Artemis Station

 28 - 29 August 2025

We left Weipa for the long drive south with no firm plan about where we would stop for the night. We intended to drive until we were ready to stop, and had a few possibilities in mind. We stopped at the rest area at the Bamaga turn-off again, as well as "The Bend" north of Coen. We continued on and decided that we would have another night at Artemis Station.

We arrived fairly late in the afternoon to find we were the only ones camped there - how different to our visit a few weeks previously. That time the campground was packed, and this time it was quiet and peaceful. We were glad we had returned. 

A relaxing overnighter at Artemis

It was a relaxing afternoon watching the sun go down without anyone else around. Even though we were the only ones there, the donkey boiler was lit so we could have a hot shower. The campground is well looked after and owners and staff friendly and obliging - all for $10pp.

We left in the morning, intending to stay at Yungaburra where we had some credit from a previously cancelled stay. 

Weipa

 25 - 28 August 2025

We left Rainforest Campground in Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park and set off for Weipa. It was a long drive, with a stop at Mount Tozer Lookout, before re-joining the Peninsula Development Road north of Archer River. We stopped for lunch at the rest area at the Bamaga turn-off then continued on the PDR into Weipa. Again, the road was in reasonable condition, with some rougher patches along the way.

We made it to Weipa by about 3:00pm and set up on a very nice campsite in the caravan park. We had a big tree for shade and could see the water in the distance. The weather was warming up and we were expecting to need the shade, and to spend time in the pool. After a big day's drive we decided on dinner at the cafe attached to the caravan park. We wandered over with our drinks as the sun was starting to set.

Sunset over the Gulf of Carpentaria

While we were in Weipa we did a spot of birding (to the sewerage ponds and the jetty at Evans Landing) and also visited the Op Shop with the best selection of second hand books you could hope to find. The price - a gold coin donation for as many as you want - can't be beaten. I grabbed a pile and happily made a donation. We completed the usual housekeeping tasks - shopping, washing and tidying - before getting ready to start heading south again.

Once again we weren't sure where we would aim for when we left so explored a couple of possibilites, deciding to see how far we could travel.

Kutini - Payamu (Iron Range) National Park - Rainforest Campground

 24 - 25 August 2025

There are only three campsites at Rainforest Campground and Mick had already spent some time there birding, so he knew which one would be best for us. The sites are quite large but only one is listed as suitable for caravans as the other two have quite tricky entrances. We booked one of those two (as they were the only ones available) and Mick was confident that he would be able to manouvre onto the spot. We left Chilli Beach quite late and made a stop at Cooks Hut campground where we had lunch before the short drive to Rainforest Campground.

All that remains of the cook's hut

We set up - after a bit of an effort to get the camper onto the site - and Mick spent the rest of the afternoon out with binoculars and camera. Despite the location, there was no rain which made our overnighter without the awning much easier. Most visitors here are birders or those who appreciate the natural environment, while the "list tickers" head to Chilli Beach. We enjoyed our time at each location we stayed at, but prefer the quieter places.

Our next stop would be Weipa, which would mean quite a drive, so an early start in the morning.

Kutini - Payamu (Iron Range) National Park - Chilli Beach Campground

 21 - 24 August 2025

We left the comparative luxury of Portland House and drove down to the Chilli Beach Campground. It is well known as a windy spot so we had taken some time to selectma campsite that would afford some protection. After reading many reviews, we were able to book one that sounded like it would suit. We arrived early, hoping that we could get onto our site. Chilli Beach is also well known as a spot where lots of people just turn up and set up camp without booking so we were pleased to find our camp was not occupied.

We were able to position the camper trailer side on to the beach so that we would not get blown away if the wind came up. It was a beautiful spot, right by the beach, with some trees for shade and extra protection, and enough clear space between us and neighbouring sites to be able to get the solar panels set up. We walked on the beach and Mick did lots of birding.

Picture postcard perfect!

e realised we would be there for an interesting phenomenon - a murmuration of Metallic starlings so we positioned ourselves on the beach late in the afternoon to watch as thousands of starlings whirled around the nearby rocky islands. It was fascinating to watch and even the non-birders were captivated. 

On Saturday we drove back to Portland Roads for lunch at Out of the Blue Cafe. The food and service were fantastic - as was the view from the deck. 

Once again we didn't have firm plans for our next stop - Mick was keen to have another night at Cooks Hut before moving on to Weipa, but in the end we decided to have a night at Rainforest Camp - still in the national park - instead. We booked before we left Chilli Beach to head back to the rainforest.

Portland Roads - Portland House

 18 - 21 August 2025

Last year we stayed at The Greenhoose, at Lockhart River, but that trip was cut short when Mick had to be airlifted to Cairns with appendicitis, so we had some unfinished business up here. This time we decided to treat ourselves to three nights at Portland House, at Portland Roads.

