The Bloomfield Track

Cooktown
Cooktown was windy and cold, we didn't do much fishing - those fishing charters nevered happened. Instead we focused on sightseeing and relaxing. We climbed Mount Cook (which tested our non-exsistent fitness levels - that triathlon was a looooooooooooong time ago). We went out to the spectualar Archer Point and visited Keating Lagoon. We also dined at the 1770 restaurant and sampled some crocodile spring rolls (they tasted like chicken - but chewier). We also read books and drank a few beers. Cooktown is a beautiful spot and we wouldn't mind coming back one day.

View from Mount Cook

Mmmmmmm..... crocodile spring rolls

Keatings Lagoon - ACHTUNG!!!!!

Captain Cook

We left Cooktown bright and early and were ready to tackle the infamous Bloomfield track which is the costal route from Cooktown to Cape Tribulation. Due to the 'big wet season' work was being undertaken on the Bloomfield River Causeway which resulted in a 20 minute wait. Waz met a former collegue from DPI and they enjoyed a chinwag while Belle enjoyed chatting about camp kitchens with his wife. Once over the river the going got pretty tough and we drove through some of the steepest country we ever have. It is kind of scary driving down near verticle slopes with over a tonne of trailer behind you. Regardless - it is a beautiful drive through the rainforrest, and while stopping for a widdle stop - I managed to see the elusive cassowary. It took us three and a half hours to drive the 110km from Cooktown to Cape Tribulation, which gives you an idea of how tough the going was.

We checked out a few places on the coast, but decided to stay at the Daintree village. We got a bit sick of absolute beachfront campsites, so we decided that we would like an absolute river campsite instead - while we are writing this blog we are overlooking the Daintree River (with a cold stones gingerbeer in hand). By the way it is probabaly about 27degrees celcius........... How's Brisbane?????

The Bloomfield Track - very steep

View from our campsite on the Daintree River

Property bordering the Daintree

Mossman Gorge

The Yowie in his natural habitat

Nice tree

We did a bit of sighseeing around Cape Tribulation and explored the Daintree National Park. We sampled some of the famous Daintree local ice cream, and walked along many of the walking tracks. Ever Friday night is Pizza night at the Daintree Village Camp Ground, it was an experience that we will never forget. We gathered around the communal camp fire with our fellow campers while we waited for our pizzas to be delivered. Our fellow campers wer certainly a mixed bag. There were a group of young French Backpackers, drunk yuppy Sydneysiders, strange German fuddyduddys who played the harmonica, grumpy old men who moaned about their lives and the the gay properietor who wore t-shirts that were at least 5 sizes too small that exposed his hairy pudgy gut.

The next day we drove to Port Douglas to visit our friends Kev and Carmen (who own an impressive dive boat), they had invited us to spend the night on their boat. We went for a cruise up the creek in one of the tenders and got up close and personal with a big crocodile. Instead of driving into town for dinner, we drove the boat up to the yacht club and enjoyed a boozy dinner and a game of pool.  The next morning (with a slight hangover) we climbed the Bump Track.  This was a very steep exhausting climb, but the views were amazing and it was good to get the heart rate up.

Another bloody croc......

A little bit close if you ask me.....

View from the Bump Track

We are currently staying in Cairns for a couple of nights. We needed to get some work done on the camper trailer, rods repaired and the car and boat are both due for services. I also think that I will book myself in for a service (haircut, pedicure and manicure that is). Wednesday morning we plan to jump into the big rig and make our way up to the Gulf.

Lakefield National Park

While Weipa Auto were busy fleecing our bank account we were busy fishing, filleting fish, croc spotting and enjoying camp cooked beef roasts with our new friends. One afternoon we were fishing for Coral Trout out on a close inshore reef right near the camp ground and we spotted a huuuuuuuuuuuuuge croc about 50 metres from the boat. Not only was this croc big - but it was bigger than our boat. Luckilly the Crocodile wasn't intersted in us - and he swam out to sea. We had plans to camp out at Stones Crossing, but were unable to actually get there - the road was almost impassible (unless you were an experienced red neck pig shooter) so we continued to sit tight at Weipa. Due to the severity of the problems with the brakes, and the 'island time mentality of the staff at Weipa Auto' we didn't leave Weipa until the 14th of June.

 Our kitchen intruder - the neighbours got a vicious brown snake (we were lucky)

Waz with dinner - beer battered cod, chips and salad.

couple of crocs sunning themselves at Roberts Creek

We packed up the trailer and headed South, it was Origin night and we were pretty keen to watch the game. We decided to stay at Laura for the night (a small town with a population of 80). We set up camp and then headed to the local pub for kick-off. The bar was tended by 4 young pommie girls who could have been mistaken for some of the patrons teenage daughters. When the crowds arrived (the indigenous folk from as far as Bamaga which is roughly 600km away) the girls looked like they had seen a ghost. Initially the crowd was barracking for QLD and when Thurston kicked a pentalty goal they went wild. However when the blues started to take the lead half of the pub had suddenly become blues supporters. All in all it was a great night and an experience that we will remember for a long time.

 

Filling up at Musgrave Station



Glad we didn't need to use the telephones.

