Cape york.

[willvine]

G,day, I have got 3 weeks to play with Well actually 4 days in Noosa then the rest for the drive to and back from the cape. So giving me 15 days to do the trip. It is kind of out of the blue so I have got a lot to do to prepare for this. I/we leave on the 1st of august so not much time.

My question is, Is this leaving the trip too late in the season to go?, and is 15 days enough time from Noosa and back. i have just read a great report in the trips section and this was done in 21 days. Assuming I have no mechanical issues, and I only want to stick to the main tracks/roads. Can it be done saftely.

I will be traveling with a 17 month old baby and My wife.

If too rushed I am happy to go to Fraser island and pretend for 2 weeks.

Advice needed.

[Blknight.aus]

depends on where your leaving from.

itd be a couple of longish days or one really long day to push it from brissy up past townsville where you start to get to some of the nice sites that are easy to get to and providing you dont dally on the way to each of the camp sites and stay off the stuff that will seriously slow you down you could do the cape by doing one day drive to site and explore after lunch stops all the way.

then on the way back do the same and catch some of the ones you missed or if there was something you especially wanted to do you could spear on to that, stay a night do it as a day outing and head on again the next morning.

you wouldnt see as much as youd like but youd see enough to say youd done it.

thered be very little fat on the time budget tho if something went awry.

From memory you should be right if you stick to the primary touristy routes and dont go the adventure offroad tours type trip.


best of luck

[justinc]

Will,
I wouldn't go hard with a 17month old along, you'll be stopping for feeds, nappies, crying, etc etc etc to make it an enjoyable trip I would allow at least 3 weeks from Noosa to the tip and back. As Dave just mentioned, there are a fair amount of interesting places along the way to see, take your time and enjoy them. No need to rush, the Cape isn't going anywhere anytime soon...:D
We saw heaps of southerners doing the old rush to the top and back to say they've 'done the Cape' to their mates at work next week. (Don't laugh, One bloke in an 80 series left Melbourne, drove almost non stop to the tip, and was planning to be back in Melbourne after only 14 days total on the road. Idiots)

JC

[crump]

Depends on what you want to do, if you just want a pic of the family at the tip and a quick look around you have heaps of time, after all its only a dirt road.For the record I've done the tip and back in 8 days ex Brisbane, but I like driving.

[willvine]

Ok, thanks guys. I have just managed to get 2 more days for the trip so 17 days should make it not so much of a rush.

Next question is, can i do the trip in my wifes 06 forester XT.....Will the car handle it?

Reason is purely cost of fuel. The disco is a V8 and will probably do around 15-20 litres per hundred for the trip and the Forester about 9-13.

Things i would like to see are

1: Wepia and surrounds

2: fruit bat Falls

3: OTL ??? (Maybe if it has not rained for weeks)

4: Iron Range NP-Wenlock river

5: Chilli beach

6: The top.

The Forester is not bad on rough tracks but obviously lacks the clearence
(200mm), less when loaded.:(

Idealy I want to do the OTL on the way up and take my time. ?Then gun it back on the main drag.

I dont want to be the guy who drowned his nice shiny car and is the talk of the town, but am not afraid to dive it to its limit. Better to know now!

All advice welcome:) By the way will any one be up there between 4th - 21th

May need a gentle snatch.;)

[justinc]

Ok, thanks guys. I have just managed to get 2 more days for the trip so 17 days should make it not so much of a rush.

Next question is, can i do the trip in my wifes 06 forester XT.....Will the car handle it?

Reason is purely cost of fuel. The disco is a V8 and will probably do around 15-20 litres per hundred for the trip and the Forester about 9-13.

Things i would like to see are

1: Wepia and surrounds

2: fruit bat Falls

3: OTL ??? (Maybe if it has not rained for weeks)

4: Iron Range NP-Wenlock river

5: Chilli beach

6: The top.

The Forester is not bad on rough tracks but obviously lacks the clearence
(200mm), less when loaded.:(

Idealy I want to do the OTL on the way up and take my time. ?Then gun it back on the main drag.

I dont want to be the guy who drowned his nice shiny car and is the talk of the town, but am not afraid to dive it to its limit. Better to know now!

All advice welcome:) By the way will any one be up there between 4th - 21th

May need a gentle snatch.;)

Will.

I'm stunned.:o

Please do not entertain the thought.
You will get to Weipa I'd say OK, but the rest...?

The Subaru will end up on a flat tray, and you and your family will be renting a Troopie or similar to continue your holiday.:eek:


Take the Disco, the cost of fuel will be less than the long term damage wreaked on the Suby.

Forresters are excellent vehicles, but not designed for the tracks of FNQ. Even the fully braced + caged rallycars break up from fatigue after no time! And they are BUILT to take it.

