East Coast Drive

It starts at the popular spot Captain Billy Landing, and ends at Ussher Point.


Or do the other way if you like, the difficulty is no different.


PLEASE NOTE! This drive is only for the experienced, and preferably with more than one car. The rules, and the safety information you need to know before considering it are in the Destination Guide.

Rocky Headlands and Cliffs Area

We started at Captain Billy, just because having to get back home across the ferry, it suited us better that way.



The coast starts off very similar to the cliffs at the Captain Billy Landing itself.



For a long time, there are cliffs on your left hand side,



... nice looking,



... tropical vegetation as usual for up here,



... and a lot of the time you drive on a rock shelf.



Not only that, a lot of the time,



... particularly in this, southernmost section,



... there are a lot of rocks (more than on these photos),



... and you always find your way through them,



... it's almost like there is always a track through.

To Hunter Point Area

Finally, the rocky and cliffy area ends.



You come to a sandy area,



... with thinner vegetation,



... mangroves in some creek mouths,



... and some pretty good sand dunes.



It is the Hunter Point area, inland of which are Hunter Falls.



In the end of that area it changes again,



... as some thicker vegetation,



... and some of the rock shelves come back for a while.

To False Orford Ness

Ahead is the coastline to False Orford Ness.



It goes back to the sandy bottom and not so much shade.



There is plenty of treasure for the hunters of buoys, ghost nets and nautilus shells.



There are a few creek mouths,



... and yes, we got bogged, twice.



Not so much for any other reason than we brought the car that has already copped salt water,



... meaning it stopped where a lot of cars wouldn't, and needed engine cooling (stopping dug us into the bogs, though).



By now the drive has been on for long enough, that you start expecting the biggest challenge - the Orford Bay.



That's where you work out the naming of the False Orford Ness and the Orford Ness  (which is where the Orford Bay starts :-)

To Orford Ness

So there is still more going,



... along the sand dunes,



... bare vegetation,



... and creek mouths.



Then the second bog,



... from which you get out of really quick with the local recovery guy :-)



There were a few more creeks and,



... at one point in this section, the rocks returned - bad enough that we tried driving in the sea for a while (obviously not recommended for your vehicle!).



And then, we finally, actually came to the real Orford Ness and the start of the Orford Bay :-)



Well! Here we are - the biggest challenge, the best part of this drive.

Crossing Orford Bay

It is 3pm - the lowest hour of the month's lowest tide.



It cannot get any lower, but it also means that the water will come in fast, because the high tide will also be the month's highest.



The bay looks massive, and we think that even if we lost the car, are you even going to manage to walk out on the incoming tide?



On our own with no other car, and just been bogged twice - we wish we would be on the falling tide, not the lowest, so - no time to let the tyres down - let's go!



Seventeen minutes of a nervous drive across sand bars,



... mud flats and shallow water,



... and we were across totally safe :-)



PLEASE NOTE! This drive is only for the experienced, and preferably with more than one car. The rules, and the safety information you need to know before considering it are in the Destination Guide.

Orford Bay to Ussher Point

Once across, there is the last bit to Ussher Point, and that drive we had already done previosuly from the northern end.



There is first a sandy area with coastal dunes, and then it turns rockier.



Right after are the Ussher Point caves,




... and then you get to Ussher Point.



Here was the first time we had the time to let the tyres down, and with diff locks the old "Salty" climbed up like no other one of our cars had done before :-)



PLEASE NOTE! This drive is only for the experienced, and preferably with more than one car. The rules, and the safety information you need to know before considering it are in the Destination Guide.

Plan Your Trip... the FREE Cape York Travel Pocket Guide

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.

Plan and Bring to the Trip... the full Destination Cape York Travel Guide

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 ;-)

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