Cape Melville
 

Just got back from a 2000km trip to Cape Melville (north of Cooktown, North Qld). CREB track is open if anyone is interested, drowned our bikes there though http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/smile.gif The deepest creek was about waist deep.
http://members.dodo.net.au/~tgs7/trev/dscn2115.jpg

Daintree Rv was very shallow.

The road from Cooktown to Cape Melville is a challenge, 150km or so from Starke to Cape Melville, took us from 9am - 7pm (with 2 hours of exploratory diversions and lunch). Melville is where there was a croc attack last year and up the road from Kalpowar where there was a croc attack this year.

The beach at Melville is spectacular,
http://members.dodo.net.au/~tgs7/trev/dscn2140.jpg

a couple hardy 4-WD's camping for 3- 4 week stretches. It takes them 2 - 3 days coming up the Coast so the easier route is in from Lakefield and Kalpowar.

There is a fresh water stream at the back of Cape Melville,
http://members.dodo.net.au/~tgs7/trev/dscn2148.jpg

which is a blessing, as even in Winter the area is hot, you have to know where the water is though, unless the creek itself is flowing further down. The trail in is energy sapping, requiring lots of water.

We went out via Kalpowar,

http://members.dodo.net.au/~tgs7/trev/dscn2151.jpg

when you get close to Kalpowar the road opens up but has had the crap chewed out oof it by 4-WD's, the corrugations are more like sand dunes in size. The two 4wd's we passed were doing about 20 - 30km/hr the road was to rough for them to get up speed to skim the corrugations. Althought we could sit on about 120 or so, it's the roughest road I have ever ridden on. We made it to Laura on reserve, using 33l litres of fuel. So be aware _IF_ you plan to go to Ninian Bay, Cape Falttery etc while you are up there you had better have a decent fuel supply. The silica soils of the main tracks bog you down fairly well.

http://members.dodo.net.au/~tgs7/trev/dscn2132.jpg

[This message has been edited by trevor_s (edited 31 August 2005).]

[This message has been edited by trevor_s (edited 31 August 2005).]