Gunshot Creek Crossing

For many people, the famous Gunshot Creek crossing is the absolute highlight of their whole Cape York trip.

While people like to hang their memorabilia in trees in many remote places on the Peninsula, nowhere else can you tell that the excitement levels have been this high up. 

 What Is So Special about the Gunshot Creek Crossing

It isn't easy to find a moment to have this creek crossing for yourself - there is always someone who is just sitting here waiting for others to come down to clap their hands and take photos.


Doing the Gunshot Creek crossing 2010.

It really is an exciting place, and when done properly, it is indeed something that puts your adrenaline levels right up.


"Doing it properly" means going down at one of the steep drops, the most right-hand track (right-hand when you are on the top and left-hand once you're down and look back to it - the dark-mud one) is nowadays the more usual one.

Gunshot Creek crossing 2012.

UPDATE It changes too, in 2014 the dark mud drop looked like this:
   Gunshot crossing 2014.

The easy alternative is to do the so-called "Slingshot", which means driving left along the creek a bit, until you come to the easiest slope and do it from there.

Walk down and have a look first - don't let the steepest crossing turn you off if you know yourself and your vehicle.

People going up the so called 'cheat track', aka Slingshot.

Hey, I have done it (and yes, Rob did get my wheels right!). While it is really exciting to do it and can easily be the highlight of the whole trip, make sure you know yourself and your vehicle before you decide to do it! Once you start dropping you're going down and there is no way back :-)

Me after doing the steep drop of Gunshot; and the bank from above.

Also have someone to guide you to make sure you get your wheels right. Because when you are up there, you cannot see anything down where you are going.

Oka Paul getting my wheels right, in the older days.

There is heaps of memorabilia on the northern bank of the creek, but only from the current year, as the lot gets washed away every wet season.
    Memorabilia in 2015.

Gunshot Crossing Videos

Below are a few videos by other people...

Doing the "dark-mud" drop..


That's how simple it is if you do it right.

Doing the middle drop:


I so much agree with the author, who says, "cameras never justify it"...

Doing the so-called Sling Shot:



And finally, a goodie:

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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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