 Cape York, The Gulf (14 days)
Day One: Melbourne - White Cliffs - Avington Station
Departing Melbourne at 8am, the flight is 3 hours and so arrival at White
Cliffs is around 11am. This is an interesting Opal mining town. A brief tour of
the town and then to "Jock's Place" and enjoy his excentric underground charm.
Then at 12.00 we have a light lunch at PJ's Underground motel. Departing at 1pm
we fly 2.5 hours to Avington station arriving around at 4pm. A tour on the
Barcoo river for sunset drinks or a drive around the property in your own 4
wheel buggy to view all the different vegetation and wildlife are two of the
options before a great meal with outback station hospitality
ACCOM: AVINGTON STATION....homestead
Day Two: Avington Station - Chillagoe - Jowalbinna
After a great breakfast in the homestead kitchen we depart at 9 am for a 2.5
hr flight to Chillagoe. This town is famous for it's limestone caves and so we
venture down the Donna Cave for a fascination 1 hour tour. After the tour lunch
is served at the local motel and then we depart at 3.00 pm for Jowalbinna.
arriving at about 3.30pm. The drive from the airstrip is about 30 minutes to the
camp site. The accommodation is twin share tents and an outback bush shelter
kitchen/dining room. Showers and toilets are typical bush facilities.
ACCOM: JOWALBINNA BUSH CAMP
   
Day Three: Jowalbinna - Horn Island
his is Steve Tresize's bush camp and there are many great aboriginal rock art
sites to view. In the morning we drive out to the Giant Wallaroo and a number of
other rock art sites. This requires about 2 hrs of walking. After lunch we
depart for Horn Island . This is a 2 hr flight arriving at 4.30pm. We transfer
to our motel and relax for the evening
ACCOM GATEWAY TORRES STRAIT RESORT/MOTEL
Day Four: HornIsland - Coconut Island
In the morning we are taken by Vanessa on a fascinating tour of Horn Island.
There is much to see and of particular interest are all the war relics around
this island. Vanessa is very knowledgeable and at the end of the tour we have
time back at the motel to peruse the museum before we depart for Poruma Resort
on Coconut Island. This is a 30 minute flight and plan to land at midday and
then transfer to our cabins in time for lunch at 12:30. Coconut Island is only
the length of the airstrip. The only tourists on the island are the people
staying at the resort ( maximum of about 8) so you are made to feel very special
by the local Torres Strait community.
After lunch a relaxing afternoon and depending on the tide, a swim may be
possible right in front of the cabins or for the keen maybe a fishing expedition
in the small boats off the beach.
Drinks that evening are in front of the cabins for a magnificent sunset and
then another great seafood meal.
ACCOM: PORUMA RESORT CABINS......
http://www.poruma.com
   
Day Five - Six: Coconut Island
Two days are spent at the Island resort. One full day will be a boat trip on
the Northern Blue 40 ft vessel. The destination depends on the weather and could
include Bird Island or Roberts Island ( 2 of about 8 in the area). We do some
deep sea fishing and trolling on the way. Snokelling and swimming on the island
beaches are a must. Lunch will be provided on the boat during the day. We return
, with our catch, at about 5pm in time for another swim and then sunset drinks
on our verandahs before another seafood extravaganza.
The second day is negotiable depending on preferences. It may be another full
boating day or just a half day or may be more relaxing just around the locality
of Coconut itself.
ACCOM: PORUMA RESORT CABINS
Day Seven: Coconut Island - Horn Island - Inkerman Station
Departing after breakfast at 10am we return to Horn Island for fuel and then
fly down the western coastline of the Cape York Peninsula to Weipa and on to
Inkerman station. Arriving in time for lunch at 1pm at the homestead on this
huge working cattle station, we then take a 4 wheel tour of the property ,
ending up at the coast yet again for another magnificent sunset. Dinner this
night is in the homestead.
ACCOM: INKERMAN STATION....homestead
Day Eight: Inkerman - Sweers Island
After breakfast depart at 10 am for Sweers Island via Karumba for fuel. This
takes about 1 hour and on arrival at Sweers it is a short 5 minute drive to the
resort. Sweers Island, is in the Gulf of Carpentaria, approx. 23 miles off the
coast. There are miles of golden beaches, blue waters, a wealth of history, a
huge variety of birdlife, and as well as being a fisherman's paradise it has
enjoyment for everyone. The nearest neighbours are the local aboriginal people,
very friendly and helpful people who often take visitors on their turtle or
dugong hunts. Here we are accommodated in share cabins/cottages. Once settled we
meet at the open air bar/dining room for lunch and decide the afternoon's
activities. Options include boat fishing ( which is what Sweers Island is famous
for) or maybe a drive around the island and walks and swimming on some on the
local safe beaches.
Ray will no doubt dish up a fabulous seafood meal that evening in the open
air eating area overlooking the setting sun on the ocean.
ACCOM: SWEERS ISLAND RESORT...cabins
http://www.sweers.com.au/
 
