cape melville

[kenworth]

thinking of heaing up to cape melville in about 5 weeksgoing in though laura up to bathurst heads across to melville and back down though wakooka/ starkie any one been this way latly will I make in 4 days from athertonand any sugetion as to sights/camps points of interest thanks Dave:confused:

[geoffjy]

I will be heading into the Cape Melville area day after tomorrow. I will turn off at Musgrave and go in through Wakooka. At this point i am not sure whether i will heading back out on the same road or via Starcke.

Will give you an update on conditions when i get back.

[kenworth]

thanks mate any info will be great as I have only been up that once to a place called hummok beach (Ithink via starkie)and that was about 98 so gessin it may have cahnged a bit

[kenworth]

found a thead on another fourm about a abandond mine camp near bathurst

quote:L
Near bathurst heads I took a track to the right which climbed the hill and followed the rocky track around the ridgeline and found an abandoned mining camp complete with airconditioned rooms, coolroom, freezer room and commercial kitchen.

any one know about this one
here is a link to some picks http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/gallery/capeyork2003?page=4

[kenworth]

also forgot to menstion that if your keen to tag along post it here (I may need some one to pull me out some where);) :rolleyes:

[highlift80]

nice looking pics on that other thread, flash looking huts at that camp as well.

[geoffjy]

From memory there are about 5 or 6 abandoned mines in the area north of the Starcke. Upon arival at Lakefield NP we decided not to go to Cape Melville due to the rediculous strong winds. We fished a couple spots before there and managed to get some barra over the 3 days. Roads were good with bulldust holes here and there that you have to be carefull with. We didnt take the track via Starcke in the end and wound up going down from Bizant, Kalpowar, Old Laura and out to Cooktown along the Battle Camp road. I must admit, road conditions were a lot better than i expected for this time of year. The battle camp road had small sections of corrugations but nothing overly bad. Travelling time from Kalpowar to Cooktown was just over 2 hours.

I have also heard several people mention that there is lots of road works along the Sratcke road and you should allow approx 8-9 hrs from Cooktown to Cape Melville.

[geoffjy]

Probably wortyh mentioning as well, i recomend you buy the Hema Lakefield map. It shows you in detail the mines that you are talking about as well as all the side tracks etc. It shows a lot more detail than the Hema Cape York map.

[kenworth]

thanks for the info will probly pick up a map in cairns this weekend preety sure the mrs is wanting to go just carnt wait till I get up there:D

[geoffjy]

It's a great place although it's very dry and dusty at the moment.