Outdoors

MY final article on destinations in southern Cape York focuses on the magical Cape Melville area, tucked away in a remote corner of the east coast. This place of stunning scenery features picturesque coastlines and islands set against the rugged backdrop of the Melville Range’s huge granite boulders. The main camping area is within Cape Melville National Park at the …

WITH August just around the corner, and the snapper and pearl perch spawning closure in place for the first time, I think it’s a great thing and will only help fish stock build up. I have not been fishing for weeks because I lost my mojo with COVID-19 and I’m waiting to head off on my annual fishing trip once …

LAST month we explored the magnificent country around Cooktown, both south and north. This time we’re diverting down Endeavour Battlecamp Rd and heading towards the wonderful Rinyirru National Park. It is well worth stopping to view the picturesque Isabella Falls, about 6km in from the Hopevale Rd. Now bitumen in places, Endeavour Battlecamp Rd winds through the impressive Battle Camp …

I HOPE everyone is staying safe during these crazy times The Western Australia border was still closed at the time of writing this article, though I am sure it will reopen in due course to allow us east coasters the opportunity to venture over to the west coast to explore. A couple of our favourite destinations on the west coast …

WELL people, still some crazy times with COVID-19 reappearing in big numbers through Victoria, with further restrictions and border closures for that state who are having a bit of a hard time of it – our thoughts go out to Victorians. This month we will talk about our time in Exmouth and Cape Range National Park. As it will be …

FOLLOWING on from earlier in the year, I had spent about three weeks camped in northern Australia at Pennefather River on Cape York. My mates started packing up but I was planning on staying another week in beautiful northern Australia. Then I heard my mate Darren say to the other boys they were going to slowly free camp their way …

I’VE now lived on Cape York for more than 30 years, so I reckon I just about qualify to be called a local! As somebody who has been up and down the main access track, officially known as the Peninsula Development Road, many times, it is often very amusing to read some of the questions posed by those who are …

HI, it’s Craig Tomkinson here. Before we get into my pre-COVID-19 impromptu trip to Fraser Island with the family… how was the late rain season? It turned up like it does most years, when school starts back for first term. We had fantastic soaking rain as well as some very heavy downpours. About 200-400mm has fallen around the area so far. We only …

IT has been a great start to the year and we have scored cracking weather between wet season squalls and thunderstorms. Boating during the wet can be a gamble, let alone boat camping, because you simply can’t trust weather forecasts and it can turn nasty extremely quickly. The wet certainly came late, with heavy rain and thunderstorms on Thursday Island from mid-February. That …

HI, it’s Craig Tomkinson here. I have a few trips planned this year including some trips north (let’s hope they still go ahead). The first one planned is with my mate Dave Kowitz is a boys’ fishing trip for three to five weeks to Janie Creek on Cape York. Needless to say, I am in Cape York mode, which translates …