We took our time leaving Cooks Hut and departed after lunch. We made a couple of stops along the way at some likely birding spots before reaching our home for the next three nights. When we arrived our hosts were finishing a repair in the kitchen so we went for a short walk. We were able to park the camper trailer so that we could use the solar panels to keep the battery topped up and the fridge running while we were in the house.

Portland House is set on a rise looking our over the bay. The term "roads" means "safe anchorage" and we saw a number of yachts taking advantage over the three days we were there. Mick did a little birding around the property and nearby, but mostly we just enjoyed sitting on the verandah taking in the fabulous view. We also enjoyed the luxury of a house with a proper kitchen and our own bathroom!

The sunsets were stunning!

The house is adjacent to "Out of the Blue" cafe - also owned by our hosts Greg and Sheree - but the cafe wasn't open on the days we were there. We booked to come back for lunch later in the week, when we would be camping not far away.

The three nights went quickly, and it was time to go back to the camper trailer - but worth it for the locations we can get to! We packed up and had morning tea at the cafe before we set off for three nights back in Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park - this time at Chilli Beach.

Kutini - Payamu (Iron Range) National Park - Cooks Hut Campground

 15 - 18 August 2025

We left Archer River Roadhouse and took the turn-off towards Portland Roads. We had booked 3 nights at Cooks Hut Campground in Kutini - Payamu (Iron Range) National Park and were very much looking forward to it. The road wasn't in terrible condition but there were still some bad patches. We found a spot to stop and have a bite to eat then stopped at  Mount Tozer Lookout before continuing on to the campground.

We had booked a different spot to the one we stayed on last year - this one is on the edge of the campground with the rainforest behind us, so a little bit quieter. Most of the other campers who stayed there while we were there were also birders, so lots of information was shared.

It's essential to keep the camera handy -
even when having Friday drinks

We were lucky to have great weather this time and Mick was able to venture out to a number of favourite spots at the other campgrounds nearby, along the track at the back of Cooks Hut, along the Old Coen Track and along the main road. Even though I'm not a birder, I really enjoy spending time in places like this. 

Our next stop would be for three nights in a house at Portland Roads, only about 35 minutes away, so we didn't need to rush to get going. We drove in to Lockhart River to pick up some supplies, and also to fuel up, before returning to camp to finish packing up and set off. 

Archer River Roadhouse

14 - 15 August 2025

We left Artemis Station without a firm plan about where we would spend the night. There are a couple of options at Coen, and beyond that, Archer River Roadhouse. There is also a campground after the turn-off to Kutini-Payamu NP. We drove through Coen and decided it was too early to stop - neither behind the pub, nor the campground at the guest house, seemed appealing. We continued on to a popular free camp just north of town, known as "The Bend". 

We stopped by the river and had a picnic lunch while we considered our options. In the end we decided not to camp at The Bend, and instead continued on to Archer River. The further we went, the closer we would be to the national park campground we had booked for the following nights. 

The campground at the Archer River Roadhouse is large and there was plenty of room for campers to not be on top of each other.  We found a spot with a bit of shade and settled in for the afternoon. We went for a walk down to the river and had a paddle but didn't swim. There were lots of caravans parked on the old (low level) bridge and families enjoying the water.

Plenty of room for everyone

Archer River is a good spot for an overnighter, and there were lots of others there on their way to or from "The Tip". In the morning we set off for a more than a week on the eastern part of Cape York.

Artemis Station

 12 - 14 August 2025

We left Hann Crossing Campground early and stopped for some birding and breakfast at Nifold Plain in Rinyirru National Park, before continuing on to photograph the Red goshawk, and then on to Artemis Station.

There's a croc in that waterhole

Artemis Station is well known as a breeding location for the Golden-shouldered parrot so it was on our list of places to visit. We arrived quite early in the day and chose a spot that would give us some shade. There was only one other camper when we arrived but the campground started to fill up as the afternoon wore on. It seems that Artemis has become a "go to" place for those wanting somewhere to spend the night on the way to or from "The Tip". It's a bit of a shame as, in our opinion, it has changed the atmosphere of the campground somewhat, with big groups "parking the wagons in a circle" with little regard for others. Birders, once the bulk of visitors, are now in the minority.

Regardless of the noisy caravanners, we still had a nice time at Artemis. The early birds left and we had the campground almost to ourselves - with one other birding couple - for most of the day, until the grounds started to fill up again. This time, in addition to the caravanners there was a big tour group. Definitely not what we had expected! It really is hard walking around a campground looking for birds with binoculars and camera when there are so many people nearby. 

