Just 4 Kids Motortrail 2012

Just 4 Kids Motortrail "THE CAPE YORK SAFARI" 2012

REGISTER NOW FOR A HOLIDAY WITH A DIFFERANCE

THE 2012 JUST4KIDS MOTOR TRAIL
THE CAPE YORK SAFARI
JULY 2012

The Just4Kids Motor Trail is heading to the top of OZ in July 2012. To give you an idea of our itinerary and to capture the buzz for a great 15 day trip that you REALLY must come on, this is where we are heading.

Meet and Greet
At the Cardwell Coast Guard with our hosts Nev and Kathy Goggi. Accommodation has been arranged at the Beachcomber Motel Tourist Park, overlooking the ocean – your last glimpse until you reach the Daintree and Chilli Beach before the Tip, a spectacular 1500 klm drive.

Day 1. Cardwell to Cairns
Depart from the Cassowary Coast at Cardwell, our host town starting point following our 1st get together at the Cardwell Coastguard Meet and Greet the night before. We will saunter through the banana and cane fields and visit a school or two on the way to our first overnight stop, Cairns. Your tour on Day 1 is to historic Paronella Park – a must for everyone and included in your entry payment.

Day 2. Cairns to Endeavour Falls
After our sponsors TJM, along with the Deputy Mayor, flag us off from Cairns we head to Endeavour Falls via the beautiful Daintree rainforest. We will have morning tea with the kids at Alexander Bay School before we head into the historic Lions Den Hotel for lunch. This circuit is one of Australia’s best coastal Rainforest drives over many steep ranges and creeks. Our overnight stop is at the magnificent Endeavour Falls Tourist Park where you will be entertained with a Corroboree performed by the Hopevale dancers. This will be a memorable experience for all.

Day 3. Endeavour Falls to Lakefield National Park
Our day starts with a personalised Guurrbi Tour especially arranged for you. Willie will guide you through his country and you will come away with a much better understanding of our connection to this wonderful land. This remote excursion has been voted as one of the top 10 must do,s in Qld by RACQ. After this wonderful experience you will arrive at Kalpowar Camp area in Lakefield National Park where, once you set up camp, you can just relax by the river, or throw a line in, as your camp site will overlook the Normamby River.

Day 4. Lakefield National Park to Coen
Paddy and Barbara Shephard have invited you to enjoy Lochinvar Station. We will enjoy lunch and a swim in the croc free Coen River on their property just outside of Coen where Barry and Ann Louise at the Exchange Hotel have organised a night function of food, fun and games to be shared with the local community. We will raise funds to assist their PCYC with auctions and much much more so bring along some extra funds and get involved in a great fundraising night.

Day 5. Coen to Chilli Beach
From Coen we head north and those of you who thrive on a good 4WD track will absolutely love this day. You will cross the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers and traverse through this amazing country, crossing Batavia Downs Station, onto the Iron Bark Range Road and into Chilli Beach through some of the Cape’s best coastal Rainforest where we will overnight and be entertained and fed by the local community. For those of you who would prefer to travel with our chuck wagon and simply enjoy the scenery, the Development Road is our other option on this day.

Chilli Beach and the Iron Range area was the support location for the Australian and American allied air base from where the Japanese Pacific invasion was launched. There are many indicators in the area of this huge operation and for those of you who are historians, the Claudie Airstrip is still in operation today.

Day 6. Chilli Beach to Weipa
From Chilli Beach, another fantastic 4WD is on offer. We travel the Frenchman’s Track once again crossing the Pascoe and Wenlock Rivers, but further upstream this time. We then rejoin the Development Road before heading into Weipa for a great night to fundraise for Isabella King at the Weipa Bowls Club, see our web site for photos.

Day 7. Weipa to Moreton Telegraph Station
This is one of our shortest days but we won’t be leaving Weipa before you have had the opportunity for a morning of fishing, or the Comalco Mine Tour, or even 9 holes of golf if you prefer (optional extras and payable by the individual entrant). Maybe you just need to catch up on some washing and car maintenance. We will arrive at Moreton early enough to set up camp and then take a walk with their informative tour guides and enjoy this beautiful area. Moreton Telegraph is a historical land mark from where the OTL line was serviced from to the tip of Oz. There are free displays to peruse and items to purchase at the Station.

Day 8. Moreton Telegraph Station to Jardine River via the OTL
This is what it is all about. Travelling along the Old Telegraph Line (OTL), following the same route as the early explorers and linesmen across creeks and along sandy, weaving tracks. If you love 4WDriving you will enjoy the OTL. We will travel from its southern end commencing at Bramwell Junction and follow the line to Gunshot crossing, a must even if you only look at it. We then will lunch at the magnificent Twin Eliot Falls before continuing along the northern sector of the OTL. We will overnight beside the famous Jardine River. Once you have set up camp you will then enjoy a meal served up by our chuck wagon, relaxing by the River. As with any 4WD route, we offer the alternative of driving the Development Road.

Day 9. Jardine River to Seisia
An exciting day, or should we say a TOP day, as that’s where we are heading. After crossing the Jardine River by ferry, the 90 second ride sees us head to Bamaga and the Tip ( cost included in your entry ). The waters that rush around the very tip of Punsand Bay are quite amazing. We have lunch with the chuck wagon chefs at Somerset Beach and from there we take a scenic but very 4WD adventure through the dunes and 5 beaches that few other tourists get to experience. After you have taken a dozen photos of yourselves at the tip of Oz you can visit the Croc Museum before heading into Seisia and settling down at the Seisia Resort and Tourist Park for a fabulous night. The traditional feast of the area is a Kup Maui and you have been invited to your very own with the locals at the Seisia Holiday Park.

