Trip to the cape

[jlef5]

I'm doing a trip to the cape later this year, leaving from near brisbane, heading inland and coming back out at Rocky and then continueing north. Going to be doing it with 5 other cars, all with camper trailers and my car should be a 91 Patrol 4.2 diesel. I just want to know has anyone here done the trip or know some one who has done the trip and if you could give me some words of wisdom. Maybe things you would have done differently, what are spots i must see and where is the best spot for fishing for barra. Cheers

[Green X]

Try.

www.exploroz.com.au, There is a forum section the people there should be able to give you some pointers and i think there is even trek notes for the cape.

[flappist]

It is a bit soggy and crappy up there at the moment. Make sure that you check that the roads are up to scratch when you go as there has been quite a bit of damage.

[JOSH]

WATCH OUT FOR CROC'S, one of my dad's mate's done thetrip up their and one bit out both of his camper trailer tire's

[jlef5]

Yeah thats what i worried about too, that's why we have our trailer, nice and high.

[JOSH]

do you have a firearm's licenece?

[jlef5]

No i don't have a firearm's licence, why's that.

[fangq]

Originally Posted by jlef5

No i don't have a firearm's licence, why's that.

You may wish to plink tin cans with a .308 :-)

Steve

[whoopi]

Hi, we are also going up to the cape for the first time this year.............
have a look at these web sites, very helpful.
http://www.4wdmonthly.com.au/forum
Look under trips and touring , there is over 60 pages under the heading
Cape York Be Prepared
Also there is another site, http://www.capeyorker.com/
lots of great info here.

[jlef5]

whoopi when are you heading up, we are going mid septemer to mid october. Currently have 7 cars going up and i think 17 people so should be a good trip, i'm looking forward to it heaps, just hope i catch a barra too lol.

[OLDFORDNUT]

just remember with all the flooding some fresh water holes will now have Salties waiting to get out and very hungry,hope someone in your convoy has a firearms license

[jasjul]

A highly recommended book to get and take with you is Cape York By Ron Moon.

[whoopi]

Hi Jlef5
We are heading up in July for 6 weeks. Just travelling by our selves at the moment , but I am sure once we get to Weipa caravan park we will find someone to follow. We don't have an itinerary at the moment, just going to stop when we find somewhere we like and slowly work our way to the top. Fishing will be great, if all those stories you read on the web are true.

Cheer
Dave

[jlef5]

Dave
Yeah wish we had more time, we have planned it as been 26 days i think, i would like about 6 weeks or so also, take it nice and slow. See some of this great country, well parts of it anyways. But the 4 weeks should be a good first trip and give me ways to make it better for next time.
Cheers Jason

[vanman_75]

cant beat the fishing in weipa . you will enjoy, make sure you got essential spares hoses etc , not a lot off shops up there, its nearly ahighway to the cape now , you going the easy or hard way up.

[jlef5]

i think the hard way lol, old telegraph route or something. What sort of fishing is better there, live bait, bait or lure.

[Martyvan]

If you want to go Fishing for Barra, cant beat proserpine dam also known as the Peter Faust Dam - Click ... Its about 20km from the bruce highway... the only issue may be given the volume of water up there that has been falling, there could be too much water between the fish

[jlef5]

Ok thanks mate, i will be putting that into the itenerary.

[Martyvan]

Last time I was there, i caught a barra which was a slightly longer the tape measure on the floor of the boat... 125cm ;) I could hardly lift the sucker... was massive!

But I put that one back and got another which was about 95cm and that was perfect eating, got about 12-15kg of fillets off that one.

Never made it to cape york, so cant help with that part... just be prepared for the worst... and then everything will be pleasant if its not too bad.

[jlef5]

Originally Posted by Martyvan

Never made it to cape york, so cant help with that part... just be prepared for the worst... and then everything will be pleasant if its not too bad.

I'm taking up 4 spares complete, 4 spare tubes, the tyre changing equipment, a few spare hoses, and some of that tape stuff for heater hoses etc, and will have $5000 sitting in my wallet as o sh it money, excluding the fuel money, should be enough and one of the blokes im going up with is a retired mech and one is a boiler maker (yes we are taking up a small weilder), im a sparky so should be covered i hope.

[vanman_75]

mate i think you have it wellplanned by the sounds, as far as prosie dam goes its nice but save your self for weipa tru paradise ,the hard way is always the fun way . and all baits work up here it truely is good fishing , when the weather is good that is.

[jlef5]

Yeah last thing i want is to be sitting on the side of the road for hours doing nothing.

[vanman_75]

im not sure if you know but there are people to call regarding access and camping etc open and closed roads just to save any unwanted surprises ,slight rain and roads shut not cause they are dangerous but for preservation of roads .

[vanman_75]

local police and national parks are a good place too start

[jlef5]

Ok yeah im not planning the trip, im basically tagging along with my partner and her family, and friends. But will check with the "Superintendent" of planning for the trip. Thanks for that big of info mate

[vanman_75]

and if hes got a plan of when and where make sure you have booked you camp sites where applicable things have changed in big ways up there

[jlef5]

Ok cheers mate, she is pretty on the ball with planning stuff so she should have taken care of it but will check up with it.