Cape York Peninsula National Parks Contents Park Facilities
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Cape York Peninsula National Parks Contents Park facilities ....................................................................................2 Be inspired; Welcome .......................................................................3 Map of Cape York Peninsula .............................................................4 Imagine your journey ........................................................................5 Consider camping .........................................................................6–7 Plan your escape ......................................................................... 8–9 What do you want to see and do? .............................................10–11 Choose your route ....................................................................12–13 Parks around Cooktown ...........................................................14–15 Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park (CYPAL) ................................16–17 Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park (CYPAL) ...................18–19 Heathlands Resources Reserve/Jardine River National Park .....20–21 Palmer Goldfield Resources Reserve ..............................................22 Errk Oykangand National Park (CYPAL) ..........................................23 Cape Melville National Park (CYPAL) ..............................................24 Oyala Thumotang National Park (CYPAL) ........................................25 Journey with confidence ...........................................................26–27 Connect with Queensland Parks .....................................................28 Park facilities Camping Self-service booking facility Ranger base Toilets Day-use area Lookout /viewing platform Short walk Long walks Use of generators permitted Black Mountain NP Cape Melville NP (CYPAL) Errk Oykangand NP (CYPAL) Heathlands RR Jardine River NP Keatings Lagoon CP Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) NP (CYPAL) Mount Cook NP Oyala Thumotang NP (CYPAL) Palmer Goldfield RR Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP (CYPAL) close to park specified camping areas only Peninsula Developmental Road Margot Warnett © Queensland Government 2 Welcome to Cape York Peninsula parks and reserves As a park ranger and Traditional Owner, I welcome you to ‘the cape’, on behalf of all the rangers of Cape York. Some of us have cultural and spiritual connections to these parks, some of us have worked here for many years, and all of us are happy to have a yarn, so come and say ‘G’day’ and we’ll give you our tips on where to go and what to do. We hope you have a good experience on ‘the cape’, and take home good memories. Respect the environment and our cultural places, and come back again! Barry Liddie, Ranger, on behalf of the rangers of Cape York Peninsula © Qld Govt Be inspired! Experience a ‘cultural landscape’, interwoven with Explore significant places, a vast wilderness on long stretches of dusty traditional stories and roads, with dips and bends, ruts and bull dust deep spiritual meaning, and challenging creek crossings. and sense the strength of Aboriginal peoples’ connection to country. Escape with family and friends as you immerse yourself in nature in this awe-inspiring landscape, far from everyday distractions. Celebrate that exhilarating feeling of reaching the Tip on your epic adventure. Savour the achievement, soak up the view— you’re at the very top of Australia! Encounter Photos (clockwise from top left): Maxime Coquard © Tourism and a tantalising history, rich in stories of pioneering Events Qld; © Tourism and Events Qld; Maxime Coquard © Tourism and Events Qld; John Augusteyn © Qld Govt; © Tourism and Events Qld spirit and overwhelming hardship, as you follow in the footsteps of many who have gone before. 3 Parks of Cape York Peninsula Map legend (these symbols are used throughout this brochure) National park 2WD access Conservation Park, Horn Island Camping Resources Reserve Thursday Island Cape York Water Camping—non National Park (the Tip) Waterways Water on tap Seisia Sealed road Day-use area Bamaga Jardine River RR Unsealed road Short walk Jardine Jardine 4WD track Hiking track River River NP Town Lookout Eliot Place of interest Falls Popular Vehicle ferry travellers' stop Captain Billy Fishing Heathlands RR Landing Ranger base Boat access Bamaga Rd Overland Telegraph Line Toilets Wuthathi (Shelburne Payphone Mapoon Bramwell Fuel Bay) NP (CYPAL) Over-the-counter camping Junction permit booking office r Bromley (Ampulin) Mechanical repairs We Roadhouse ve nl Olive Ri Self-service camping Batavia NP (CYPAL) oc NP (CYPAL) k 4WD access permit booking kiosk River Moreton Telegraph Station Mission River Chilli Beach Weipa Napranum Kutini–Payamu (Iron Bromley (Kungkaychi) Telegraph Rd Range) NP (CYPAL) NP (CYPAL) Lockhart River Peninsula Developmental Archer River Scale Aurukun Rd Roadhouse 0 50 100km Kulla (McIlwraith Oyala Thumotang Range) NP (CYPAL) NP (CYPAL) Coen Peninsula Flinders Group Cape Melville Developmental Rd Port NP (CYPAL) NP (CYPAL) Lama Lama Stewart NP (CYPAL) Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP (CYPAL) Musgrave Roadhouse Juunju Daarrba Nhirrpan NP (CYPAL) Pormpuraaw Alwal NP Muundhi (CYPAL) Lakefield (Jack River) Olkola Endeavour River NP (Kurrumbila) RR Hann River NP (CYPAL) Roadhouse Cooktown Olkola NP (CYPAL) Hope Vale Kowanyama Errk Oykangand Laura Mount Cook NP NP (CYPAL) Keatings Lagoon CP Palmer Annan River Goldfield RR Lakeland (Yuku Baja-Muliku) NP Palmer River Black Mountain NP Roadhouse Daintree Daintree NP Mossman Mount Carbine Port Douglas Staaten River NP Burke Mount Molloy Developmental Cairns Road Mareeba Chillagoe Chillagoe–Mungana Atherton Karumba Caves NP Bulleringa 4 NP Stand at the top of Australia. Maxime Coquard © Tourism and Events Qld Best way to visit Imagine your journey The ideal way to explore the peninsula is on a self-drive journey of discovery, in Featuring landscapes of unsurpassed beauty and immense diversity, your own way and in your own time. Use rich with Aboriginal traditions and customs and European history, the checklists and itinerary suggestions Cape York Peninsula offers adventure aplenty! (pages 8–13) to help plan your ‘adventure of a lifetime’. Best time to visit Add some local flavour If you prefer someone else to do the The dry season, between May and Experience the ‘real cape’ by visiting planning, consider a ‘tag-along’ tour with October, is the best time to enjoy Cape local attractions, events and festivals. an experienced guide. If you don’t have the York Peninsula. From May to July, Choose from museums and cultural correct vehicle or camping gear, or if you maximum temperatures are around 30°C. centres, rodeos and race carnivals, lack the experience or confidence to drive As the season progresses, the days agricultural and country shows, fishing yourself, consider a commercial tour. become hotter and more humid. tournaments and cycling events, Tours range from 2–16 days, including fly/ and cultural celebrations such as the The peninsula is busiest between June drive and drive/cruise options, and cater Laura Dance Festival and Cooktown and September, during the ‘cooler’ for special interests such as bird watching Discovery Festival. Find details at weather. School holiday periods (July and fishing. Visitqueensland.com for tourismcapeyork.com. and September) are best avoided if you details of tour providers. seek solitude. Parks on the peninsula are closed during the wet season from around 1 December until April or May but sometimes as late as August, depending upon weather and road conditions. While the main roads through the peninsula may open from around May, some park access roads are not passable until later in the season. Check qld.gov.au/parkalerts. (Left) All roads lead north! (above) Laura Dance Festival. © Tourism and Events Queensland 5 Melaleuca waterhole camping area, Rinyirru (Lakefield) NP (CYPAL) © Tamara Vallance Consider camping Travel tips Check out the camping area maps on Sitting by a camp fire and sleeping under the stars is an essential the web site to help you choose which ingredient of your Cape York Peninsula adventure! Consider your camp site you want. Some parks have camping options before you start planning your trip. many sites! Mobile coverage on the peninsula • For other camping areas, during school Camping in national parks is limited to large towns so making National parks camping is very holiday periods book at least 2–3 online bookings is not easy. Create affordable—for the cost of a cuppa, you months in advance. your camping booking account at can sleep in million-star comfort! • Outside of holiday periods, book at home before you head off, and book least several days in advance. as many nights in advance as you can. Camping opportunities vary from large developed camping areas with all the Book online You can change or cancel your booking up to two days before your ‘mod cons’ (well, toilets and showers) Book your camp site and obtain your booking date and obtain a refund. to isolated bush camping areas with no camping permit online, 24/7. Booking facilities. To find your perfect camp site, online is a simple, five-step process. Avoid ghost-bookings! Be considerate visit qld.gov.au/nationalparks, select Find of other campers—make sure you 1. Visit qld.gov.au/camping. a park or forest, browse by region (Cape cancel your booking if you don’t 2. Login or Create Account. York Peninsula) and search for camping need it! 3. Select Camping and find your site. areas that suit your needs—select Make sure you camp in the correct Camping as well as other facilities such 4. Use a payment