JC

[Mudnut]

Hello,

Just in response to your question. I would take the V8 Discovery. The extra money you spend in fuel would be less than the damage done to the Forrester. I have not been up this year, but made the trip last year. The better road was the OTL below Fruitbat falls. The bypass road was the worst corrigated road I have ever driven on, and in a fully loaded Forrester, you would destroy the suspension. I made the trip in Aug last year ( Read Cape York Long with Photo's).
As for the 17 Days, It would be pushing it to do it in that time, but could be done. Even if you don't get all the way to the tip, there are some wonderful places to see and do. Ron and Viv Moon's book on Cape York is an excellent reference to the area, and has lots of maps.
Good luck on your Journey,

Cheers,
Ken

[defmec]

i have a 18 month old son and i think u would not end up enjoying the trip once you hit the corrugations but theres lots to see and do around fnq u could take your time and be more comfortable just having a look around cooktown cape flattery,elim beach,bloomfeild,cairns,tully,wallamen falls,mission beach and the tablelands if u havent been there before .they all have great camping spots with good amenities to keep the boss happy

[scarry]

as above dont even think about the subee......do the old tele track or u will miss a great part of the trip....better than hours on corrugations.:(



ummm.....watch nolan brook....beautiful but deep

we did it this time last year in 23days(i think),including a 5 day break shooting on a property near coen,and 3 days with friends at weipa

if u dont have a roof rack& keep speed at or under 100k's,fuel economy will be better


good luck

cheers


cheers

[Rosco]

Will

I don't want to rain on your parade ... sorry. But don't do it. Not in the Suby and not in 17 days. The car won't handle the OTL and the bypass is just a very dusty corrugated car killer of a road through the scrub. To make it worthwhile I reckon you need at the very least 3 weeks from Cairns. I've been there twice in the last 4 years and love the place. But, and I stress this, you must have time on your hands. As others have said, it can be done, but why would you bother if you don't have the time time to check out what it has to offer. Particularly all that way with a little one.

My best advice would be Fraser and then wait til you have the time.

Sorry to be a killjoy, but you did ask. And I'm only giving you my honest opinion.

Cheers .... and commiserations :(

[Bren]

I haven't been to the cape since '97, but the thing that will kill the forester is the corrigations, as others have said. In saying that there was a guy in a series 3 towing a standard caravan to the tip. He said he was just taking it slow ie very slow but was doing fine. He said it was his son-in-laws caravan and I quote "He is f$!#@ing my daughter so I am f@!#&ing his caravan". Another funny story, when I travelled the Cape and then Oz for 3 years it was in a 2A LWB. A friend's father said it would not make it to the cape and back because he read somewhere that two Cruisers had broken their springs. I just said well thank God I am not driving a Cruiser.

My 2 cents worth - it will be a rush job and there is plenty to see and do. As I remember you will not get into Chilli Beach in the forrester but a lot would have changed since I was there.

Cheers
Bren

[scarry]

forgot something.......me & a mate,no Bub,so there were not many stops& some real long days.i have done tripswith the kids years ago& they do slow u down.

anyway,good luck

hope this helps;)

cheers

[Blknight.aus]

disco, not the forrester....

you can do things to live with corrigations (slow down, lower tyre pressures etc)

what you will miss is the articulation and the fording ability of the rover if you need it.

[willvine]

Thanks Guys, Well someone had to provide a bit of entertainment on sunday night.:D


I guess the disco will be the choice of weapon. just thought I'd check.

I have done up to cook town as a young lad so keen to head straight to the top.

I do feel alot better now taking the disco with all the gear, as I would have struggled fitting all the stuff in. Now i can probably use the winch properly for the first time and have some real fun.

Positive side... can take more comforts to keep the misses and bub happy.

Cheers.

Will.

[ScrubPleb]

Will, I agree with Justin. I have just got back from up that way. Unfortunately I was working. I was camped just south of the turnoff to Weipa near Batavia Downs on the PDR. One afternoon a bloke in a Subaru pulled up to see if he could use the phone. His vehicle was in a bad way. Broken radiator mount, bent shocky and damage underneath. He had done all this on the road from Sudley to Batavia. After some discussion about the prospects of him making it to the top he decided to cut his losses, head to Coen for repairs, then a week in Cooktown fishing. Every year there are vehicles, unsuited to the task that do make it to the top. But they are the exceptions. I would not risk it with a baby on board and your time constraints.

[hodgo]

I do Brisbane to Townsville often by road and have done Cairns twice this year in heavy vehicles, the road north of Ingham is in a bad way, with much rebuilding and repairs after the all the bad weather they have had over the past couple of years, road speed is down to about 80 ks nth of Ingham with a lot of stop start road works delays. I dont know what distance you are capable of doing each day, I quite often do Brisane - Townsville 1400 ks in a long day about 16- 18 hours depending on what I am driving ( log book hours slow me down) there is much to see if you take your time
Bundaberg it is a town that has a lot to offer the traveller / tourist,
at Rockhampton you have Yeppon, Mt Morgan & The caves +++ .Then Sarina & Mackay has lots of interesting places to explore and Airle Beach . Townsville over the last 10 years has lots to offer the tourist Cairns which is another 380 Ks I consider this the most scenic part of the whole 1800 ks I never get sick of the scenic beauty that one drives through fro Bne to Cairns.
From my experinces with 17 days and a young one I would take the scoobie doo on this holiday and do an about turn at Cairns .

