Temple Bay

[burdekinbarra]

I heard that Bromley Station has been taken over by QPWS. Is access allowed either through Bromley or from the south off the Frenchman track

[batesy]

Welcome to the board Burdekinbarra ...

I should be able to give you a clear answer on this question in a few days.


Cheers
Batesy

[batesy]

Okay, I've got some info from Sean Walsh who is the Ranger In Charge at Iron Range National Park.


Here's what he had to say:



QPWS has taken over the tenure of the old Bromley holding quite some time ago.
Access is possible though there is a permit system which I think is still run from our Cooktown Office ph 4069 5777


I am not sure of the cost, but I think there is a permit fee.


Access is via the old main access track to the homestead, turnoff near Moreton Telegraph Station.


I think you will need a key to the gate but you can get this sorted through the Cooktown Office when you get the permit.

We have a Ranger in Weipa also, whom looks after the Bromley Resource Reserve.
His name is John Doherty ph 4069 7908.
He may have the key, though I am pretty sure that the permit is still acquired through Cooktown.


Access to Bromley via the Frenchmans Track is NOT PERMITTED.




Hope this helps BurdekinBarra?

[YOYO]

So whats at Bromely Station. Sight seeing only or is there good fishing spots

[burdekinbarra]

Thanks for the info Batesy. I got an email from John Doherty the other day, here it is:

Dear Scott

In response to your letter dated 2 May 07 regarding access to Bromley Station, this area is now owned by the Qld. Gov?t and is managed by QPWS. The Gov?t has now gazetted it as an Environmental Reserve. Public access is now possible into Temple Bay only by permits issued through the Cooktown office. Permits are issued up to a max. period of 2 weeks. Only one party is issued with a permit at any one time, this guarantees that the permit holders will have the area to themselves for the period of the permit.

Bookings and permits are issued through the Cooktown office. Phone 4069 5777.

Unfortunately this area is really popular with park users, it is usually necessary to book 9 -10 months in advance to ensure you get the booking dates you want. This season is already pretty heavily book, so there is a strong possibility you might not get the booking dates you require this year. You will have to ring the Cooktown office to check.

Access is only via Morton and the old Bromley Homestead. Access is not permitted via Wattle Hill.

I will attach the VIS (visitor information sheet) for Olive R. En. Reserve for you, all the queries you asked in your letter are answered in this document. Unfortunately my work computer will not send the original doc. with all the graphics and photos, however the necessary info. is there.

If you have any further queries, please ring me or email.



Temple Bay is not only a very beautiful place with excellent fishing, but the track in is a 4wd dream. We went there back in 97 (i think) when it was still a grazing property. On the way in we stayed the night (at Bromley) with an old one armed french guy who was running the property. He told us about a 24 foot croc and sure enough we saw it not 200 metres off the beach in front of the camp. Probably one of the most beautiful and remote places I have ever been. The 42k or so from Bromley homestead took all day, but was unbelieveably fun.

Batesy, i never got an email message when you replied, have I stuffed something in my user profile ??

[batesy]

I'm not sure how to turn on the 'message reply' email thingy ... I've had a poke around and googled a few queries but I'm still none the wiser.

I'll see how I go during the week.


As for John's response... wow, didn't realise that it was so popular over there - 10months advance booking! Kinda makes me want to just book it now in the off chance that we want to go over.

24foot crocs ... this is why walking Frenchmen's Crossing scared me. They got big crocs over there. Maybe that's how the fella got one arm! Unless it was Fred Zaboola (spelling?) ... he's a bit of a Cape identity. Built many stock yards in the north - with one arm of course.

BurdekinBarra, got any pics from your trip in 97...?

[burdekinbarra]

Sure have, just got to scan them and work out how to download.

see how I go........

[burdekinbarra]

56
Temple Bay Rd. Fixing washouts
57
Lots of washed out creeks and swamps
58
Crossing the Glennie
59

60

[batesy]

I think I'm going to definitely contact Cooktown for the access permit. I know my brother always raved on about Temple Bay/Bolt Head when he used to do dirt bike tours.

Good country over that side of the Cape - depending on what time of the year you hit it I guess.

Did you guys go over mid-year?

[burdekinbarra]

Batesy, can't remember eggsackawy, when's the Cairns show holiday. I know on the way back we stayed in Cooktown and the Cairns Show holiday was on. Another mob from Ingham went up a month or so before us. Lucky coz they put timber down on the creek bed at Glennie. When we went through it was 1200mm deep. The old girls suzuke got through alright. Just thinking about that trip is getting me feet itchy.

[batesy]

I know what you mean ... I live up here and I still want to get out amongst it.

[Coza]

Batesy, i never got an email message when you replied, have I stuffed something in my user profile ??

You have to turn it on when you Start or Reply to a thread. When you type your message just scroll down and in the thread Subscription select the type of noification you want. Hope this helps.

[burdekinbarra]

OK I'll give that a go, thanks very much

[Coza]

OK I'll give that a go, thanks very much

did it work?????

[burdekinbarra]

Yep...sure did

[Coza]

Good stuff I see you found the rating thingy to....