 The next morning we drove to Lakefield National Park and set up camp at Kalpower, which was a really pretty spot along the banks of the Normbany River. We spent a couple of days fishing the river, but didn't land a single fish. While we were cooking up steak and vegie patties for dinner, our neighbours were filleting massive barras every afternoon. This didn't sit too well with us, so we packed up the trailer and headed off for the next part of our adventure.

White Lilly Lagoon

why you should always camp at least 50metres from the river banks....

Waz not catching any fish....

We decided to take the Battle Camp Track to Cooktown. The road climbs up and down the Iron Range and the views are pretty spectacular. We stopped in at Lake Emma (reminded me of you Charltone) and then stopped at Isabella Falls where we dipped our feet into the saltwater crocodile free water.

Isabella Falls

We arrived in Cooktown early in the afternoon and did a fairly dodgy job of setting up the trailer. We wanted to go out and check out Cooktown and have a dinner on the waterfront. While at the 'Top Pub' we had a heated discussion with some of the local bar flies. We were interested to know exactly where they consider Far North Queensland ends and Cape York begins. We didn't really get a straight answer but the bar fly did call Waz a yowie (Waz is now sporting a thick beard and a bigger fro than me). We are going to hang around Cooktown for a while and spend a day on a Reef Charter (maybe a River Charter one day too). We then plan to take the Bloomfield Track down to Cairns

Vyrilia Point

06th June 2011
We packed up the camper and boat and made our way to Vyrilia Point. The road was in pretty good nick, until we got to the Vyrilia Point turn off. The first point of excitment was a log bridge crossing, with steep entry and exit points. Due to Waza's impecible off road four wheel driving skills, and my clear and concise directing ability, we negoiated the crossing without incident.

 30km of teeth rattling corrugations later we arrived at Vyrillia Point. A quick survey of beach conditions and we were on way north along the sandy beach to a bush camp we had heard about on the mouth of Crystal Creek. It was probably along a kilometer into the drive when Waz started to realize the reason why people deflate their tyres in soft sand - we got bogged. A quick deflation of all tyres, and a change to low range saw us out of the bog and on our way. After a second bogging incident (and a quick snatch out from our new friend Doug who had experienced similar grief) and we were setting up camp in paradise.

A number of the people whom we had met at Seisia had already arrived at Crystal Creek earlier that day. Apart from one other campsite - we had the place to ourselves. Steve and Chrissy who were also keen fisherpeople had informed us of the good fishing in Crystal Creek so we met over beers to discuss fishing strategies. The next day the boat was ready and fishing commenced. The following days were a blur of early morning espresso coffees, cooked Continental breakfasts, morning fishing sessions, midday seistas, afternoon fishing sessions, sunset drinks and cambert cheese around the camp fire with our new friends and rounded off with a satisfying fish meal cooked on the fire and on the odd occasion, maybe a bit too much red wine drank by Belle......

now this is what I call a bathroom with a view....

Highlights included the story we heard about the 16/18/20 foot croc that ate the 80/100/120kg wild bore that was shot by the crew from Rocky on the Northshore. Waza's highlight was his 42cm Jack and number of small beautifully coloured QLD grouper. Belle's highlight was her 45cm Jack (Waz says that fishing is not a competion), and finally getting a bloody decent sized cod. Another highlight (or some would say lowlight) was when an inquistive crocodile came to see what the commotion was about when we landed a GT. Waz was about to take a photo of Belle and her fish, when Belle spotted the croc 5 metres from the boat, and steadilly approaching. Some quick manouvering saw us out of harms way and watching and taking photos of the amazing creature from a relatively safe distance.

cranky croc

Belle's first Jack (45cm).  He was dinner, served with crispy potatoes and a garlic and parmasen sauce....

Waza's slightly smaller Jack - we baked him whole in the coals with pumpkin and corn



Waz with a QLD Groupper



Unfortunately alcohol restrictions brought our fun to an end (not really - but we had run out of booze, ice, food and battery) so it was time to move on. We packed up and were on our way back to Weipa bright and early. Unfortunately the best laid plans..... while we were leaving the beach at Vyrillia Point we were waved down by a concerned fellow camper with smoke fuming from the right hand trailer tyre - we had done a bearing. Luckilly we were waved down by 7 tradies (a boiler maker, a couple of mechanics, a sparkie, a butcher, a baker - but no candle stick maker) from Rocky. Two hours of grease, grunt and groan saw us back on the road with a somewhat fixed bearing - we plan to get this fully fixed in Weipa.



We stopped in at Moreton Telegraph station for the evening and were severley ripped off - regardless we had a good sleep and we were not camping. We are now in Weipa for 2 days, we will get the trailer fixed, restock on the essentials (beer) and wash our clothes. Next stop is Pennyfather where Waz assures me that he will catch a 50cm Jack (even though fishing is not a competion).............

Change of planIt is now Wednesday, and we should be setting up camp at Pennyfather. However, there were some further issues with the trailer - we do not have any brakes. The part needs to be shipped from Brisbane, which means that we are going to be in Weipa for another week. There are worse places to be stuck.
The Weipa fishing competion is also on this weekend, so we are going to enter that..... looks like fishing is a competition after all...........