Day Nine: Sweers Island - Pungalina
In the morning a 1 hour flight gets us to Pungalina Station. Pungalina is a
500,000 acre property which is set up for small group tours in safari style
camp. The tents are twin share and there is a flushing toilet, two showers and a
great spring fed stream for swimming (although very shallow). We spend today and
the next three days enjoying the variety of activities on the
property.....fishing for Barramundi, touring limestone caves, canoeing ,
birdwatching, bush walking or just relaxing. At sunset we drive out to Calvert
Gorge for drinks before dinner back at the camp.
ACCOM: PUNGALINA SAFARI CAMP RESORT...twin share tents
www.pungalinasafaris.com.au
Day Ten ,Eleven, & Twelve : Pungalina
  
Pungalina is 40 kms south of the coast and just west of the NT/QLD border. At
this wilderness location there are many things to do and so we tailor the
activities to the groups preference and capabilities. Of particular note is the
limestone caves. They are millions of years old and really fascinating to enter.
They are hot but well worth visiting to see the stalactites and stalagmites. A
refreshing swim after this activity at the Bubbling Sands in Karns Creek is
normally necessary.
For the keen fisherman, the Calvert river offers amongst other types....the
Barramundi and Sooti Grunters There are a number of fishing locations and a
pleasant afternoon could also be spent boating and trolling the Calvert River.
This is normally an important activity as a meal cooked underground and in paper
bark by Owen back at the camp is compulsory.
There are many walks particularly for the keen bird watcher and often a swim
is possible. It is not uncommon to see Brolgas and Jabiru as well as many
smaller birds. To date some 150 birds have been sighted.
  
Canoeing the Calvert River, the Crocodile Hole and or the lagoon are three
more alternatives. The first is a 3 hr trip down shallow areas of the Calvert
and over areas of simple rapids and is a very pleasant trip. The second is more
leisurely where small freshwater crocodiles can be seen. The third is a large
permanent lagoon with many birds including sea eagles.
A must to do is to drive out to the Calvert Gorge one late afternoon for
sunset drinks. This is a spectacular location with towering cliffs some 200
meters high. Once again the drive over the rugged country is fascinating in
itself due to the varied vegetation. Another evening would be pre dinner drinks
out at the local billabong watching the birdlife gather.
Pungalina borders Robinson River , which is a local Aboriginal community. It
may be possible to arrange a visit of the Aborigines to show the use of bush
tucker and any artefacts they may have to sell.
ACCOM: PUNGALINA SAFARI CAMP... twin share tents
Day Thirteen: Pungalina - Lawn Hill Gorge - Birdsville
An early morning departure to have as much time as possible in the Lawn Hill
National park, home of Lawn Hill Gorge, truly one of the most spectacular gorges
in the Gulf Country, with luxurious tropical rainforest-like vegetation, sheer
red cliffs and unusual green water. Access to the gorge system is by delightful
walking tracks, and exploring the middle and upper gorge system is by canoes. It
is fantastic for swimming especially around the naturally bubbling spas, or just
out in the centre of the gorge looking up at the sheer cliffs and tropical
vegetation. Enjoy a delicious lunch back at Adels Grove camp , and a great swim,
before flying onto Birdsville
ACCOM: Birdsville Hotel....rooms. Approx flight time 3:00 hrs
 
Day Fourteen: Birdsville - Innamincka - Moorabbin
In the morning, spend time at the Birdsville Working Museum then fly 1 hr
flight ends at Innamincka where we have lunch and a boat crise on the famous
Coopers Creek. The final leg home via Broken Hill is about 4 hours flying
arriving back at Moorabbin in the early evening.
ACCOM: MELBOURNE Approx. Flight : 6 hrs
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