I’ll give you the tip – at Cape York

[jastel]

The sign was shot about 2 months ago, pretty much as soon as the road opened. In the early days it was shoot the glass insulators on the telegraph poles, now its pretty hard to find one.

The chicken track that you took is the sensible option but every year people get bogged on purpose for hours on the original road.

Every year the local Aboriginal mob threaten to close the tip, every year the govt coughs up more $$ and it doesnt happen. They are pouring money into the roads up to Weipa and RAAF Scherger, mainly for defence reasons...further north not so much.

Found the old cyclone photos - Sorry for hijacking.

 

[Brissy1]

We still talk about the museum in Cooktown. It has an amazing collection.

Can't beat it for atmosphere; if you're there seek out the story and artifacts from Mary Watson's Lizard Id. tragedy...they had her escape "tub" there but I think it might have been moved.

 

[JohnM]

We then left the tip and proceeded back towards Bamaga before turning to the east coast to visit and have a BBQ lunch at the site of the Cape York port, defence and administrative centre established in 1864, but which never really got going in that regard and had fizzled out by 1876 in favour of Thursday Island (Somerset, Cape York — The Royal Historical Society of Queensland). Almost nothing remains there.



Heading back to Bamaga via the site of a wartime DC3 crash.



That night, an informative performance by a local dance group at the hotel, culminating in keen dancers like PJM joining in.

 

[JohnM]

Next day it was time to board the ferry to Thursday Island.



The thing that surprised us, and I’m sure everyone else in the group, is just how small TI is – a mere 3.5 sq km.



Pinched from Wikipedia:

The original place of permanent European settlement in Torres Strait was Somerset, south-east of the tip of Cape York Peninsula, established in 1864. However, the channel between Albany Island and Somerset proved to be hazardous for a port and in 1875 it was jointly decided by the Queensland and British governments to transfer the port to the deep anchorage on the south side of Thursday Island. The new port was called Port Kennedy, after Edmund Kennedy, the explorer of Cape York Peninsula, and was established in 1867. The town that developed on the island was also called Port Kennedy, but on 1 June 1962 the town was renamed Thursday Island.

Jetty at Seisia for the for the c. 1.25h ferry trip to TI.



Arriving at TI.



Off for a look around.

Green Hill Fort.

 

[JohnM]

In the afternoon a trip to the pearl farm on Friday Island and the best-presented demonstration of the seeding process that I’ve seen.

 

[JohnM]

Next morning we transferred to Horn Island for our flight to Cairns, preceded by a visit to a good amateur museum and a look at some sites around the airfield which was a military base in WW2. It was bombed eight times.

Looking back at TI.

 

[JohnM]

 

[JohnM]

Then to HID and onto the bird to CNS.



Final night at the Shangri-La The Marina.



Next morning it was on the birds CNS-xBNE-PER to finish a great trip.

 

[Daver6]

Thoughts on the hotel? How would you rate it compared to the Pullman you've been to previously?

 

[JohnM]

Thoughts on the hotel? How would you rate it compared to the Pullman you've been to previously?

Just fine and much the same.

 

[jastel]

Looks like much more tourist friendly and more info up there now.

Top Pub has obviously changed a bit...

 

[drron]

Thanks for the TR. great commentary with very nice pictures.
Not a trip I would take but might get to Bamaga. Have already been to TI. The Top Pub was a bit expensive for lunch so I decided to forgo it.

 

[bPeteb]

Great trip report John. Thank you. Outback Spirit was shadowing us last year up in the Kimberley. Def a bit out of our budget!

 

[VPS]

Great TR - thanks

 

[Flyfrequently]

Thanks for your TR and taking us along @JohnM

 

[drron]

Once again showing us more of the real Australia. Was great to ride along.