Musgrave Station to Mareeba - 23/09/12

 

Attempts to jump start Prado were unsuccessful.   Fortunately we had some experienced mechanical volunteers in the campground.  One gentleman with a Toyota Hilux, [ works on Caterpillar and Komatsu heavy machinery was under the car and after tapping starter motor and digging in the jumper leads to the terminals succeeded in getting the vehicle started.  Conclusion either starter motor or battery the problem!

We were finally on our way around 8.00am  and headed for Mareeba some 400+klm away, with approximately 50% on tar.    Initially the dust roads were so bad, that as we approached Laura, the vehicle in front went through a bulldust hole and visibility became nil for the next 30-40 seconds…..very scary ……we slammed on the brakes and searched for the CB radio to advise following Tony we had stopped, as he said he would probably of ran up our backside.

Fuel up at Lakeland with the vehicle still running, in case we could not get it restarted.   Travelled through some spectacular vistas as we went up and over various mountain ranges……..much of it had been burnt in readiness for the coming rainy season.

Arrived in Mareeba after 1.00pm and turned off the Prado.   Attempted to start the Prado without success so rang the RACQ.   Their response was prompt and they got the vehicle started with a solid tap to the starter motor…….battery readings OK!!!.

Decide to stay in a Mareeba motel overnight and get the matter “fixed” next day, rather then have to deal with a continuing problem for the rest of the trip.

Motel operators [ Graham &  ] were very helpful and provided a comfortable facility.   Walk to the local pub for tea  [$14.50 per head] for a buffet roast/s and sweets.

Loyalty to Musgrave Station 21-9-12

We have met some very nice people on our travels and Peter and Jenny are amongst them.  Peter has been a baker and now works for a very large food company called Kerry’s.  Last night he made us a French onion soup and brie damper and brought it up to the restaurant when we were having our pre dinner drinks.  Yummy!!  We had then had tea there so that we could get our cooking stuff packed for tomorrow’s take-off.

While we were sitting at our table, the crayfish men pulled in.  SIGH.  Have been waiting for them, but can’t buy a crayfish now that we are leaving tomorrow.

I thought I would mention some of the interesting people we have met (more for my own memory than any interest it might hold you)

Hani and Franz (from Switzerland but now aussies)

Anne (Loyalty camping ground, boy could she talk, but interesting)

Phillip and Sonja (South African ex policeman now aussie, wife Sonja – aussie who lived in Africa for many years – Rhodesia)

Shane the govt pig shooter

Eve and Chris, they seemed to follow us from camp to camp

Crazy Peter (we stayed at his park in Weipa)

Road crew at Musgrave Station – 11 /11 hour days on, 3 days off.  Accommodation, 3 meals per day plus smoko, paid for by the company.

We stopped for lunch at Archer River Roadhouse and caught up with the friendly folk who gave us the fish at Vrylia, they told us that the fire that was burning when we were there, came through the track and some large trees had fallen across it.  This track is one car wide with scrub on either side, so it made it difficult to get out.  Apparently a bull dozer came in as well and made the bridge crossing a bit safer.

In the car park at Archer river was a Ute type thing with a tray, there were 5 or 6 very large dead pigs on it and three pig dogs in a cage.  We looked around the cafe and spotted some likely lads and asked them if they were the pig shooters. “Pig stabbers” said one.  Apparently the pig dogs put the pigs at bay and the men come in and stab them.  Dangerous work.  There was a competition at Weipa for the largest pig.  As Tony said, can you imagine what it will be like in Weipa, hundreds of pigs, none gutted, 34C, Whew!!!  I wonder how they dispose of them?

On the way to  Musgrave Station Tony got a flat tyre, it was one of his new ones, but apparently his tyres have tubes in them and some of them are cheap  Chinese imports that split.  He has to check this out when we are camped. 

The school holidays commenced this weekend and we encountered convoys of campervans & tinnies heading north, resulting in driving blind following or passing..

As we went to start off after helping with the tyre, the Prado would not start, Michael tried again and she kicked over.  Hmmm

Got to Musgrave station, drove into our camp site, Michael went to move the car and……she would not start. 

We camped and went to tea, watch a bit of the rugby finals on the TV in the restaurant. We will try to jump start her in the morning.

Seisia (Loyalty Beach) 20/09/12–21/09/12 [2] Rest Days

 

Dot & Michael take off to the Seisia pier, whilst Tony & Jenny walk the coast to the supermarket.  The pier was building up with young fellows and their girls -  they all looked experienced fisherman.

The underside of the pier was a moving carpet of bait fish  [ 5” –6” long].    The experience group had a drop net and hauled in plenty of fresh bait for everyone….they had an aerator to maintain oxygen in the water and changed the water regularly..