[campdog]

The frenchman track is great but didnt know about big crocs, played in the water there a few years ago.

[campdog]

This Bromley station has my temperature up.I have to find out more. Has another property been taken over as well on shellbourne bay,I thinks a tough character by the name of Dixon ran the station.

[campdog]

I think I'm going to definitely contact Cooktown for the access permit. I know my brother always raved on about Temple Bay/Bolt Head when he used to do dirt bike tours.

Good country over that side of the Cape - depending on what time of the year you hit it I guess.

Did you guys go over mid-year?
Tell me more , tell me more.If I lived in Weipa I could go somewhere different every weekend.:)

[batesy]

This Bromley station has my temperature up.I have to find out more. Has another property been taken over as well on shellbourne bay,I thinks a tough character by the name of Dixon ran the station.

I think old mate used to greet tourists with a rifle ... he may even be the same fella that shot some bloke's car door. Of course, I may be completely confused with someone else...

As for the Bromley access permit ... I rang them Tuesday and was told to ring back Wednesday ... which I forgot to do!!

I'll try tomorrow... then I'll sell my permit to some stray Campdog, since I know he's desperate!!

[campdog]

I think old mate used to greet tourists with a rifle ... he may even be the same fella that shot some bloke's car door. Of course, I may be completely confused with someone else...

As for the Bromley access permit ... I rang them Tuesday and was told to ring back Wednesday ... which I forgot to do!!

I'll try tomorrow... then I'll sell my permit to some stray Campdog, since I know he's desperate!!

SOLD SOLD SOLD.
Would love some info on the place.

[campdog]

I think old mate used to greet tourists with a rifle ... he may even be the same fella that shot some bloke's car door. Of course, I may be completely confused with someone else...

As for the Bromley access permit ... I rang them Tuesday and was told to ring back Wednesday ... which I forgot to do!!

I'll try tomorrow... then I'll sell my permit to some stray Campdog, since I know he's desperate!!

The place I was thinking of was shelbourne bay and Nixon Homestead where the old mate lived.

[campdog]

I think old mate used to greet tourists with a rifle ... he may even be the same fella that shot some bloke's car door. Of course, I may be completely confused with someone else...

As for the Bromley access permit ... I rang them Tuesday and was told to ring back Wednesday ... which I forgot to do!!

I'll try tomorrow... then I'll sell my permit to some stray Campdog, since I know he's desperate!!

I met a bloke in Cairns a few years ago who had relatives at wattle hill and had acess via the frenchman track,should have taken more notice.

[burdekinbarra]

Hey Campdog, howse it going. Yeah there are a few little secret spots re-opening. One thing we have noticed up here is that although some spots are being closed, there are a few new ones opening all the time. A good site to check out is Ron Moon's http://www.guidebooks.com.au/cape.htm

I think they try and keep it up to date.

Back in the old days when we started going up to the Cape in the 80s we had to rely on local knowledge totally. Now that we have these forum boards, it will make it a lot easier to keep up todate

[campdog]

Hey Campdog, howse it going. Yeah there are a few little secret spots re-opening. One thing we have noticed up here is that although some spots are being closed, there are a few new ones opening all the time. A good site to check out is Ron Moon's http://www.guidebooks.com.au/cape.htm

I think they try and keep it up to date.

Back in the old days when we started going up to the Cape in the 80s we had to rely on local knowledge totally. Now that we have these forum boards, it will make it a lot easier to keep up todate

Thanks for the info, Im looking for somewhere different next year and temple bay looks great, pretty hard to get info on the place though.
If I moved to Qld I could go every weekend.

[batesy]

Sorry I haven't updated this yet.

I'll try and call the cooktown office tomorrow ... promise.

[rushy]

Rang Cooktown office, to find out about Temple Bay. They said that it won't be open for a couple of months. Then they will send a machine up to fix up the crossings. The bloke i spoke to, Tim, said it wasn't open last year, and confirmed it is one of the best places to visit on the cape. We were hoping to get there this year as we are leaving on the 13th of June.
How do you get a subscription to your mag. Looking forward to going to Vrilya after seeing Campdogs pictures.

[batesy]

Thanks for chasing that up Rushy.

I forgot about the Temple Bay thread again. I keep forgetting to do all the things on my 'to do' list ... probably because I don't actually have such a list! I usually just wait for my wife to nag me about something - then I go do it.

Welcome to the board too. The easiest way to get the mag is online via the site (http://www.capeyorker.com/subscriptions (http://www.capeyorker.com/forums/../subscriptions)) or you can give me a call (details on the contact page of the website.)

[campdog]

Thanks for chasing that up Rushy.

I forgot about the Temple Bay thread again. I keep forgetting to do all the things on my 'to do' list ... probably because I don't actually have such a list! I usually just wait for my wife to nag me about something - then I go do it.

Welcome to the board too. The easiest way to get the mag is online via the site (http://www.capeyorker.com/subscriptions (http://www.capeyorker.com/forums/../subscriptions)) or you can give me a call (details on the contact page of the website.)
I rang them too. A bit like getting into bathurst bay, very small window of time, Normally August to November, 9 people max per group and 2 weeks max. Looking at next year maybe,About 20ks by water to olive river and a typical windy eastern side of the cape.

