Katies 21st

Home Run

First photo shows grasslands which run south from Normanton through Julia Creek to Winton.
Second photo is Julia Creek and the third photo a hoestead south of Julia Creek.

From Karumba Jenny flew a long run (4 hrs) direct to Longreach.

The following day we went from Longreach to Taree in about 6 hours, stopping at Charleville and Moree to stretch legs and topup fuel. Tailwinds on this day saw us zipping along with a gound speed up to 160 knots (see photo 4).

Had two nights with Jenny's mum and then home to Bathurst.

Karumba

Photo 1 - view over the gulf


Photo 2 - Tavern from rear of motel

Photo 3 Karumba airport with the tavern and motel centr of picture on the waters edge.


Photo 4 Karumba has two parts, the point next to the airport (photo3) and the main town on the river as shown on photo 4.

Heading South

The very strong weather system bring snow to home continued to bring easterly winds, rain and cloud onto the east coast so we decided to alter our plan and return via the inland route, back to Karumba and then over Julia Creek to Longreach.
Departed Bamaga and flew one hour south to Weipa at 1200ft above ground level because of the cloud - gave close views of the landcsape. Refuelled alongside the flying doctor at Weipa and then weather progressively improved. After the first hour skimming along over the beach we climbed above the now scattered clouds and had a good run to Karumba.
As always in aviation plans keep changing, the fuel bowser at Karumba wouldnt work. We decide to call it a day and found a room at the "End Of The Road" motel, about 300m from the end of the runway. A very modern establishment with a new Tavern next door. A great place to have a couple of drinks and dinner watching the sunset over the Gulf.

Jacky Jacky Airfield

The bush surrounding the aiport contains thousands of rusted out 44gallon drums, presumably empty fuel drums left behind at the end of WWII.

The traffic through Jacky Jacky to New Guinea during the war was huge so it is not surprising their are some wrecks (many scattered further afield in Cape York).

Jenny looking at the remains of a bomber, perhaps wondering whether she can get it working again.


The bottom two photos relate to a DC3 which crashed near the airfield with the loss of all on board. The wreckage is still largely intact and well preserved.

Cape York

Punsand Bay is the northern most official camping area and extends along behind the north facing beach, Cape York is visible to the east from the beach. Importantly it has a bar/deck/open air restuarant which is good for campers who travel light ( ie no cooking equipment).

Temperatures were up to 30C however it was cloudy nearly all the time with very low cloud and strong south easterly winds - these never relented and eventually frustrated our plan to fly to Horn Island and even worked hard at stopping us flying south.
Took the "short cut" to the Cape, should have known that a road shown with small dots at Cape York would be a serious 4WD track and not a short cut. Nonetheless arrived at Cape York and following a walk through a rain forest and a scramble over rocks, arrived at the tip. Two large islands immediately aff the tip detract somewhat from its status as the northern most extremity.

Also drove to the Somerset house ruins (site of home of early Cape pioneer Frank Jardine). Apart from this not much else to do except relax on the beach waiting to see if any of the kids fishing along the edge got taken by Crocs!

Our next door neighbours, five families, had driven from Brisbane with their well appointed 4WDs, campers etc and we shared their large campfire one night.

Seems that signs of any sort relating to Cape York are considered fair and just reward for many of the pilgrims who have made the long journey, accordingly was difficult to be sure where we were at times!

On our last night we booked for dinner on the deck, the waitress was a backpacker from Paris but she seemed to have assimilitated the culture very well. It was seafood night and there was stacks to eat including crocodile - didnt have much taste but smeared with mayonnaise was quite acceptable, more or less!

Weipa to Bamaga Injinoo

Departing Weipa's red vista we bounced along at 2000ft for an hour and arrived into a gloomy looking Jacky Jacky Airfield -now called Bamaga Injinoo airport. Jacky Jacky airfield was so named after the exploer Kennedy's aboriginal guide. Kennedy was speared to death near here and Jacku Jacky completed the exploration on his own despite hostile local aborigines. Jacky Jacky airfield was also a very busy location during world war 2 and is surrounded by some wrecks and other debris (more later).
The passenger terminal at Jacky Jacky airfield is basic but some nice artwork (me standing next to) inside. Outside the terminal is a large granite memorial to the people lost in the Lockhart River air crash 18 months ago which depated from this airfield- a warning to all who enter here!

Tied down BLF and were picked up by Bamaga Resort who we had booked a four wheel drive. Very good sealed road into Bamaga, 5 0r 10 minute drive.

Loaded our camping gear into the 4WD and after inspecting camping areas at nearby Sesia and Loyalty Beach not to metion a visit to the Bamaga supermarket where we were followed around by a group of hopeful native kids, headed up the 34 km red dirt road to Punsand Bay

Karumba to Weipa

The west coast of Cape York is a never ending strip of deserted white sandy beach broken by the entry of meandering estaurine Rivers (no doubt crocodile infested) such as the Staaten, Jardine and Archer to name a few. Between Karumba there are three small settlements on the coast, of which Aurakun (pictured with air strip) is probably the best known. After about two and a half hours Weipa comes into site. A mining town where the red bauxite (raw material for aluminium) is obvious - mining is by scraping away the surface and directly exposing the bauxite. Also just south of Weipa we start to see the stationary weather trough ahead and cloud starts loweing and looking more gloomy. Oh well, half an hour on the ground, a meeting with the fuel truck and into the air again-last leg to Bamaga Injinoo.

Burketown Karumba

Adels Grove Burketown

First photo is Adels Grove and the second is the nearby Lawn Hill National Park. Swimming, canoeing and walking are all prime activities at Lawn Hill.

Departed Adels Grove, braving the kite hawks again and tracked to overhead Burketown. Saw the first of many spectacular river " art scenes".

Adels Grove Riversleigh Fossils

Early start to strike camp and load the plane before catching the 8am tour to Riversleigh.

Up here wedgetail eagles and kites seem to congregate on the runway and then take to the air when a plane lands or takes off - oh well cross your fingers!


Visited the Riversleigh "D" site and saw fossils of ancient crocs, big birds, turtles and so on.



Followed by morning tea next the the spring fed Gregory River (our bus seen here crossing the river).