We spent two nights at Artemis and Mick visited the feeding station a number of times to take photos of the parrots so it was a productive stop anyway. 

We had one more night to fill in before we were booked into Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park but weren't sure where we would stop when we left Artemis. We'd decide along the way.

Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park - Hann Crossing Campground

 11 - 12 August 2025

After two nights at Twelve Mile Lagoon we moved on to another campground within the National Park - Hann Crossing. We've stayed there a couple of times before, but when we booked a few weeks before leaving Ravenshoe we weren't able to get the spot we wanted to so were forced to choose another one that we didn't think would be as good. As luck would have it I checked again a few days before we were due to arrive and was able to get back onto the spot we had last time. It's right on the river, huge, a short walk to the toilets and quite private. 

We left Twelve Mile quite late and stopped again at the ranger station, then continued on to Hann Crossing. Because we were only staying one night we didn't bother with the awning. This would also allow us to get away early in the morning.

Up early, ready to move on

We set up camp on the river at Hann Crossing and enjoyed a very relaxing afternoon, which included some birdwatching of course. In the morning we left as the sun was coming up and drove to another good birding spot, Nifold Plain. Mick spent a while taking photos and we had our breakfast there before we moved on to another spot to hopefully photograph the Red goshawk.

We'd found the goshawk on our ill-fated trip north the previous year so Mick was hopeful to find it again. His patience was rewarded with some great shots of the bird and it's nest. From there we drove on to Musgrave Roadhouse and the south to Artemis Station.

Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park - Twelve Mile Lagoon Campground

 9 - 11 August 2025

We felt our real Cape York adventure had begun when we left Endeavour Falls and headed towards Battlecamp Road that would take us into Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park. Along the way we stopped at Isabella Falls before entering the park. The unsealed road was in surprisingly good condition and we made it to Lakefield Ranger Station in time for lunch. From there we continued on to Twelve Mile Campground.

We generally choose campgrounds with toilets but wanted to stay somewhere different on this visit to Rinyirru so we booked a couple of nights at Twelve Mile. There are no facilities but the sites looked to be well spread out and we managed to book one right on the river. The track in is narrow and windy in parts and we had to stop at the turn-off for a group of five vehicles to leave before we could begin the drive to our campsite.

We had read lots of reviews and chose Site 5, and we are very glad we did. The site itself is huge and sits on the high bank of the Normanby River. Because there is quite a long track down to the site we weren't bothered by others driving by. Some of the sites are right on the road but ours was very private. We were able to position the camper trailer to get some sun and some shade. 

The view from our campsite

We spent a couple of very relaxing days watching the resident crocodile opposite our camp, and driving along the track to check out the other campsites - and to look for birds. We had collected firewood before we reached the camp so we were able to have a fire too.

We didn't need to hurry on our last morning as we were only going as far as Hann Crossing Campground so we took out time and headed out mid-morning.

Endeavour Falls

 7 - 9 August 2025

After a walk along the beach to marvel at the coloured sands at Elim Beach, we headed back towards Cooktown, stopping to spend a couple of nights at Endeavour Falls. The caravan park comes highly recommended, with lovely green grass and lots of trees. The falls are accessed from a track at the back of the park.

The falls are a short walk from the caravan park

We planned to spend two nights there getting prepared for our Cape York Peninsula trip, stocking up on groceries, washing and organising the storage so everything we might need would be easily accessible. 

Once the washing was on the line we drove into town with a stop  suggested by the caravan park owner. A suspension bridge spans a creek that joins into the Endeavour River at a T junction. Walking across the bridge we spotted a large crocodile on the bank of Endeavour River. We walked a little further and realised she was the smaller of a pair sunning themselves on the water's edge. She was big, but he was huge. 

We continued on into town and another walk along the river before heading to pick up groceries and then on back to the caravan park. Restocked and repacked we were ready to venture further north.

Elim Beach

 5 - 7 August 2025

We arrived at Elim Beach just on lunch time and were given a choice of a few spots to camp. We chose one that was ample in size and would give us some shade as well as sun for solar. It was close to the amenities and also allowed glimpses of the beach. There are no powered sites, and showers are cold water only. It's a popular fishing spot, but is most well know for the coloured sands further along the beach. 

The coloured sands start about 300 metres from the campground, and can be reached via a well formed sandy track from the campground. We checked the tides and decided to leave that excursion until our last morning. We went for walks on the beach and also a drive back along the road towards Hope Vale, looking for birds of course.

We enjoyed a very relaxing couple of days and packed up ready to leave, then drove down to walk to the coloured sands. The colours and formations were amazing, and we were the only ones there for most of our time. We walked a long way and were constantly surprised by what we saw. One of the most unusual sights was a "waterfall" of sand coming from high up the sand cliff, and cascading towards the bottom.