[xina]

Hi Guys,
Believe it about the big croc. I named it Samson but I've got an idea it might be a big female. I used to live there, and before we cut the track through to the beach, we used to follow a cattle pad . There was a big fallen tree we used to climb over, and standing on it, you could look over to the other side of the creek, to a mudslide. One day, my friend had gone ahead, and I looked over and saw the biggest croc. I've still ever seen, and I've been to the local Crocodile farm. (Once only, as I hate seeing them penned up.)
We estimated it was at least twenty feet long, but when it finally moved into the water again, about another four feet of tail came out which we hadn't noticed, as it had been under water at the edge of the slide. It had been laying with its' jaws open, and the bank I was on was a good 15-20ft higher than the other side, so I was looking down onto its' back. The top of its' head was about 3ft long, and I found out later, a good way to estimate length, was to multiply the head length by 7. It was about 3ft. between the scutes.
In September,1984, we took some measurements from a track it made going from the creek to the beach.

Width of tracks 3ft 91/2 Inches wide.(Interior measurement between feet. It was up and walking.)
Length of foot (excluding claw) 13inches.
Width of foot 91/2 inches.
Length of claw(remembering it curves,) 6inches.

The friend who was with me that day, would never go to the beach after that, without a Rifle. I just hope no one has shot it. The guy at the Palmer River roadhouse has seen it, (he's an ex-croc shooter,) and when he heard we lived there, told us to be careful, as the biggest croc. he'd ever seen lived in our creek. I don't know if he's still at the Palmer. He was a Yugoslav I think. I can't remember his name offhand.

So believe it guys, the big ones are there.
xina.

[Dipmaker]

The friend who was with me that day, would never go to the beach after that, without a Rifle. I just hope no one has shot it. The guy at the Palmer River roadhouse has seen it, (he's an ex-croc shooter,) and when he heard we lived there, told us to be careful, as the biggest croc. he'd ever seen lived in our creek. I don't know if he's still at the Palmer. He was a Yugoslav I think. I can't remember his name offhand.

So believe it guys, the big ones are there.
xina.


I think his name was Louie Comsic and his brother owned a fishing boat in the Gulf.

[xina]

Hi Dipmaker,
That was him. I'm afraid I need a brain transplant these days. It's amazing what you can and can't remember. I call it creeping Alzhiemers. Thanks for that,
xina.
Does anyone know if QPWS took over Carron Valley as well. It was surrounded by Bromley, near Wattle Hill.

[campdog]

One good thing about QLD national parks is that they let you in, and at a reasonable price.
I live on the NSW mid north coast and have a little beach camp about 20ks away, no real facilities, only bore water cold shower and pit toilet. N.parks now want $10 per adult per night, $7.00 night per child, and vehicle access. abot $300 per week for a family of 4 to camp. I wont go near the place. Can camp at a water front caravan in Port Macquarie for less than that and more facilities and less people. I was always under the impression that the parks belonged to the people of Australia and maintained and run by our parks and wildlife.Funny how it changes.Other than that I love qld parks.
John

[Scorcher]

I rang them too. A bit like getting into bathurst bay, very small window of time, Normally August to November, 9 people max per group and 2 weeks max. Looking at next year maybe,About 20ks by water to olive river and a typical windy eastern side of the cape.

Just an update on access to Temple Bay.

I chased up re: access with the NPWS office at Cooktown back in February, for my trip this year.

Access is still restricted to a 3 month or so period, from about August onwards. They said that they wouldn't send a machine in to clear up the track until late July/August. There are numerous boggy sections (i was told - never been there myself) which only allow late season access. Access is also restricted to a maximum number of cars/people at any one time, with a restricted amount of days per group allowed (similar to Campdogs comments).

When I enquired about possible access, I was advised that, other than the possibility of getting access for a couple of days, the entire period had been booked out well before Christmas (2007), not long after applications opened.

Must be a great place to visit !

Maybe next trip.........

Scorcher

[Stacky]

Xina,
Your freind carrying a rifle wouldn't have done him much good. Unless it was loaded and pointing to the water. With his finger on the trigger at all times because a croc is gonna get you when you least expect it. (or he could shot it on a bank sunning itself and hurting nobody)

The Pascoe River and any other creek that runs into it is garanteed to have Saltwater Crocs in it. They will travel way up the river further than the main crossing on the Portland Roads/Chili Beach road let alone the Frenchman's crossing.

I recommend buying good topographic maps and understanding the creek systems path clearly before you enter the water and even that is definetely not failsafe It's simple treat every creek like it's got a big croc in it sitting there waiting for you. I have definetely had to many of my fair share of encounters, right when you least expect it and this is the lesson i've learnt.

[xina]

Hi Stacky,
Sorry, I didn't clarify the fact that the friend who got freaked out was a female. She had her own hut over the hill from us. This was at Temple Bay.
Peter Bakka ( I'm not sure if that's the correct spelling) who runs the local Taxi service knows where we lived. He might have been there the morning we measured the tracks on the beach, but I'm not sure now. That was September 23rd. 1984/5.
Cheers,
xina.