Tracks Less Travelled

Exploring the remote roads of the lower Cape York Peninsula.

- Dick Eussen

DURING my many Cape York fishing and hunting escapes, I have often driven the alternate routes from the Peninsula Development Road (PDR) that junctions with the Burke Developmental Road (BDR) which runs from Mareeba to the Dunbar Station junction on the Normanton Road in the northern Gulf country. Two routes, the Artemis and Fairview roads, divert directly from the PDR to the BDR after crossing the mighty Mitchell River that closely parallels the BDR.

Another route swings off the PDR at Laura to Palmerville Station, and the Maytown ruins. Farther south from the station are the ruins of Groganville and its cemetery. The track is rough and runs on private lands, thus permission from stations is required. There are active gold-mining operations about Groganville. The track that runs from Groganville to the BDR, via Bellevue Station, is privately owned and permission is rarely given.

The easiest route from Palmerville Station south is via Mount Musgrave Station to the BDR, via the Gamboola Station Crossing. As elsewhere, these remote area roads and tracks have numerous gates. Leave them as you find them. If they are open, don’t stop; if closed, open and shut it behind you. Don’t shoot unless you have permission to do so. Remember, scrub bulls belong to people and are worth a lot of money. They are not feral, so leave them be. Above all, be careful with campfires, as this country is tinder-dry when roads and tracks open.

MOUNT CARBINE TO DIMBULAH