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Cape York News #048 - Cape Melville, Bathurst Head and Starcke Track to Open, and Other Updates
July 01, 2016

Hi everyone,

The tourist season is full on with lots of people up here.

As in all years, some tracks and national parks are still opening for the season in July and August.

So the biggest news right now is that Cape Melville, Bathurst Head and Starcke Track will open on the coming Monday, but Ninian Bay will be closed until August.

Below are also all the other updates :-)

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In This Issue
:

• Cape Melville, Bathurst Head and Starcke Track to Open

• Other Track Updates

• Cooktown Free Camping No Longer

• Feedback Always Welcome

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CAPE MELVILLE, BATHURST HEAD AND STARCKE TRACK TO OPEN

Cape Melville, Bathurst Head and the Starcke Wakooka Track will open Monday on the 4th of July.

You need a snorkel to do the Starcke Track, because there is a creek to cross that is still deep this time of the year.

You also need a snorkel to go into Bathurst Head, because there is a creek on that track (the last creek before the beach) that is deep enough that the water comes over the bonnet.


Track to Bathurst Head.

And finally - Ninian Bay will be closed until August, there is still some damage from Cyclone Nathan and they need to work on that (you will also see some cyclone damage on the Starcke Wakooka Track, but they have done the work there.


OTHER TRACK AND PARK UPDATES

CREB Track is closed indefinitely according to the council, because they need to do some work there, and the rains of the Wet Tropics (different from the Cape, it's rainier there) are not helping.

Driving past a road closure sign is an offence - you can get fined, plus there will be no insurance for vehicle repairs or recoveries.


CREB Track closed.

Lakefield is open again (it's been closed and reopened lately) with the only exception of some Whiphandle camping spots that are still closed.

Oyala Thumotang is open, and Archer Bend, which was closed last year, is open and will be open during this season.

Captain Billy's Landing is open again after the last closure, and the rangers remind that there is a 40km limit on that track for your own safety - there have been fatalities on that track in previous years because people have been driving too fast.

They also said that there have been unconfirmed reports of crocodile sightings at Nolans Brook, so please be very careful at that crossing (and everywhere else of course!).


Nolans Brook crossing.

COOKTOWN FREE CAMPING NO LONGER

While many of you will know that the Adelaide Street FREE camping in Cooktown has been closed for quite some time, there was still FREE camping at Cooktown Airport (on and off, actually).

That has been changed a couple of days ago - there is no FREE camping in Cooktown any longer (as normal they had enough of the people who ignored the rules!).
 

EVENTS THIS MONTH

Bramwell Cup is happening this weekend at Bramwell Station.

bramwell cup 2016
Bramwell Cup Bush Carnival last year, 2015.

And Mareeba Festival and Christmas in July are happening in the second half of July (all the full detail about all the events with dates, times, phone numbers and any admission fees - as well as all other local info of the whole peninsula is in the Destination Guide). 
 

FEEDBACK ALWAYS WELCOME

I really appreciate any kind of feedback on the Destination Guide.

Please let me know if you enjoyed it while planning before the trip, and while using the information once on the trip.

If you get any questions about anything, please feel welcome to contact me.

That's all for this time - happy planning, and happy travels to those on the road!!

Have a great day :-)

Katrin.

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