I would like to run another SJC trip to Cape York in September/October 2017 which includes the NSW School Holidays. I had copies of an itinerary with more details of times, dates, distances and destinations, at the December Club meeting, and can send a PDF copy to anyone that PM's me with their email address.

In brief, the plan is;

Drive from Sydney to Cairns Monday 18 to Thursday 21 September - 2400km. (You can do this on your own timetable or convoy with me) Rest up and sightsee around Cairns Friday 22 September.

Day 1 - Saturday 23 September - Cairns to Daintree - 105km - includes Mossman Gorge and Daintree sightseeing and/or River Cruise.
Day 2 - Sunday 24 September - Daintree to Lions Den Hotel Helenvale - includes Bloomfield Track or CREB Track - 105km
Day 3 - Monday 25 September - Lions Den Hotel to Cooktown - 53km - afternoon sightseeing around Cooktown
Day 4 - Tuesday 26 September - Cooktown via Elim Beach to Kalpowar Crossing - Lakefield NP - 242km
Day 5 - Wednesday 27 September - Kalpowar Crossing to Archer River Roadhouse - 283km
Day 6 - Thursday 28 September - Archer River to Dalhunty River Bush Camp - includes Old Telegraph Track - 195km
Day 7 - Friday 29 September - Dalhunty River to Elliot Falls - on the Old Telegraph Track - 55km
Day 8 - Saturday 30 September - Elliot Falls to Seisia - 122km - includes OTT, Jardine River Ferry and sightseeing.
Day 9 - Sunday 1 October - Seisia to The Tip and Local Sightseeing - 150km
Day 10 - Monday 2 October - Ferry to Thursday & Horn Islands - Sightseeing Tours
Day 11 - Tuesday 3 October - Lay Day at Seisia
Day 12 - Wednesday 4 October - Seisia to Bramwell Station - 231km
Day 13 - Thursday 5 October - Bramwell Station to Chilli Beach via the Frenchmans Track - 185km
Day 14 - Friday 6 October - Chilli Beach to Archer River Roadhouse - 165km
Day 15 - Saturday 7 October - Archer River Roadhouse to Lakeland via Laura Split Rock Aboriginal Cave Paintings - 375km
Day 16 - Sunday 8 October - Lakeland to Cairns - 248km, or Optional Lakeland to Undara - 401km
Day 17 - Monday 9 October - Undara Volcanic National Park Tours

The Cape York Trek - Cairns to The Tip, Chilli Beach and return to Cairns or Undara - 2,700 km

Drive from Undara to Sydney Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 October - 2400km. (You can do this on your own timetable or convoy with me)

The whole trip Sydney to Sydney is 7500km.

Most of the trip will be D Grade, with some C Grade, and B Grade options - such as the CREB Track, the Old Telegraph Track and the Frenchmans Track.

These trip dates roughly follow the trip we did in 2011. This time avoids the highest traffic season on the Cape of July to September and the Qld school holidays. Yes it's a little warmer, but the weather is good, the creeks a little lower, and it is much less crowded! Whenever I have asked park operators up there what time of year they would recommend, well this is it. This trip is also fairly similar to the trip we ran in 2011, however this time we will go out to Chilli Beach on the East coast, not Weipa on the West coast.

Getting to Cairns from Sydney and from Undara back home is up to you, but I plan to leave Sydney on Monday 18 Sept arriving in Cairns on Thursday afternoon 21 Sept, then rest up in Cairns on Friday before heading North on Saturday 23rd. I aim to get back to Sydney by Friday 13 Oct, making the whole trip 27 days.

If family and schools are a concern for you, you could fly people to Cairns on Friday evening 22 Sept (start of NSW school holiday) and fly them back from Cairns on Sunday evening 8 Oct (end of NSW school holiday). They would miss Undara.

Please consider, and post up on this thread if you are interested. If you would like more information, please PM me with your email address. Given the tracks and distances we could manage 10 Jeeps or so.

Please PM me, or post on this thread if you have any questions.

Definites
1 DaveG
2 EddyG
3 Wayne & Julie
4 Adrian - Goneagain
6 KevinF - MY14JK & family
7 GregD (and son Tristan for the return journey South)


Thanks,
Dave