Lakefield National Park

[HOFFY]

The below is whats is currently on the National Parks site. Does anyone know if you can get throught at the moment from Cooktown via Battlecamp into Lakefield and out the top end to Musgrave. Any current info on road access and conditions would be appreciated. Thanks. Have also posted on another site so will update any info I get from there.


Cape York parks access update

Lakefield National Park is open to the public from the south, as far north as the Hann Crossing campsites, and from the north to Saltwater Creek campsites. Nifold Plains remains closed to public vehicles until the Cook Shire Council and QPWS can repair road damage sustained during the wet season.

[Coza]

Hey Hoffy How are you going with the info your chasing, I'm looking to go through Lakefield as well looks like there is lots of great places to camp. Would be good if someone could recommend 1 or 2.

[batesy]

The below is whats is currently on the National Parks site. Does anyone know if you can get throught at the moment from Cooktown via Battlecamp into Lakefield and out the top end to Musgrave. Any current info on road access and conditions would be appreciated. Thanks. Have also posted on another site so will update any info I get from there.


Cape York parks access update

Lakefield National Park is open to the public from the south, as far north as the Hann Crossing campsites, and from the north to Saltwater Creek campsites. Nifold Plains remains closed to public vehicles until the Cook Shire Council and QPWS can repair road damage sustained during the wet season.

Thanks for that, Hoffy.

Also, welcome to the board.

[YOYO]

so were do you pay for camping permits. Is it an honesty box or do you go to the rangers to get the permit. They say you should camp away from water as for crocs but whats a safe distance. So when you go in the scrub to dig a hole and do some serious thinking and squatting is there crocs in the scrub. What do you watch out for . I understand there are pigs snakes anything else to be on edge about

[batesy]

so were do you pay for camping permits. Is it an honesty box or do you go to the rangers to get the permit. They say you should camp away from water as for crocs but whats a safe distance. So when you go in the scrub to dig a hole and do some serious thinking and squatting is there crocs in the scrub. What do you watch out for . I understand there are pigs snakes anything else to be on edge about

Yoyo, we just do the honesty box thing. There's a few set-up at the entrances to some of the camp areas.

As for the crocs ... well, I don't sleep well when I can hear crocs chirping (or whatever that noise is that they make) in the night. It doesn't help that our camp set-up struggles to keep a blind mozzie out let alone a croc!

We usually camp 20 or 30 meters from the water. I also park the car between us and the water. Then I lay there all night in a panic!!

The snakes? Yep, they're here. But you usually see them when you least expect it. Not usually around camp in my experiences.

[campdog]

so were do you pay for camping permits. Is it an honesty box or do you go to the rangers to get the permit. They say you should camp away from water as for crocs but whats a safe distance. So when you go in the scrub to dig a hole and do some serious thinking and squatting is there crocs in the scrub. What do you watch out for . I understand there are pigs snakes anything else to be on edge about
Depends where you camp, there is a rangers station at Old Laura who you can visit and the Rangers Station at Lakefield as well. A top spot for fishing, cherabin and redclaw is Mick finn waterhole,you need to see the ranger at Old Laura, good spot for barra,
Just dont make a habbit of going near the water at the same place too often,when going for a dump,just keep out of the long grass, Mate you should see the size of spiders on the cape, we had one on the side mirror on the nissan, covered the whole mirror. Heard they love sleeping bags, boots etc left on the ground, could you imagine waking up with one of those on your face.

[Nedly]

They say you should camp away from water as for crocs but whats a safe distance.

Hey Yoyo, check the Qld Gov EPA website, they have a bit about croc's.
They have this brochure titled:-
"Be Crocwise in Croc Country"

In the brochure they recommend you set camp at least 2m above the high water mark and at least 50m from the waters edge.
For me, 50m will equal at least 100 paces.

Puting your truck between you and the water is a good idea, putting your mates camp between you and the water is a better idea :)

[HOFFY]

Thanks Batesy. Coza, I'm ringing the rangers today. When and if I get through I'll post any info here. I'm travelling on my own with the family and an off road camper. Don't want to get caught between a rock and a hard place and then have to rely on someone else to help out. Thanks for all the info on the wild life. I told my daughter she can sleep with the axe beside her bed and that she is the first line of defence. :)

[highlift80]

Hi Hoffy when I was up at Lakefield in 98, We stayed at the Kalpowar camp ground it was only about a 5 minute drive from the Ranger Station 3-4 k's I think, we arrived late arvo and had to use the honesty box they had a board with the campsites on it and you had write your name,rego on which campsite you were going to be at. The rangers came through the campsite the next morning checking up on who was where and to have bit of a yarn and to see how every one was going they were nice guys. The Kalpowar campsite had quite a high embankment on the Normanby river where the camp sites were so you wouldn't have to worry about a croc coming through your camp, Toilets and showers there were all pretty clean at the time. It was a nice spot. The only thing that came into our camp there at night was a couple of dirty great cane toads, The missus hate's the things gave her bit of smarten up, your daughter may be able to help the enviroment out a bit and sought a few of them out with the axe.

[HOFFY]

No luck getting on to Nat. Parks today about Lakefield. Got on to the Police at Lockhart River though. Whilst there are some vehicle getting through to Portland Roads (Chilli Beach) the track isn't that flash and a couple of creeks are a bit deeper than usual. Thanks for the info about Kalpower Highlift 80.

[HOFFY]

Got onto the ranger at Lakefield this arvo. No problems getting from Cooktown to Lakefield via Battlecamp Rd. Heading north the road is closed past Hann Crossing. (Musgrave to Hann crossing is closed) They are awaiting some road repair. She had no idea as to a timeframe but did say probally in a month it will be open.