QLD - Laura, Lakefield NP, Bathurst Heads, Ninian Bay, Cooktown - PHOTOBOMB THREAD

[FNQGU]

HI Guys,

Just thought I'd share some photos taken over the last few days while doing a quick circuit out of Cairns, up through Lakefield NP, Bathurst Heads, Cape Melville, Ninian Bay and surrounds. Two Patrols, pretty easy driving, although we encountered hot dry winds and bushfires.

I hadn't been into this area for bout the last five or six years and to be honest I was surprised with a) the number of people we encountered, and b) the unbelievable upgrade to the road out of Lakefield towards Cape Melville. It doesn't yet go all the way, but it was like a dirt Highway. Disappointing in some ways, that this part of the Cape is also becoming so accessible that soon every man and his dog will be there.

This first lot are from Laura and some of the Indigenous Rock Art at Split Rock.

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150125_zpshkjnh3ul.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150125_zpshkjnh3ul.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150126_zpsrcwilb2l.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150126_zpsrcwilb2l.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150133_zpsburcd0oy.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150133_zpsburcd0oy.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150127_zpse2j1pvfs.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150127_zpse2j1pvfs.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150129_zps5k14uncs.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150129_zps5k14uncs.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150138_zpsdutgfhuk.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150138_zpsdutgfhuk.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150140_zpsng3912vm.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150140_zpsng3912vm.jpg.html)

[FNQGU]

From Laura, it was onto Lakefield National Park we we drove through up to the Northern reaches, camping at Saltwater Creek and then back down and out to Bathurst Heads the next day.

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150150_zpsquzitzxg.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150150_zpsquzitzxg.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150155_zpsdicemroa.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150155_zpsdicemroa.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150171_zpssuijkmr0.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150171_zpssuijkmr0.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150182_zpsrfeamvdd.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150182_zpsrfeamvdd.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160361_zpslkkq7hf8.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160361_zpslkkq7hf8.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160360_zpsk72cf2zc.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160360_zpsk72cf2zc.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160348_zps4ihekxu8.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160348_zps4ihekxu8.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150188_zpsv8une53h.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150188_zpsv8une53h.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150189_zpsut4zan7e.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150189_zpsut4zan7e.jpg.html)
Looking back East towards where we planned to head in the morning...

And then some brilliant sunset action partially due to the smoke in the air.
http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150265_zps0ofen4gb.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150265_zps0ofen4gb.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150281_zpsgoqpxjev.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150281_zpsgoqpxjev.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150302_zpszbpletoh.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150302_zpszbpletoh.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9150347_zpsjogcy40j.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9150347_zpsjogcy40j.jpg.html)
Camped for the night at Saltwater Creek camp 2.

[FNQGU]

I forgot to take any photos of the roadworks, but it was possible to sit on 90kph from the Normanby River crossing up to the turn towards Bathurst Heads, except where the crews were still working of course. This 45-odd kilometres used to take a couple of hours.

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/d67b5c75-44df-4815-b460-b44cb7552bda_zps5y97nsok.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/d67b5c75-44df-4815-b460-b44cb7552bda_zps5y97nsok.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160367_zpss6ogbiyu.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160367_zpss6ogbiyu.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160365_zpsyp14lvhi.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160365_zpsyp14lvhi.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160370_zpsxbrgl1oc.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160370_zpsxbrgl1oc.jpg.html)

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http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160387_zpsnmopkfha.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160387_zpsnmopkfha.jpg.html)

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http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160398_zpsg47ephnb.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160398_zpsg47ephnb.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160406_zpsjolcqx9x.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160406_zpsjolcqx9x.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160407_zpsnramewds.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160407_zpsnramewds.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160411_zpsm6dxjxpm.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160411_zpsm6dxjxpm.jpg.html)

[FNQGU]

Camped on the point itself, which is now a restricted area. Luckily we had contacts...

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160418_zpswa8dppfj.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160418_zpswa8dppfj.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160500_zps7xuh4ukw.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160500_zps7xuh4ukw.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160462_zpszen5wmej.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160462_zpszen5wmej.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9160549_zps25p0ktjd.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9160549_zps25p0ktjd.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9170588_zps2njsbx6j.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9170588_zps2njsbx6j.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9170601_zps0m8hfujm.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9170601_zps0m8hfujm.jpg.html)

and then out towards Cape Melville and Ninian Bay and the strange sight of a lawnmower in a tree.
http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9170611_zpshnwz65fd.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9170611_zpshnwz65fd.jpg.html)

Cape Melville
http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9170630_zpskmsbbuvr.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9170630_zpskmsbbuvr.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9170623_zpsbjywelde.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9170623_zpsbjywelde.jpg.html)
Whistler ducks on just about every water hole.

Ninian Bay
http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9170632_zpsaxjnw2cf.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9170632_zpsaxjnw2cf.jpg.html)

[FNQGU]

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180668_zpscm76bhvb.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180668_zpscm76bhvb.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180661_zpsjnnuoshc.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180661_zpsjnnuoshc.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180689_zpsvcwmgpk4.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180689_zpsvcwmgpk4.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180693_zpsestsohci.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180693_zpsestsohci.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180701_zpsjqwpaicg.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180701_zpsjqwpaicg.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180707_zpscwxqcyxy.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180707_zpscwxqcyxy.jpg.html)

http://i935.photobucket.com/albums/ad197/BenKDJ/P9180709_zps6mlgjlb0.jpg (http://s935.photobucket.com/user/BenKDJ/media/P9180709_zps6mlgjlb0.jpg.html)

And that was it - back home to Cairns and reality.

[Bob]

Great Pics thanks for sharing.

We have the High Country but this is a match for it.

[FNQGU]

Yeah, High Country is on my To Do list. I'm hoping for next year with a bit of luck.

[Chubba]

Thanks FNQGU for that great trip report. Excellent photos. Don't we live in a vast beautiful country. We are so lucky.

[Cuppa]

It’s stuff like this which keeps my dreams alive. Thanks for sharing.

[ova50]

Excellent photos!!!
:cheers:

[threedogs]

battle camp rd know it only too well. I have that same pic
of Isabell falls, we had fires in the area at the time.
Thanks for sharing Laura, new Laura , Old Laura and Laura Homestead
how could you go wrong

[FNQGU]

Cheers for the comments.

Trips like these are always enjoyable and if these photos inspire anyone to a similar journey then that is just fantastic. The Cape is full of places like these that are just a bit off the beaten track to the tip and are missed by most on their big bucket list trips.

Ben