The coloured sands are definitely worth a visit

We returned to the campground and hitched up ready to continue our journey. We had booked to stay in Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park but still had some time to spare so we decided to head back towards Cooktown to get ready for the trip to the Cape. This time we chose to stay out of town at Endeavour Falls.

Cooktown

 4 - 5 August 2025

Our plan was to drive from Daintree towards Elim Beach which is north of Cooktown. The shortest way to travel is via the Bloomfield Track, but towing is not recommended at the moment. The road suffered significant damage from Cyclone Jasper and the intense rainfall that followed. Even though this was in December 2023/January 2024 the road is still undergoing repairs. We know that some people ignore the "no towing" request but we aren't those people, so we went the long way.

We travelled back up the Rex Range Road, with another stop at Abattoir Swamp and then a lunch stop at Rifle Creek near Mount Molloy. From there we headed north along Mulligan Highway. We decided that we would make up our minds how much further we would go, once we reached Lakeland.

Because we'd had a late start, and Elim Beach was still a fair way off, we decided to have a night in Cooktown. You can't make a booking for Elim Beach and we didn't want to arrive late in the day and end up with a less than ideal camp spot, so we continued on to Cooktown and the caravan park we have stayed in a couple of times before. It was quite crowded but we did get a good spot where we could stay hitched up for the night. 

A small history lesson for those not aware.

In the morning we drove to Mulbabidgee Keatings Lagoon for a walk to the bird hide and then returned to town for a walk along the foreshore. We left Cooktown and drove through Hope Vale and then on to Elim Beach, where we planned to spend a couple of nights.

Daintree Village

 2 - 4 August 2025

Leaving Ravenshoe our plan was to travel to Cape York Peninsula - but first we would have a couple of nights at Daintree Village. It's a spot we love, not least because there are a number of excellent nature and birdwatching cruises that depart from there. Once again we would stay at the caravan park in the village which is right on the river, and an easy stroll down to the boat ramp.

We left Ravenshoe and drove through Atherton and on to Rocky Creek War Memorial Park where we stopped for a picnic lunch. This is a very popular "free camp" and there is a nice sheltered picnic area away from the camping area. It's become a bit of a favourite spot to stop on our way through. Another favourite is Abattoir Swamp, just past Mount Molloy, where Mick did a spot of birding. We had plenty of time to get to Daintree so there was no need to hurry.

Early the next morning Mick headed out on one of the river cruises which feature birdwatching - most of them are more focussed on crocodile spotting. It's an early start but worth it when you get a good clear day and a knowledgeable guide. 

The fog was so thick we couldn't see the river

The nights were cold and we woke to a very foggy (and damp) morning on our second and last day so we waited until the sun was shining and the canvas had dried out a bit before we packed up and set off for Cooktown.

Ravenshoe - House Sit

 13 July - 2 August 2025

We were invited back to Ravenshoe to house sit again and gladly accepted. This time we would be there for three weeks over winter. Ravenshoe sits at an elevation of 930 metres and is often covered in cloud so we were expecting some very cold weather. Rob had left plenty of fire wood and we had all our "Tassie" warmies with us so we weren't too worried. We had to light the fire on a few nights, but mostly the weather was surprisingly mild.

We enjoyed drinks by the fire on cold nights

This time as well as Lexie the dog and the sheep we had looked after last time, we had another 12 sheep. Dinner time was like feeding a mob of 6 year old boys at a birthday party - they followed me into the paddock and almost knocked me over trying to get to the feed. They pushed and shoved each other out of the way and acted like they hadn't eaten in days - instead of having grazed all day. We had one lamb born while we were there and we could see there were more on the way.

Once again we settled into a good routine and used the time to restock our freezer ready for the next leg of our journey. We had decided to go "up the Cape" when we left so we reorganised our gear and arranged to store some things we wouldn't need in the shed.

We took the opportunity to igo "to town" in Atherton a few times on business as well as a rush to the hospital emergency department when Mick developed a very nasty swelling following some sort of a bite. Ticks, leeches and all things bitey seem to love him. Fortunately he was ok with some anti histamines but we never did figure out what had bitten him.

We visited Mt Hypippamee a couple of times and met up with a birding friend who was in the area for a few days. Mick was able to show him where to find a couple of birds he was after so he was very happy.

Homeowners Rob and Cheryl arrived back the night before we were due to leave and we enjoyed a great night with them, and some of their friends and family, at the Ravenshoe Bowls Club. The club hosts a dinner every fortnight - delicious home cooked food at a very reasonable price.

We did all our final packing on the morning of our departure, saaid our goodbyes and set off to Daintree Village where Mick had another boat cruise booked.