Happy touring what ever you decide

Hodgo

[willvine]

On a funny note, how about the top gear guys who took a old merc a fiat a rover and a beetle across the Kalahari Desert. Funny stuff, but dont want to be them.

I will now re-think my time frame and destinations to comfortably do it in 17 days.

I have decide to drop Weipa from the trip and spend more time on the East side.

Ta.

[willvine]

I do Brisbane to Townsville often by road and have done Cairns twice this year in heavy vehicles, the road north of Ingham is in a bad way, with much rebuilding and repairs after the all the bad weather they have had over the past couple of years, road speed is down to about 80 ks nth of Ingham with a lot of stop start road works delays. I dont know what distance you are capable of doing each day, I quite often do Brisane - Townsville 1400 ks in a long day about 16- 18 hours depending on what I am driving ( log book hours slow me down) there is much to see if you take your time
Bundaberg it is a town that has a lot to offer the traveller / tourist,
at Rockhampton you have Yeppon, Mt Morgan & The caves +++ .Then Sarina & Mackay has lots of interesting places to explore and Airle Beach . Townsville over the last 10 years has lots to offer the tourist Cairns which is another 380 Ks I consider this the most scenic part of the whole 1800 ks I never get sick of the scenic beauty that one drives through fro Bne to Cairns.
From my experinces with 17 days and a young one I would take the scoobie doo on this holiday and do an about turn at Cairns .

Happy touring what ever you decide

Hodgo

Thanks hodgo.

My wife loves driving too and has done Noosa to Sydney a few times in a day so the distance is not a problem and Tara (Baby) is a born traveler too. so not to concerned about that.

I spent 6 months based at Airle beach so had a chance to explore the area up to Cooktown. (10 years ago) We even used to drive to Makay from Airle just to have Maccas.:o and back and bring the order for the whole town too. so yea i like driving too.

catch ya.

[Rosco]

.............

I have decide to drop Weipa from the trip and spend more time on the East side.

Ta.

Not sure if you're aware, but you've more chance of winning Lotto than a calm day on the East side. Generally it'd blow a dog off a chain most of the time. You can be lucky, but it's rare.

[Ricey]

Hey Will, saw your post and am also very likely to be heading out of Sydney on about the 14th August for 3 weeks. I guess you're locked in for a August 1st start, but if not let me know. I was on the TT at Mt Walker in the gold D2.

[The ho har's]

my 5cents woth



Cains and back took us 2 weeks and that was not long enough..you will not see enough of the realy good stuff..... You can not drive to Chilli Beach without a HIGH clearence vehicle .....not to mention the river crossings....Weipa...the mine trip is a must so that is 2 nights spent there...I can do on forever..........sugest Fraser Is and pretend......until you can spare the longer time up the cape.....:D


Mrs ho har:D

[Ricey]

Ho Har ,what about syd-birdsville-alice (through the simpson) back along the plenty hwy to fraser isle for a few days then a quick run back to Sydney?

[The ho har's]

Ho Har ,what about syd-birdsville-alice (through the simpson) back along the plenty hwy to fraser isle for a few days then a quick run back to Sydney?


well if you fancy doing that go ahead:(
not my idea of a fun trip


Mrs ho Har:D

[willvine]

Hey Will, saw your post and am also very likely to be heading out of Sydney on about the 14th August for 3 weeks. I guess you're locked in for a August 1st start, but if not let me know. I was on the TT at Mt Walker in the gold D2.

Hey mate good to here you are heading up too. We should cross paths somewhere or when you are close try my mobile or radio I will PM you the numbers. I have managed to squeeze some more time in to make the trip more managable. Here is my plan of attack.

1st -4th drive to noosa and hang out with family ( wife flying to noosa with baby).

4th-6th drive to Cairns ( Wife flying to cairns with baby)

6th-8th treat wife in palm cove hotel before tenting it.;)

8th-22nd ish cape and back to cairns.

I Will PM you a more detailed itenary for my trip.

Catch ya mate.

Will

[Rob Bruce]

Ok although it was some 24 yeasr ago our trip to Cape York took,
3 days to Cairns,
4 days exploring Cairns, Port Douglas, Cook Town
4 weeks up the Cape , went everywere we could
Then back to Cairns
2 weeks exploring on the way home inland

The more time you have the morethere is to enjoy. realy think you need more time , it is or was a wonderfull place and assume it still is.
Have a realy good time.:)
Rob

[Ricey]

Thanks Will, got the details. I'll definitely be in touch if I go to the tip, we'll probably cross paths on your return. Rob, you probably sped past me 24 years ago, thats when I was up FNQ for 6 months. I've never done a quick run like this before - not my ideal but better than nothing.