Thursday Island

Today, we cruise up to Thursday Island. In the 60s, while living in Papua new Guinea, a group of friends organised a weekend on Thursday Island and we paid for it. Then on Friday, I was called to an urgent job in Rabaul and had to cancel this experience, so now I finally make it.

Thursday Island

Thursday Island, also known as TI or Waiben, is the administrative and commercial centre of the Torres Strait Islands. Lying 39 kilometres (24 mi) north of Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, Australia in the Torres Strait, Thursday Island has an area of about 3.5 square kilometres (1.4 sq mi). The highest point on Thursday Island, standing at 104 metres (341 ft) above sea level, is Milman Hill, a World War II defence facility. At the 2006 census, Thursday Island had a population of 2,546.^[1]

To the Top, to the Top!

Today, we travel to the tip of Cape York Peninsula and disembark near Frangipani Beach. Then a walk to the tip of Australia.

Frangipani Beach on Cape York

The Top of Australia

That's if the sign is there. Apparently tourists frequently take it home as a souvenir.

On to Bamaga Resort

Skirting the Jardine River National Park, we continue through the traditional lands of the Injinoo Aboriginal people. Our journey today becomes quite adventurous when we travel on some of the original sections of the old Telegraph Track. This route was carved out in the 1880s and some of the telegraph poles can still be seen. We stop at Fruit Bat Falls for a swim in the crystal clear waters on the way to the Bamaga Resort for the night.

Jardine River

We go mining Beauxide Today

Today we join a local guide for a tour of the Weipa Bauxide Mine, the largest of its kind in the world.

Weipa Bauxide Mine

A large mine with very large equipment

Then we'll continue along rugged dirt roads of Cape York to the Moreton Telegraph Station located on the Wenlock River.

Quinkan Country

Today, we'll explore Quinkan Country, ranked by UNESCO as one of the top ten rock art areas in the world and one of Queensland's best kept secrets.

Aboriginal Rock Art at Quinkan Country

We journey into Lakefield National Park

Lakefield national Park

To Cooktown

This morning, we'll travel the remote and rugged Bloomfield Track

Bloomfield Track

All the way to Cooktown, the first European settlement on Australian soil.

Cooktown

Cape York Adventure

After a fabulous 4 days on the Savannahlander train journey, we're ready to embark on another trip, this  time to Cape York and the islands with APT Tours.

APT 4X4 Tour Bus

So, this morning, we're leaving Cairns on our journey along one of Australia's most picturesque coastlines to Port Douglas.

We'll be cruising along the Daintree River, hopefully spotting crocodiles and other wildlife.

Daintree River

Cape Tribulation