Day 10. Seisia to Thursday Island to Seisia
This is a rest day of sorts. Proportion of your entry payment is for our special excursions, including the ferry trip to Thursday Island. You really do need to experience the region.

Thursday Island is a beautiful Island with history going back over 200 years. You will visit the early gun placements going back to the sailing days of Captain Cook. Don’t go past the Pearling Museum where you will be tempted to buy a locally grown pearl from the 200 year old Pearl Nursery. Ladies, these will make your mouth water, and guys, your credit card will take a beating. Perhaps you should wait for our lunch time auction with the Thursday Island School as we have pre selected quality cultured pearls that you can bid for. There is a 1 ½ hr bus tour available which will take you to all the sites and will be the best way to view this amazing Island. Bus tour is an optional extra and payable by the individual entrant.

Day 11. Seisia to Punsand Bay
This is our shortest day – a mere 30 km but you won’t mind one bit. This has to be the most beautiful place on the Cape. Palm trees, white sand and blue water just metres from your camp site. We will leave Seisia following breakfast and pack up, and will be at Punsand Bay Resort by mid morning. You can have the day to relax or re explore the area around the Tip. There are historic sites as well in this region and we can help you locate them, like Cable Beach where the submarine cable from the OTL is exposed and enters the northern waters. This cable was Australia’s main link to the rest of the world during the 2nd world war and later replaced by technology and communication links going out from Darwin. Cape York Helicopters are also available for charters, and is excellent value for those who want an unbelievable ride around the top or fresh water ways. Optional extra and paid for by the individual entrants. Prices available .

Day 12. Punsand Bay to Bramwell Station
After exploring and relaxing for a few days at the Top end we head back down the main Development road crossing the famous Jardine River again on our way to Bramwell Station, the largest Cattle Station on Cape York. Bramwell is well set up with a bar, good camping grounds and top hospitality. There are a few options on this day. You can lunch at Fruit Bat Falls which is just off the Development Road and is a lovely waterfall spot for a cool swim. Highly recommended. Or you can wait until you get to the beach at Captain Billy Landing (CBL), or you can go straight onto Bramwell Station. We follow the Development Road today so it’s up to you entirely as to what you feel like doing.

Day 13. Bramwell Station to Musgrave Roadhouse
With an early start we have a surprise for you. We will visit Bertiehaugh Station which is now the home of the Steve Irwin Conservation Reserve. Our guides Barry and Cecil will talk to you about the region and what they are doing at Bertiehaugh which is now Steve Irwin’s legacy to conservation and wildlife. We are then off down the Cape York Development Road to Musgrave Roadhouse. We will have morning tea with our Tucker Truck and lunch at the Archer River Roadhouse where we refuel before travelling through Coen (and quarantine) and then overnighting at Musgrave.

Day 14. Musgrave to Cooktown
After a camp fire night and tales from the bush some of which are quite bizarre and a good sing a long with Ron, we will once again head down the Development Road into Cooktown. We are spending 2 nights at the Big4 Cooktown Caravan Park where, the first evening, we will dine in the Camp Kitchen before joining the locals at The Top Pub for a bit of fundraising for the kids of Cooktown. They desperately need a Skateboard/bike park and J4K, along with Cook Shire Council and the Endeavour Lions, are going to help them get one.

Day 15. Cooktown Lay Day
Following breakfast with the chuck wagon at the Big4 Camp Kitchen, with invited guests, you will have time to visit the museum, Captain Cook’s Lookout or explore the Endeavour River by barge, photographing, crabbing or fishing (all optional extras and payable by the individual entrant) before we enjoy our final night dinner function and presentation at Cooktown Bowls Club.

Day 16. It’s all over . . .
A very rewarding day because you will have achieved so much. Doing the Cape is an extensive trip as you will have driven over many road conditions, set up camp in some out of the way places, and no doubt challenged your personal self as well. It will also be time to share experiences with your fellow entrants and contemplated the experience of A HOLIDAY with a DIFFERENCE !

It will be your home day. You can go straight down the bitumen to Cairns and run the Bruce Highway to Brisbane, or you can go via the Tablelands to Charters Towers and travel the inner coast road to Emerald, Toowoomba and into Brisbane. There are many options for the southerners to return to the Big Smoke. Alternatively, you can book your vehicles onto a transporter and fly home from Cairns.

Don’t be disappointed. REGISTER NOW and be part of the adventure. 2012 Just4Kids Motor Trail Entry Form is available on this website.

Email to admin@just4kids.org.au
or fax to 07 4759 1459

For all enquiries phone 0427 991 900.

Check out our website for more details and photos from the Survey.

Please note that The Just4Kids Management team and the Motor Trail Director reserve the right to change and/or alter the dates and route of the 2012 event without notification.

Mark Louez, Motor Trail Director
The Just4Kids Children’s Charity Motor Trail
E: admin@just4kids.org.au
Ph: 0429 099 199

More Info:

More about the Cape York Safari Event

Cape York Safari Itinerary Overview

Download the 2012 Cape York Safari Entry Form Now

View The Cape York FAQ's

View The full Cape York Itinerary and Dates

View The Preparation Check List - Cape York