Lakeland Downs

It is a small township on the crossroads of the Peninsula Developmental Road that goes north to the tip of Cape York, and Mulligan Highway that goes east to the coast to Cooktown.


It is about 100km north of Mt Carbine and about 30km north of Palmer River Roadhouse.


It is really small and there is nothing much to do there for travellers - except to fill up your tank, buy something to eat and drink, and stay over the night if needed.

The road that comes in to the town is good and it is sealed. 

Enjoy it while it still is - after this township the roads are only partly sealed (UPDATE now sealed until Laura), and will get worse the further north you go. If you turn right to Mulligan Highway, the road is sealed all the way to Cooktown.

 

Lakeland Downs Roadhouse
Right along the main road is the roadhouse where truckies stop for a meal, and where you can also fill up your tank and get something to eat. 

There is also a small shop with basic supplies, soft drinks, chips and take-away food.

Facilities
If you turn into the town, there is another similar place, but with better food and cheaper fuel. 

It is the Lakeland Downs coffee house and general store that also sells fuel, souvenirs, takeaway food and snacks, and basic supplies and groceries.

Hotels in Lakeland
As every proper Australian country town, Lakeland Downs has a pub, which is also the town's only hotel. 

Like all the other proper Aussie pubs, it has a public bar with pool tables, meals and drinks, and a beer garden in the back.

Camp in Lakeland Caravan Park
There is a nice caravan park in town, with shady sites and the usual amenities. 

They have units as well as powered and unpowered sites. You can store your caravan here if you decide not to drag it all the way to the tip of Australia.

Lakeland Hotels

Lakeland Downs in Cape York, Australia, is only a small place and there is only one hotel - the Lakeland Downs Hotel Motel.

 

Like other Australian country hotels, this is also the town's only pub.
   

There is a public bar with the usual, like pool tables etc. And there is a beer garden in the back yard.

Camp in Lakeland

A good place to camp in Lakeland is the caravan park.

It is a great park with nice managers and clean flash amenities.

There are green lawns, shady sites and laundry facilities.



There is a small shop in the reception that sells souvenirs and some great books about the history and wildlife of Cape York.
 

And you can store your van here if you don't want to take it up to the peninsula.



There is also a rest stop with toilets on the roadside.
   

And there is a washdown facility to not to spread any possible weed seeds. UPDATE since 2017 it has been closed because of vandalism and misuse.

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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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