Where to begin?

The Doc recently had a 4-day helicopter trip around Cape York Peninsula, or The Tip as the locals know it. It is the northern part of Australia from Cairns to the most northerly tip of the continent. A vast, wild area, of Australia, seen by few Australians or foreigners. Great beaches and great scenery, but no swimming, as it is box jellyfish season (whose sting is deadly) and of course the ever present salty, the salt-water crocodile, nature’s master ambush predator.

A map of the places visited over the 4 days.

So much of the trip was unique. Flying in a helicopter with an experienced pilot (Bungie) we visited many places where there were no roads. The general brief was to visit the best places across The Cape over 4 days. Specific requests were the Melville Ranges and if possible Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s properties at Piccaninny Plains and Brooklyn Sanctuary.

The Doc saw things few other people ever see, he hopes to give you a taste in this Report.

It was almost over before it began

The trip was to begin on Monday morning. However at 9pm Saturday night before Bungie finds out that all Robinson R44 helicopters with the Dash 7 blade are grounded across Australia and New Zealand. This was because of an accident in New Zealand a few days before. Bungie’s helicopter uses a Dash 7 blade, but not all R44s do. He managed to source a R44 without a Dash 7 blade in Townsville and had it flown to Port Douglas on Sunday. The trip is only delayed by 2 hours.

Port Douglas/Daintree River/Cooktown

On Day 1 we were to leave Port Douglas and finished at Silver Plains, a Cattle Station. However, the BobCat at the Resort on Haggerstone Island needs a new starter motor. So the part is loaded on the helicopter and Bungie has a crash course on how to install it. We set off around 10.30am and head up the coast. The weather is great and The Doc got some really nice shots. Bungie even pointed out where a recent fatal crocodile attacked occurred on the Daintree River. Sadly a child was taken.

There is also one photo of the Cape Flattery Silcia Mines and the dunefields of Shelburne Bay (white sands and tannin filled creeks).

There was an abundance of turtles. The first fuel stop was Cooktown. This is where Captain Cook’s ship hit the Great Barrier Reef and limped into what is now Cooktown to repair the Endeavour.

Cape Melville to Haggerstone Island

We now head into Cape Melville and the Melville Ranges. The Melville Ranges can only be accessed by air, you cannot walk in due to the boulder fields. Very unique geology here, it is as if the mountains were shattered when being formed.

Bungie showed me the large rock he dropped the ecologists on in recent times, they discovered new species, including a leaf tailed gecko.

The Doc wonders whether the Aboriginal Dreamtime stories of a giant python is what they were really looking for. Aboriginals stay out of this area.

We landed near the coast at a monument to the 9 pearlers and sailors who died in a cyclone on 5 March 1899. They were sheltering in the cove, the cyclone moved past, but then changed direction and came back on them. A 6 metre storm swell killed them, plus about 300 Aboriginals living in the area.

Our next refuelling site is Silver Plains, a remote Cattle Station (Ranch). This was to be our first overnight stop. However, Bungie loaded some extra jerry cans of Avgas and we headed to Haggerstone Island, flying past Lockhart and over the Iron Range National Park. We even detoured into a rain shower to clean the windscreen!

We landed on Haggerstone. Bungie with some help from Fred (the caretaker) and The Doc fitted the new starter motor. It started first go and Fred was very happy to have the BobCat working again.

The Doc cooked steaks that night, plus we had some greens. The entree Bungie supplied was excellent.