Cape York / Thursday Island

Arrive at Cairns airport where you are met by the Aussie Redback team. We settle in for a good nights’ sleep before the Cape York adventure begins. (Motel)

We drive to the Atherton Tablelands to Mareeba then continue up “The Cape” to Lakeland and Cooktown. Cooktown is at the mouth of the Endeavour River where James Cook beached his ship the Endeavour for repairs in 1770. We enjoy a two-night stopover in this town. (B,D, Motel)

We enjoy a full day in and around Cooktown, visiting the Botanical Gardens and the James Cook Museum, up Grassy Hill to the lighthouse lookout, and a river cruise on the Endeavour River in the afternoon. (B, Motel)

We continue our journey through the Barrons Range to the Peninsula Development Road, which includes morning tea at the Split Rock Art Site, where we can see a large and dramatic body of prehistoric rock paintings. On to Laura and Musgrave. Musgrave was first built as an overland telegraph station in 1887, along with Palmerville, Fairview, Coen, Mein, Moreton, McDonnell and Paterson. It was named after Sir Anthony Musgrave (1828 – 1888) (B, Motel)

Coen has a large and varied bird fauna with representatives from rain forest, monsoon forest and coastal forests, so keep your eyes and ears open to spot these creatures of the forest. We then travel across the Archer River and arrive in Weipa for a two-night stop over. (B,D, Motel)

We explore Weipa today.

Weipa, comprising two townships, is on Albatross Bay at the confluence of Mission and Embley Rivers. It faces the Gulf of Carpentaria on the west side of Cape York Peninsula. Sit back and relax as the tranquil surroundings transport you into a spiritual world of our culture and history. Discover the waterways and diverse wildlife habitat including saltwater crocodiles and numerous bird species. (B, Motel)

Today it’s on to Seisia, and as the tip gets nearer, the journey becomes increasingly beautiful.  We travel through the Heathlands Resource Reserve and cross the Jardine River on the vehicle ferry and then to Bamaga. In the afternoon we arrive in Seisia for a three night stopover. (B,D,Tent)

Today is all about reaching the Cape. We take the slow drive through thick forest to the northern most point of Australia named by James Cook on 21 August 1770, then drive as far as we can but then have to walk out over the rocks to the tip. From there it is 160 km to New Guinea across the Torres Strait. We return to Seisia and celebrate reaching the Tip of Australia! (B,D, Tent)

Today we take the ferry to Thursday Island. TI is the administrative and commercial centre of the Torres Strait Islands set up in 1877. Since then TI has been a pearling centre and defence base during WWII. We tour the island including the WWII tunnels and emplacements. The afternoon is free before our return back to the mainland. Thursday Island tour and cruise included in fare. (B,Tent)

Today we head back down the development road to Bramwell Station, but not before we visit and take a swim at the stunning Fruit Bat Falls, before arriving back at the Jardine River Crossing. Then we head to Bramwell Station, Australia’s most northern cattle station. (B,D, Motel)

This morning we travel to the Moreton Telegraph Station, located on the banks of the Wenlock River. We continue through Archer River, Coen and on to Historic Laura which was an important supply centre for the gold rush towns of Palmerville and Maytown in the 1870s. Then back to Cooktown for the night. (B,D, Motel)

Today we head to Port Douglas, stopping at various spots along the way. We arrive back in Cairns, settle into our accommodation, and enjoy our last meal together. (B,D, Motel)

Our last day. We visit the beautiful Cairns Botanical Gardens before making our way to the airport for your flight home.(B)