Michael managed to get a couple of strikes, however the good sized fish were very acrobatic in the air and twisted off the hook.  A few fish were caught, including a 5 foot leopard shark, and one young woman caught a good sized  trevally which was then taken by a bull shark.

Back to camp and then pickup repaired tyre……captured market up here…$50.00!!!!!!!!!

Attempt to stay out of the heat for the afternoon and watch the “wild horses”  return….hopefully there not here tonight…

The four of us  are about to head to the beer garden on the beach for a late afternoon refresher.  Afterwards we sit on the bank beside the beach (in front of our tent)and watch the sunset.

Next day.

Had a dreadful evening a bunch of ‘pricks’ (Tony’s word – I would have said yobs) camped next to us yesterday.  We didn’t like the look of them from the start.  They kept us awake with loud chatting, laughing, bursts of music and foul language until 1:45 AM.  Not happy.  Tony complained to the management and they have been down to talk to them.  We will see what happens tonight.

Today was a day for washing, packing etc., we leave here tomorrow, Tony is talking about driving for 580 kms approx. tomorrow,  Michael hopes he gets a good night’s sleep tonight.  We are having tea at the restaurant in the camping ground tonight.

THURSDAY ISLAND VISIT–19/09/12

Early morning start for showers and breakfast, with the need to be at the ferry terminal by 7:30am for departure by 8:00am.

The ferry takes approximately 70 minutes for the 36klm trip, We are never out of sight of land as the twin hulled vessel weaves its way through the various islands on a flat sea.

Arriving at Thursday Island [or TI to the locals], you are in another world – deep harbour sheltered by the surrounding islands, some only 5klm away..   The sea is a beautiful clean sapphire blue, with the sea breeze making their winter temperature very comfortable.

We are booked on an 11:15am bus tour of the island, so we have a coffee and then wander around the couple of blocks.  The Cultural Centre was most interesting, giving an overview of the Melanesian island life.and a recent king – E. Bani.  We were so impressed Dot has bought a book on his life and meaningful sayings.  A visit to a couple of pearl shops did not damage the wallet!!!!

A Festival of Winds for the local islands was being held on the sports ground, but activity was restricted to late afternoon and evening, so we missed out.

The  Bus Tour was most informative taking us around the very small island, which is the central hub of all Queensland Government offices for management of the Torres Strait Islands and the Cape York area of Qld. We were taken to the old Fort [3 large canons installed in the late 1800s due to the Russian invasion of Crimea].  The Fort is now the local museum managed by the local historical society. We had over 30 minutes to explore and take it all in.

The information displayed related to:
the original set up of Government offices etc following transfer from failed Somerset on the Cape due to white ants and inappropriate harbour facilities;
the pearl shell industry; and
the war efforts and impact on the local multi-cultural population, which included many Japanese decedents [pearl divers].

Back on the bus for further information on the island from the Tour Bus Driver finishing up at the very old Cemetery.  The Cemetery was very colourful with many of the basic graves decorated in plastic flowers, then covered up in black plastic following the erection of headstone and surrounds to await the official unveiling commemorative service followed by a big party.  This was the end of the official mourning period.  The headstones were very elaborate with photos of the deceased included.

A part of the old section was devoted to the Japanese who died on the island, with a very large memorial installed by a Japanese sister city to commemorate the lives lost of Japanese and other pearl divers over the past 100 years.

Bus tour finished and dropped us off to the Top Most Pub in Australia for lunch.    Dot & Michael tried out the island speciality ….Crayfish Pie”…..Yes real crayfish in the pie,  but as pies tend to do they keep repeating later on in the day.

After a leisurely lunch back to the Ferry Terminal for 2.30pm return.  At the Terminal was a Government Customs vessel with some pretty quick runabouts on board [ powered by 2 x 90 Hp outboards].  They had just retuned from 27 days straight patrolling the island waterways.

The return journey was not on a flat sea, with spray up to 1.5 – 2 metres coming off the hulls as they powered through the waves.

Dot has been waiting for the Cray fisherman's boat to come to the foreshore, but again was disappointed with no show.

After tea sitting around our cooking camp fire we could vaguely see a fireworks display that was coming from the Festival on Thursday Island.

Seisia – 18/09/12 Visit Cape York Tip

Last night we all got little sleep, with the wild horses continually roaming around our camp – sounded like they were going through our goods left out.   The stallion would round up the other horses often at at a gallop…very dangerous if you were on your way to the toilet block.  It was the discussion point of the park in the morning  - someone must have complained as they seemed to have been moved on today.

Today was the day we made out for the very top of Cape York, driving through lush tropical rainforest, which often provided a canopy over the top of the road.  Corrugations continued!!  A few bush or scrub turkeys  ran across the road.

