Tip of Australia


The tip of Australia is a very special place.

It is a beautiful place on the northernmost tip of a rocky headland, a walk away from the carpark.


There are some beautiful views over the often emerald blue ocean, and Yorke and Eborac Islands.


The indigenous name of the place is Pajinka.

tip of australia marker tip of australia cairn
tip of australia yorke island tip of australia eborac island

The famous sign at the tip of the headland,

tip of australia sign

... and any north from here, the only Australian territory is the Torres Strait Islands.

tip of australia islands

For many people, the tip of Australia is the main goal of their Cape York trip.

tip of australia sign

You could bring a picnic and drinks and enjoy the place for a while,


tip of australia marker

... or you could bring your fishing gear - with the meeting of the currents from the Coral Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria, it's a great place for fishing.

The Walks to the Tip of Australia

There are two walks to the Tip of Australia - the Top Walk and the Bottom Walk - both clearly visible from the helicopter.

tip of australia aerial view

The Top Walk to the Tip of Australia

The Top Walk is the more common one, as it goes straight from the carpark and is not tide-dependant.

tip of australia carpark tip of australia car park

First, there is a bit of a climb,

tip of australia top walk start tip of australia top walk start
tip of australia top walk rocky tip of australia top walk rocky
  
Some steps are a little steep...

tip of australia top walk steep tip of australia top walk steep

Then there is a more level section up the top,

tip of australia walk level

... with beautiful views,

tip of australia top walk cairn tip of australia top walk level
tip of australia top walk views tip of australia top walk views

... until you get to the northern end,
   tip of australia walk views

... there is a distance marker,

tip of australia top walk cairns tip of australia top walk distance marker
tip of australia top walk distance marker tip of australia top walk

... and then there is a descent down ...


tip of australia top walk cairns tip of australia top walk cairn
tip of australia top walk descent tip of australia top walk descent

... to the sign and the northenmost point of Australia.

tip of australia walk end

The Bottom Walk to the Tip of Australia

From the top, you can see down to the Frangipani beach.

tip of australia low tide

At the low tide, you can do the Bottom Walk.

tip of australia walk beach

It means you are not climbing over the top of the headland,

tip of australia walk low tide
tip of australia bottom walk low tide
tip of australia bottom walk beach frangipani beach

...
but rather past the biggest hill, on the sea bottom at the low tide.

tip of australia bottom walk mangroves tip of australia bottom walk muddy
tip of australia bottom walk slippery tip of australia walk mangroves

It is muddy around mangroves, and slippery where you start the track, getting off the beach.

tip of australia alternative walk

The track first climbs up a small hill,

tip of australia bottom walk rocky tip of australia bottom walk anthill
tip of australia bottom walk hill tip of australia bottom walk steep

... with some nice views,

tip of australia walk coastal
tip of australia bottom walk views
tip of australia bottom walk sunset tip of australia bottom walk sunset

Then descends to the sign.

tip of australia walk to the sign

While this walk's rocky section is shorter, 

tip of australia walk to northernmost point

... it is not necessarily easier,

tip of australia coastal walk end

... as there are some steep and slippery steps as well.

tip of australia northernmost point

Frangipani Beach

Back on the Frangipani beach, where the bottom walk started, you can also walk to the other side, to the creek mouth.  

frangipani beach high tide
frangipani beach
frangipani beach frangipani beach car park

It has also, over the years, been our favourite place to get out for a Sunday beach drive :-)

frangipani beach drive
frangipani beach driving
frangipani beach drive frangipani beach track
frangipani beach track
frangipani beach driving

The Tip Sunset

There are also beautiful sunrises and sunsets,

tip of australia sunset sign

... on both sides over the water.

tip of australia sunset frangipani beach tip of australia sunset beach
tip of australia sunset palms tip of australia sunset

On your drive in and out of the Tip, you also drive past what remains of the Pajinka Resort.



Did You Make It Up Here?

Tell us! Upload your photo(s) on your own page!

Made it to the Tip?

Tell us! Attach a photo (up to four)! Build your own page with YOUR story!

[ ? ]

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional)[ ? ]

 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

(first or full name)

(e.g., City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

  •  submission guidelines.


(You can preview and edit on the next page)

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

At the Tip 
Great walk to the tip / was there for 2 hours by ourselves / no other "tippers". Polaroided a school of queenies caught and released 10, what an experience …

We Made It & We Will Do It Again 
Hi Katrin, we are back at Bellenden Ker now with lots of good memories of our trip to Cape York. We're so glad we went. It took us a month to go …

Click here to write your own.


Pajinka Resort

Once upon a time, until the 1990s, it used to be a luxury resort and many people have told me how much they loved to stay here.

pajinka

You can still see the resort entrance, the restaurant, kitchen, cool rooms, solar panels, huge oil tanks, generators, and the accommodation.

pajinka cape york pajinka resort
pajinka resort abandoned
pajinka resort ruins

You can see the remains of the gate on the main road up, and on the left hand side of the gate, you can see the remains of a camping ground and a car park from which you could walk to the Tip along an old rainforest boardwalk.

pajinka rainforest walkway

Part of the resort was also the bird watch tower to watch the local birds on top of the rainforest canopy.

pajinka bird tower
pajinka bird house cape york bird house

By now it is fragile and not safe, just like the rainforest walkway.


Do You Have a Comment or Did You Stay Here?

Any comments on Pajinka?

Other readers want to read what you have to say!

[ ? ]

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional)[ ? ]

 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

(first or full name)

(e.g., City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

  •  submission guidelines.


(You can preview and edit on the next page)



Evans Bay

Just south of Pajinka is Evans Bay.

evans bay track evans bay track
evans bay track evans bay track
evans bay beach evans bay beach

A beautiful beach with an amazing northern,

tip evans bay north evans bay north
evans bay north evans bay north

... and southern headland.

evans bay south evans bay south
evans bay south evans bay south





cape york travel

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

visit 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 gear by my vehicle-recovery-guy partner). Not to mention locals' tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)



If you liked the books or this website, let others know about it! 

Link to it from your website, your blog, your forum post... Share it on Facebook, Tweet about it...



Every link helps other travellers!

Thank you for doing the right thing and letting others know :-)






destination cape york

Latest Pages

Notice Board

Ask a Question

YOUR Adventure

YOUR Cape Memories


Keep yourself updated
on the latest -
weather, roads,
free travel tips,
and get the
FREE Cape York
Pocket Guide!


Email

Name

Then


Don't worry - your email address is totally secure.
I use it only to send you the Cape York News.

Get the FREE Pocket Guide:
cape york travel free pocket guide

Get the Big Destination Guide
destination cape york book


Available with the Big Destination Guide:
cape york dog caravan trailer
 
FEEDBACK Page 1 2 3 4 5 6

cape york businesses

loyalty beach