Northern Peninsula Area

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.

Sadd Point

Sadd Point - even remoter than Ussher,




... 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.

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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