Northern
Peninsula Area is the area north of Jardine River.
It is a
different area, not only from the rest of Australia but also the rest
of Cape York peninsula, because
of the strong influence
of Torres Strait
Islander culture.
All the townships are either Torres
Strait Islander or Aboriginal
communities,
and it's an interesting mixture.
There is also some excellent
fishing,
four wheel drive tracks,
and Second World War history.
Bamaga
and Around
North
of Jardine River
After you get off Jardine
River Ferry you enter the Northern Peninsula Area, and keep
driving north along the
red dirt road, passing by the turnoffs to the northern banks of Jardine
River, Ussher
Point
and Sadd
Point, and the Cyprus swimming hole.
Ussher and Sadd are both remote and far away, but the river spots
are a short distance away.
Mutee
Head and Jardine River Mouth
Further north, you have the left-hand turnoff to Mutee
Head,
once the first camp of Saibai islanders.
Near the
beach and the
headland is a track up the hill to some Second
World War relics, and another, longer one, to the mouth of Jardine
River.
Injinoo
After that,
the first community you come to is the Aboriginal community of Injinoo
- the oldest of all in the Northern Peninsula Area. You can
turn
right past the community, but if you turn in, there is a church, a nice
beach, a boat ramp and a beachfront park. Plus the mouth of Cowal Creek
- another name for Injinoo.
Umagico
After
Injinoo, the road is sealed and you drive past another Aboriginal
community - Umagico.
It is a
small community with a nice beach with red sand
and blue waters. After Umagico the road continues to the largest
community in the area - Bamaga.
Bamaga
Bamaga - the largest community in the Northern Peninsula Area, but one
of the newest, is a Torres Strait islander
community. There
is some indigenous
history including some monuments; and there are also some Second World
War airplane wrecks.
Around
Seisia
New
Mapoon
The next community north is the Aboriginal community New Mapoon. It was
established when the
inhabitants of Mapoon
were moved here when Weipa
became a mining town. It is
a small community off the main road, so many travellers hardly ever
notice it, but there is a historical centre, and the NPA's Art Centre
to discover.
Loyalty
Beach
North
of New Mapoon the road continues towards Seisia. But before you get
there,
on your right hand side, you have the turnoff to Loyalty Beach.
It is a very nice beach to
fish and stroll
along, but the main thing here is the Loyalty Beach Camping
Ground. On the grounds is
the D. J. Garden Restaurant, right on the beach with great views.
Seisia
North of the turnoff to Loyalty Beach is the Torres
Strait Islander
community Seisia.
It is a beautiful place with a lovely beach front with a church and
palm trees, the famous Seisia wharf, camp ground and a fishing club.
With a boat,
you could always go to Red, Barn, Roko,
Possession or Crab
Island,
(or the Escape
River area
but be warned it's very easy to get lost there).
Tip
of Cape York
Lockerbie
Whether you drove up via Loyalty Beach or Bamaga, you first come to Lockerbie -
not a community - but
ruins
of a historical
homestead
(established
by Frank Jardine
and later the home of Holland Family); and the famous Croc Tent - a
great souvenir shop run by a young couple who have lots of information
for you if you stop in.
Punsand
Bay
Going
north after Lockerbie, there is a Y section where the left turn takes
you to Punsand Bay - one of the most beautiful areas in the NPA, with
access to Roonga Point, the back track to Larradinya creek mouth, the
Roma Flats Track, and of course, the famous Punsand Bay Resort and
Camping Ground.
Lockerbie
Scrub Back
at Lockerbie, the right hand turn in the Y section, takes you to
Somerset and the Tip of Australia. Parts of those roads, but
particularly the one to the Tip, go through some
beautiful rainforest called Lockerbie Scrub - the northernmost
rainforest of Australia, and totally different from the rainforests
south of the peninsula.
Somerset
If you turn onto the road to Somerset and the Tip of Australia, there will be another Y
section where you can turn left to the Tip of Australia, or right to
Somerset. The right-hand road goes to
the ruins of the historical Somerset homestead and the Somerset beach,
from which you can see Albany
Island.
Five
Beaches
Track
Behind the ruins of Somerset is a
track east to Fly Point. But you can also turn south, and continue
along the
five beaches to Vallack Point, Nanthau Beach, and
then turn west and drive past Lake Wicheura and Lake Bronto back to the
Somerset Road. If you are keen to keep going, there are more beaches if
you continue south along the coast.
Cape
York -
The Tip of
Australia Back at the intersection where you
turned onto Somerset, the
left hand road went to
the Tip of Australia.
That road goes first through the Lockerbie Scrub rainforest, and then
an open
woodland with termite mounds.
You drive past the remains of the Pajinka Resort that was closed in the
1990s before you get to the tip of Australia - the actual spot
called Cape York aka Pajinka.
Ussher Point
Ussher Point is one of the great remote
spots in the Northern Peninsula Area.
The track in is long and slow, but once on the coast, there are
beautiful views from up the cliffs.
Down the beach, there are beautiful views of the cliffs, and if you go
for a bit of a drive, there are caves, and you can drive all the way to
Orford Bay.
... a lot of the track goes in through rainforest, and in the end, there is a rainforest
pocket up the cliffs,
... along with beautiful views
from up the top, as well as down the river mouth.
There is also a lovely beach,
... and there are some side tracks in the area.
Mutee Head and Jardine
River Mouth
Mutee Head is another great spot in
the Northern Peninsula Area. Lovely beach, Second World War and Saibai islander history, plus a track to Jardine River mouth.
Cyprus Creek, Northern Peninsula Area
It's a small locals' swimming hole,
... which is actually a tributary to Jacky
Jacky Creek,
... but by locals been known
as Cyprus Creek, even Cyprus
Lakes
sometimes. Destination Guide has the
full detail on it, including
the fact that it is a day spot only,camping
is strictly not allowed.
If any other sources state differently,
they don't take responsibility and have no local knowledge.
Get
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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
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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
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Not to mention locals'
tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)
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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.