T1N Tent to the Cape

Tackled the Bloomsfield track today and other than the scenery was totally underwhelmed, no 4WD required and the T1N had no troubles climbing the steep inclines and to make things worse we were followed by a little Hyundai for most of the way ?

Hi Perce, I'm interested to hear how you go...thanks for posting...I hear the Bloomfield track changes heaps in the wet

Hi Perce
if you're into a challenge try the CREB track (may be closed) and the coach road .
Cheers Chris

Our trip from Cooktown to Weipa was a mixture of short excellent bitumen roads to long stretches of corrugated, rutted roads but at the end of each track we were rewarded with a magical camp for the night, Saltwater Creek, Chuulangu, Chilli Beach. A rest day in Weipa today and then onto Branwell Station. Nothing extreme at this stage, high clearance is an asset. A well prepared 2WD would get to the same places we have ��

You going to give the OTL a crack Perce?.

We will take it as it comes, I won’t try anything too extreme, We are not here to break anything but we want to see as much as possible. Apparently there is “chicken tracks” around the most difficult crossings.

cool. Keep us updated with pics etc.

I’m disappointed to say the least, but at the start of the OTT Palm Creek Crossing requires a winch to get through (no chook track) and then I was told due to the height of our van with the kayak on top we would have not got through due to the low trees. So we took the big chicken track, called into Elliot Falls, absolutely fantastic and tried to get back onto the OTT but lack of ground clearance across some creek crossings made me rethink “do I continue on or err on the side of caution and go back” maybe if I’d been travelling with someone else I would have continued on but we decided to back track to the Bamaga road and camp for the night at the Jardine river.
Not the adventure I was looking forward to but there is still lots to see up here.

I must admit, I was a bit surprised when I saw that you were contemplating it. I have been up the the cape several times in a conventional 4Wd and I would not attempt the OTL in a sprinter, but good on you for going up. It is a beautiful area that it slowly becoming more and more accesible to more conventional vehicle. (especially the more popular spots) Not sure thats a good thing though. This is us at Palm creek on my last trip In 2014.


And Nolan’s brook


No way would my Sprinter get through.

Well we made it to the top, what a magical spot luckily we went early, by midday there was a full Carpark and a line up that would rival Mt Everest. Kicking back at Seisia beach at the moment, tomorrow we head over to Thursday Island for a look.

Perce said:

Well we made it to the top, what a magical spot luckily we went early, by midday there was a full Carpark and a line up that would rival Mt Everest. Kicking back at Seisia beach at the moment, tomorrow we head over to Thursday Island for a look.

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Enjoy the sunsets.

Hi Perce, Well done...can you let us know which tracks you consider to be 'sprinter tracks'. Thanks Patrick

Aussie 2002 4x4 said:

Hi Perce, Well done...can you let us know which tracks you consider to be 'sprinter tracks'. Thanks Patrick

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G’day Patrick, In my opinion only, the majority of roads to most of the places to visit are rough but 2WD, now this can change depending on the weather of course. The OTT is for the serious 4WD’s and even they come unstuck and @$7000 to be retrieved to the closest mechanic or shipped to Cairns for major repairs it can be an expensive adventure.
We traveled from Cooktown through the Lakefield NP, stayed at Saltwater Ck camp site then to Chuulungun camp which is owned by the locals and David the ranger is a wealth of knowledge, on to Chilli Beach NP, when it’s not windy it’s blowing a gale, sites 1 to 10 are the pick. Weipa is worth a look, the town/mine tour is VG.
On the long leg up to the Jardine River there is plenty of camps along the road and fuel stops, Bramwell Station is VG.
After the Jardine we stayed at Seisia Beach, great beach front sites and a good base to check out the top.
We are now at Laura, the end of the endless corrugations, they tease you with excellent strips of bitumen for 10Ks or so, only to be back on the scrubbing board again, sadists ?.
Next for us is the Tablelands and some safe water to put the kayak in.
Safe travels Perce.

SWMBO cannot stand endless corrugations, so will wait for more Tar, B4 we go in our Cruiser.

More info here:
https://magazine.unsealed4x4.com.au/en_US/14852/213350/your_essential_guide_to_cape_york_.html