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Cape York Peninsula & the Savannah Way

Why Go? Cape York Rugged and remote has one of the Peninsula ...... 390 wildest tropical environments on earth. The Great Dividing Musgrave to Archer Range forms the spine of the Cape, with tropical rainforests River ...... 393 and palm-fringed beaches on its eastern fl anks and sweep- Archer River to ing savannah woodlands, dry eucalypt forests and coastal Lockhart River . . . . . 394 mangroves on its west. The overland trip to the tip of Aus- Archer River to tralia is simply one of the greatest 4WD routes on the conti- Weipa ...... 394 nent, an exhilarating trek into ’s last great frontier. Archer River to Running west from the Cape across to the Northern Ter- Bramwell Junction . . 395 ritory border, the Gulf Savannah is a vast, fl at and mostly empty landscape of tropical grasslands, shimmering hori- Torres Strait Islands ...... 397 zons, saltpans and impenetrable mangroves. Connecting the scattering of historic mines, gem-fossicking centres, geo- The Savannah logical wonders and colourful fi shing towns are the vital but Way ...... 400 tenuous Gulf roads – the main one being the Savannah Way, Normanton to which shoots across the continent from to Broome. Burketown ...... 404 A journey out here will give you a sense of what Australia’s Burketown to the primordial outback is all about. Border ...... 406 When to Go Bamaga Best Places to Eat °C/°F Te m p Rainfall inches/mm 40/104 20/500 » Raptis Fish Markets (p405 ) 16/400 » Sunset Tavern (p 405 ) 30/86 12/300 » Mt Surprise Tourist Van 20/68 Park, Motel & BP Roadhouse 8/200 (p 402 ) 10/50 4/100

0/32 0 Best Places to Stay J FDNOSAJJMAM » Punsand Bay Camping June–July The August– October Undara’s Resort (p397 ) best time in the November Cloud- bushland is the » End of the Road Motel Cape is early in surf the ‘morning magical setting (p 405 ) the dry season, glory’ phenom- for ‘Opera in the with warm days enon in the skies Outback’. » Burketown Pub (p 406 ) and cool evenings. above Burketown. Island 388 Lizard te S E A

C O R A L MV Trinity Bay Passenger Rou Cape Melville National Park r Reef Marine Park Island Flinders Kalpowar Crossing CAPE YORK PENINSULA & THE SAVANNAH & THE WAY YORK PENINSULA CAPE Great Barrie Normanby Great Barrier Reef River White Lily Lagoon Bay Lagoon Red Lily Princess Charlotte Port Stewart Chili Beach Weymouth Bay Bird Lotus Lodge Lockhart River Aboriginal Community

Portland Roads River LAND Temple Bay

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a Thursday T O R E S A I d Jardine River ABORIGINAL National Park (Archer Bend) Jardine River

Ken Mungkan Kandju Weipa LAND Ferry & Roadhouse Bay Prince of Wales Island Aurukun Old Telegraph Track Community Aboriginal Pera ABORIGINAL Community Albatross Head Northern Bypass Rd Moreton Telegraph Station Punsand Bay Camping Resort Worbody Pt Duyfken Pt Mapoon Aboriginal

Aboriginal Community Pormpuraaw 200 km 100 miles G U L F O C A R P E N T I 0 0

Karumba Twin Falls Falls Twin eld National eld fi ) (p 393 Hauling in a big Exploring the Exploring in the Swimming Popping Popping Canoeing the s in the outback ff Park remote and wild remote Lake idyllic freshwater pools at (p 396 ) and Eliot Falls Cape Cape York Peninsula & the Savannah Way Highlights 1 2 3 4 5 barramundi and barramundi a blazing watching an icy over sunset beer at the colourful Gulf port of (p 405 ) champagne at the champagne the epic end of the reach to journey Australia’ ‘Tip of waters emerald-green red towering beneath cli (p 397 ) (p 397