As we all
know, there are plenty
of other four
wheel drives elsewhere in Australia.
Some more challenging for sure.
But it is harder to find as many on that size of land (which
is about the
size of the whole state of Victoria), and in the middle of the wilderness.
Add the location in the exciting north, and Cape York has become Australia's most popular four
wheel drive
destination.
So what to expect?
Some
experienced four wheel drivers may get their expectations too high
up, and even end up wondering what's the hype all about.
Well, Cape York didn't become Australia's most popular four wheel drive
destination for a few experts, and don't
get me wrong, is not to underestimate.
The good thing is we can
all do it,
but we do have to be
well prepared.
The roads are corrugated, and can be soggy and slippery. For any fun
four wheel drive tracks - you do need a proper four wheel drive vehicle
- with high
clearance and low
range gears.
And it's amazing how much a Cape York trip wears down your
vehicle. It is very
important to prepare it properly to make sure that your
trip is not stopped by a
breakdown.
Vehicle
Preparation
A
pre-trip service
is necessary by a 4WD
specialist,
and even better if he has been to the Cape York and knows what you are
in for.
If you have any leaks get them fixed and if your
battery is getting old replace it. If anything else is wrong fix it - it is only
more expensive
and more annoying to have to do on your trip. I got
first hand experience ;-)
Accessories
* Heavy
duty
suspension
* Snorkel
and breathers
to tackle creek
and river
crossings
* Spare tyres,
of course. Take two instead of one. Punctures are very common on these
roads.
* Bullbar,
if you already haven't got one. While large kangaroos are absent in
Cape York, wallabies and feral pigs are present. And so is cattle that
often roam freely on the roads in this part of Australia.
* Dual battery system
if you run a fridge from your battery. I've tried it without it, and
ended up travelling without a working fridge.
* A hand operated winch,
if you travel alone and want to venture into small back roads with
little traffic.
These are a few basic
recommendations,
full list is in the Destination Guide.
Other
Things to Bring
* A basic tool kit
and a puncture repair kit.
* Jumper leads
* Oil and fuel filters
* Tow rope
and shackle
* Duct tape
* Extra water (10
litres, for drinking, in case you get stuck)
These are a few basic
recommendations,
the rest is in the Destination Guide.
RACQ Road
Assistance
If you
are an Australian (UPDATE
- Queensland) permanent resident, you can
be with RACQ (http://www.racq.com.au).
They have different packages but things that you can choose from
include road assistance,
towing to
the nearest workshop, accommodation
and rental vehicle
while your are waiting for parts to arrive and the work to get done.
You still pay for the
parts and labour costs, but you know they come
and pick you up, tow you for free, and while waiting you can
use another car and have somewhere to stay - handy if you cannot camp
without the vehicle.
It may become handy if
you break down somewhere remote, and if nothing else may
work for your peace of mind during the trip.
It also covers you in the rest of Australia during the rest of the
year, so for a cost up
to $400 it may just be worth to have.
But is it
worth getting it if the main reason on your mind is your Cape York trip?
It
may or may
not in your case.
Full details in theDestination
Guide to make up your mind.
Learn Bush Mechanicing :-)
I could
not help but mention
- there is a hilarious
but actually
also very
creative and right out practical way to get out of trouble when in the
bush.
Our Aboriginal people are the cleverest bush mechanics you can ever
imagine!
Learn
How
to Do Bush
Mechanicing!
Bush Mechanics is an
Australian television documentary series that was broadcasted on ABC
Television in the early
2000s and gained international recognition.
It features the Yuendumu Aboriginal People travelling through the
central, most remote deserts of Australia, in hopelessly old and
worn-down vehicles, only
getting
through by fixing them with bush
materials and some brilliant, unthinkable bush mechanicing techniques.
Examples
include filling punctured tyres with grass, having hand made
"snorkels" coming out of the roof and using the roof as a trailer..
only
to mention a few.It doesn't look pretty
but it does get
them through!
Bush
Mechanics
(All Episodes of the Series
Included)
It is a great belly laugh
and gives
you ideas on what to do if you are out there in trouble with no
help.
Those tricks
are doable, and worth knowing, if it's your only way out!
Get
this 50 pages
guide totally for FREE.
It
contains information that helps you getting started with planning of your trip.
You get to make early-stages desicions such as when to go, how long time you
should take, how to get
there and get
around, where
to stay (general info), what
will it cost..
and a short insight to what is there to see and do in Cape York.
This complete 300 pages
travel guide is all you need before and during your trip. Besides the
background chapters on the peninsula's history and wildlife; and the comprehensive detail about all
the places (down to prices, opening hours and full contact
detail), it has invaluable information on at least 10 four wheel drive tracks,
at least 30 guaranteed FREE
camping spots on the Cape (and at least 150 on your way to
the Cape), at least 40 best
swimming holes, all mapped; as well as practical things -
from fuel, roads, wireless internet and mobile phone reception,
how to deal with the national
parks booking rules; and Aboriginal land entrance and camping permits
and alcohol restrictions - to vehicle preparation and accessories and necessary recovery
gear by my vehicle-recovery-guy partner).
Not to mention locals'
tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)
If
you liked the books or
this website, let others know about it!
Link to it from your website, your blog, your forum post... Share it on Facebook, Tweet
about it...
Every link helps other travellers!
Thank you for doing the
right thing and letting others know :-)
This site uses British
English, which is the English we use in
Australia.
Disclaimer:
Although
best efforts have been made to ensure that all the information on this
website is correct, this site is not to be blamed should there be a
mistake.
This is the ORIGINAL Cape York Travel Guide run Locally on the Peninsula.