatherings are social occasions. So there are no formal workshops per se. But there is lots of chatter between members sharing tips and tricks.

 

[jastel]

I think most visitors would know more.

Eg. Let's assume you're from Sydney.
If I asked you how many roads are there to Parramatta?
It's kinda the same thing.

To answer your question - unless you have business there, there is only one road to Cooktown. It's sealed all the way, but not terribly exciting.
Cooktown is pretty - although never actually stayed overnight.

The Bloomfield Track is only suitable if you know what you're doing, have a decent off-road vehicle, time the tides correctly, and not in the wet season.

But it's very pretty. I did in my Outback - but probably wouldn't repeat it.

Tides don't matter anymore, the Bloomfield River has a bridge now, about 3.5m above old causeway level, only floods in proper rain now.
The coast road is bitumen to Cape Tribulation, no drama for normal car, but some hire mobs still say they cant go over the ferry.
Past Cape Trib it is dirt and the steep stuff starts and a 4wd is recommended.
Cape Trib area has several backpackers, caravan parks and a few B&B's...all the luxury places have gone bust. Port Douglas has the last 4 or 5 star places.
You can drive from Cairns see Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge and all the tourist stuff over the river up to Cape Trib and return in a day trip...long day but do able with time for a swim or two as well.
Cairns to Cooktown about 5 hours with no stops, plus costs $22 return on ferry.

The inland road is bitumen but the cyclone did a good job of potholing it earlier in the year. Hopefully fixed up now. In big rains this will be closed as well as low lying bits flood.
Takes about 3.5 hours from CNS...boring drive. Unfenced cows/roos a danger.
Cooktown has the James Cook Museum, Botanic Gardens (got damaged a bit in the cyclone) Grassy Hill lookout and the general Capt Cook and gold mining history.
There are caravan parks, old pubs, backpackers and a couple of "normal" motels...no Hiltons or Rydges but.
Good for a day or two for the average person.

 

[dfcatch]

Forgot about the new Bloomfield bridge!

But yeah - still need a decent vehicle.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Tides don't matter anymore........

Good informative post that one! You covered a lot of info which I'm sure will help. From my perspective, I like Cooktown, and stay in the Big 4 Caravan park. Pretty good fishing off the jetty in town and also check out the Jehovah Witness hall, which used to be the old hospital I believe. A fabulous and very beautiful old building which the JWs have restored very well, so congrats to them on that effort. (I'm not a JW so I'm not suggesting it from that perspective).

Also at Cape Trib is the Jungle Surfing, which I can recommend as well. Very unusual way to experience the rainforest........and great bloody fun!

 

[Jacques Vert]

Tides don't matter anymore, the Bloomfield River has a bridge now, about 3.5m above old causeway level, only floods in proper rain now.
The coast road is bitumen to Cape Tribulation, no drama for normal car, but some hire mobs still say they cant go over the ferry.
Past Cape Trib it is dirt and the steep stuff starts and a 4wd is recommended.
Cape Trib area has several backpackers, caravan parks and a few B&B's...all the luxury places have gone bust. Port Douglas has the last 4 or 5 star places.
You can drive from Cairns see Port Douglas, Mossman Gorge and all the tourist stuff over the river up to Cape Trib and return in a day trip...long day but do able with time for a swim or two as well.
Cairns to Cooktown about 5 hours with no stops, plus costs $22 return on ferry.

The inland road is bitumen but the cyclone did a good job of potholing it earlier in the year. Hopefully fixed up now. In big rains this will be closed as well as low lying bits flood.
Takes about 3.5 hours from CNS...boring drive. Unfenced cows/roos a danger.
Cooktown has the James Cook Museum, Botanic Gardens (got damaged a bit in the cyclone) Grassy Hill lookout and the general Capt Cook and gold mining history.
There are caravan parks, old pubs, backpackers and a couple of "normal" motels...no Hiltons or Rydges but.
Good for a day or two for the average person.

Thanks for that; we've been to Cape Trib before (yes, in a Getz!) and always wanted to do the rest. Am thinking of staying a night near Cape Trib and pushing on to Cooktown the next morning.

 

[JessicaTam]

A bit of an update:

We are finalising the menu for dinner on Saturday, and sorting out the best prices for the Saturday and Sunday activities.

We should have some more details next week.

 

[blackcat20]

JQ Friday Fare frenzy has $99 fares from Melbourne covering these dates, available till 8pm tonight.