Station stays and National Parks........

After leaving Umagico we drove straight to the ferry, crossed the Jardine River again and continued south.  On our way we noticed there are many more cars, campers and caravans on the road now and in places the road is not so smooth as it was on our way up.

We drove on and made our way to Moreton Telegraph Station where we were going to spend a couple of days.  Located on the Wenlock River Moreton TS is a lovely green oasis after a long day on a dusty road.

The station was one of six constructed to service the new electric telegraph line on Cape York Peninsula in 1886.  In the late 1920’s the high cost of maintenence and low traffic on the line prompted the Post Master General to consider closing some of the stations.  As short wave radio had been introduced at Thursday Island it was felt that alternate stations could be closed without seriously affecting the service.  Moreton TS was closed in 1987 after almost 100 years of service.

 The station is now a stop on many Cape York Safaris.  While we were there we saw a group of people riding to the tip on Mountain Bikes via the Old Telegraph Track.  The next day another group came in on dirt bikes and another group arrived in an Outback Spirit Tour bus on their way back from the tip. All were loving their experiences.

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here.  Lovely green grass with lots of bird life. We were here to find birds of course and top of Bill’s wish list was the Magnificent Rifle Bird.  The Sacred Kingfishers and Rainbow Bee Eaters kept Bill busy and he did manage to get a photo of the rifle bird but not one he’s happy to share.  Looks like we have to wait for another chance.

We left here after two very relaxing days and made our way towards Iron Range (Kutini Payamu) National Park.  Qld National Parks have to be booked online and this can prove difficult to choose a suitable site that allows for sunlight needed for solar.  We had our fingers crossed that the site description of sunshine was good as we don’t travel with a generator or separate solar panels.

We stopped at Chuulangun Camping Area overnight on our way to Iron Range.  This bush camp is run by the local indigineous people and while very basic it is a nice stop to break the long journey in the national park.

The next morning we began the long slow drive into Chili Beach where we were staying for the next five days.  The trip in takes a while as there are many dips and ford crossings and slowly is the only way to go.  Both the Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers have to be crossed as well.  The first half of the road into the National Park was very rough but improved as we went.  A very large sealed section saw us arrive at the boundary of the park in style.

Now I would like to tell you that the road stayed like this but I guess you have figured out that is not the case.  From here you are driving through thick lowland tropical rainforest and the roads are damp and muddy with three very steep muddy creek crossings.  We managed them all quite easily though how I’m not so sure.  Apparently the park had just been opened and it had still been raining recently turning the roads to deep muddy ruts.  We took it slowly and got through ok but I was certainly hoping the roads would dry before we left again.

We arrived at our camp site, no 22, later in the afternoon and while huge there was a lot more shade than we were hoping for.  Still, we’d be right for a few days so if need be we could always leave early.

Chili Beach is on the East Coast of the Cape York Peninsula and is known by all who visit for it’s beautiful views and never ceasing wind.  Camping in a van we were not bothered by the wind but how anyone in a tent survives I don't know.

We set up and had a walk through the forest around us and of course a walk along the beach.  Once again there is a fair amount of rubbish brought in by the current but they do regular clean ups.  One morning I found a car tyre that had washed up the night before.  Signs here tell us that one of the clean up efforts cleared 5 tons of rubbish.  Not so hard to imagine after a walk along here though.

Right in front of you is Restoration Island where Captain Bligh first landed on his journey after the mutiny on the Bounty.  We enjoyed the next couple of days relaxing and wandering through the walks looking for birds of this area.  The Double Eyed Fig Parrots were regular visitors but hard to catch.

We had fun on our third day when we decided we needed more sun to charge our batteries fully so we took the van around to a sunny site on the beach which was empty.  Site 14 did the trick, and leaving the van there for the day while we wandered between both camps, filled the batteries and we returned the van to our site ready to last out the next two days.

The following day we packed a picnic and made our way back through the National Park to the first camping areas where most of the rainforest birds are.  Cooks Hut, Gordons Creek and Rainforest campgrounds are ideal places to find many of the endemic species here.

While walking through here we met a lovely family staying at Rainforest.  Andrew, Min and their two young boys were into their birds and we enjoyed an hour or two with them as their little camp was alive with birds.  A female Magnificent Rifle Bird was a great find though camera shy and the male still proved elusive.  The Emerald Dove was a lot happier to sit for Bill.

The other bird Bill was after was the Electus Parrot.  The guys told us where to find them and we did see them but this is as good as it gets as they would not budge at all from this nesting hole.

From here we drove around to have a look at the Lockhart River Community.  In the 1930’s a misson was established near the mouth of the Lockhart River then re-established after WW11 to the south.  It was relocated to the current sight in 1968.  We found a very different feel here than the communities at the tip.  We had a look at the Arts Centre which is home to many world renowned artists.  Some very nice work there but none that we wanted to bring home just now.

We drove around to the coast and were fascinated by the different rock formations.  Another cool and windy day saw us jump back in the car and return to the National Park.  The roads were drying out nicely too.

One last stop for the day was to Historic Portland Roads.  This tiny little settlement is still in name a registered port and an important anchorage for the commercial fishing fleet and yachts travelling the world.

A jetty built in 1938 and extended in 1943 made this area one of the key defense bases in Northern Australia during WW11.  Thousands of US and Australian personnel were stationed in Iron Range at the time of the Battle of the Coral Sea and the New Guinea campaign.  Unfortunately there is nothing left today to even hint at this history.

The next morning Bill returned to Rainforest campground and spent the morning wth the birds again.  The Spectacled Monarch seemed happy to pose for him.  The afternoon was spent getting ready for our departure the next day.

Rain was forecast again and we were hoping it would hold off until we were gone.  This was not too be!  It rained overnight and the partially dry roads had become very wet and slippery again.  Large puddles of water in places added to the experience - what fun!

It was a very dirty drive out and the three deep muddy crossings we saw on the way in were even worse now but once again they posed no problem.  Once out of the National Park the rain stopped and we continued our journey slowly towards the PDR once more.

From here we drove north again towards Weipa but soon after turned off the road into Merluna Station where we stayed for two nights.  It was sheer luxury to camp on lush green grass again and enjoy lovely hot showers.

Merluna Station is a 417,000 acre beef cattle property. Michelle and Cameron offer camping and  helped in the busy season by Jenni and Paul they make everyone feel very welcome.  They also offer home cooked meals with themselves and the workers of an evening and on our first night we couldn’t say no to roast beef and all the trimmings.  Jenni’s butterscotch self saucing pudding was pretty good too.

Bill had a wonderful time here with Paul, also a keen bird photograhper, as they did some walks and found quite a few birds. This lovely Graceful Honeyeater came in each afternoon to drink at the homestead.

Holding pride of place in the office is BB the Bull.  He was a feral bull who over the years became tame and used to be fed mangoes by all the staff.  When it was time for him to leave this earth Michelle decided to immortalise him and so now he looks over all her work.  Of course he is still a favourite with all the guests as we line up to have a pic with him.

The next day we said our farewells and drove back out to the PDR.  Next stop Weipa.

until next time.......