Tide was coming in rapidly so we could not walk around the beach and had to trek upwards over some steep rocky terrain to get to have our picture taken at THE SIGN!!!!  The return walk route was over some steep sections which provided stunning 360 degree views.  Upon reaching the car park+++, an ambulance is attending a woman who had a tumble,[Heard later that she was in the park and she had broke her arm in 2 places]

On our return Michael noticed his front driver’s tyre was down to 20lb pressure……Tony picks out a small phillips head screw from the tyre…….looks remarkably like the screws used in the wing of yesterdays WW11 – DC3 plane wreck.    Michael is somewhat pissed – fourth tyre puncture problem in four weeks.  The pit crew are getting very efficient and have the tyre changed very quickly, whilst onlookers come to give us there advice on tyre pressure…[bunger off it was a screw]

Get back to Seisia and drop off tyre for another puncture repair and then sit out the hot hot hot afternoon.  We went down to the restaurant bar area for a walk pre dinner and decided to stay for a drink – Dot enjoyed her baby bottle of French Bubbles.  Back to camp for tea and for a change from the meat and vegetables [potatoes,carrots,onions, sweet potato]  in the fire Dot puts together a tasty pasta/chorizo dish….we are missing Peter C and Craig this year to assist with the leftovers.

Vrilya Point to Seisia - 17/09/12

Very bouncy return through the previous days cool burning and some commencing today to & over the log bridge and back to the main road. [We have been advised by some campers at Seisia that vehicles leaving later encountered large trees fallen across the track as a result of the cool burning. In addition a backhoe had been called into improve the track and approach to the log bridge].

The ferry problems had been rectified at Jardine River and we received 25% discount on the fee of $88.00  due to [2] seniors cards being produced -  discounts are tangible up here!!!!

From there Tony took us to a World War 2[WW11] DC3 plane wreck, which occurred nearly at the end of the war with all on board killed.

Then onto Barmaga,  on tar for a change.   Lunch break was taken with a visit to the Barmaga Bakery – very fresh baking with both Dot & Tony indulging in a cream bun.

Then off to Seisia and to the Loyalty Caravan Park to set up camp some 20 metres from the water’s edge with a view of the islands opposite – the sunsets are spectacular over the water.

The caravan park had a herd of wild horses grazing through the park.

Arrival at Seisia sent the mobile phones [not Tony’s – no 3G…..Super secretary Rhoda to rectify on return]  into over drive with full reception – SMSs coming in every few minutes.  This enabled a blog update of previous week.

Vrilya Point 15-9-12 to 16-9-12

Please note incorrect spelling of this place in previous blog.

Mass exodus of campers next morning and we look at the other sites for location & leftover wood, but decide we have the best.

With the tide out approx 100m, we mooch around the rock pools and attempt to catch small mud skippers for live bait.  Tony and Michael find old crab trap and neighbours who have caught medium size mudcrab, tells about a caught shark carcass on the next beach cove.  This is cut up for ideal bait for the crab trap.  Tony sets up his fish trap also.  They have no luck in either.  We actually catch 4 small mud skippers in our hands.  Tony 2, me 2.

Later that morning, a team of professional shooters arrive to advise that they will shooting feral pigs in the area from the ground and from helicopters.   They said they had killed 1250 pigs in 2.25 days.

Hot Hot Hot so we all sit under the trees while Tony has his nano nap.

Tony starts to prepare their evening meal and to keep the flies at bay, resorts to the fly spray in the the yellow can…..doesn’t work very well …..turns out to be the Canola Oil spray.

23 cars arrive during the afternoon with the majority heading up the beach to find camp sites.

Next day nearly everyone leaves again.    Tony discovers a very pink sunburnt torso, all burnt through his shirt yesterday.

Michael & Dot take a drive down the beach some 8km to a former lightship – the Wreck of the Carpentaria Light Ship – now a rusting hulk being devoured by the sands  [to charge battery for fluctuating fridge.  Tony maintains radio contact to come to the rescue if needed.  He says he will come out if we are not back in 2hours…..no problems encountered and return well in time.

Tony decides it is time for sultana damper scones for afternoon tea, and makes them in foil in the fire…..they turn out very tasty with jam & cream.

As the evening high tide arrives, the water is alive with skipping bait fish in the cove and thousands of tiny fish in the rock pools…..the sea birds are having a field day.  We all wonder what is chasing these bait fish to the surface.   Neighbours were out in a boat and were catching tuna mackerel and queen fish, as well losing some of their tackle and having a $400.00 reel explode.  When they come back they give us a queen fish and a bluefin tuna – quite large.

On the horizon we can see smoke coming towards us.  Later that night we see the glow in the sky.  Good thing that these fires burn slowly and coolly (for a fire).