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Cape York, QLD

Cape York and the Gulf Savannah are the last Australian frontier. Located on the northern most tip of Australia, Cape York Peninsula is a wild and sparsely populated wilderness area and is only accessible during the dry months of April to December. Its rugged coastline points towards New Guinea while the eastern side of Cape York is fringed by the coral gardens of the Great Barrier Reef.

Cape York

The seemingly undeveloped land of Cape York will surprise and delight. The dusty tracks contrast dramatically with the abundant river systems, crystal clear creeks and spectacular waterfalls. This is a vast area of unexplored wilderness, magnificent national parks, sacred Aboriginal sites, unexplored rainforest, rugged mountains and swampy marshlands. This is a land of climatic extremes where the creeks run dry, or ten feet high.

If you love bushwalking, four-wheel driving, wildlife, fishing birdwatching or camping then Cape York is the place for you. The Cape York region is one of the largest wilderness areas in the world that remains relatively untouched, maintaining its original beauty and variety of sights.

You’ll be amazed by the 40,000 year old tradition and culture of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders – Australia’s Indigenous people. See the unique wildlife including kangaroos and the unusual dugongs. With all this untamed beauty the area offers an escape from the man-made pressures of the city.

You can discover Cape York in a variety of ways. Travel by four wheel drive to the very tip of Australia or cruise the blue waters of the Torres Strait. Trek to ancient Aboriginal Rock Art sites at Quinkan Rock Art Reserve, where thousands of years of Aboriginal culture have been recorded in ochre and clay paintings.

Islands of the Torres Strait

The Torres Strait is made up of over 100 islands north of Cape York in Tropical North Queensland. Stretching approximately 150km between the northern most tip of Australia and the south coast of Papua New Guinea, the dazzling turquoise waters of the Torres Strait are dotted with over 100 islands as well as coral cays, exposed sandbanks and reefs.

Cape York

The Strait’s overall population of 8000 people, of which approximately 6000 are Torres Strait Islanders and Aboriginal people, is dispersed throughout 19 small island communities. The communities are all remote, approximately 1000 kilometres from the nearest city and each has a population between 80 and 750 people.

The most populated island and centre of trading and business in the Straits is Thursday Island, also known as ‘Waiben’. With 3,500 residents the Torres Strait Islander culture is an interesting mix of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Malay, South Sea Islander, Papuan, Aboriginal and European peoples.

Torres Strait Islanders are proud of their unique culture and both the older and younger generations strive to retain it. Where possible Torres Strait Islanders maintain their traditional way of life, depending on marine resources for their daily existence. Thursday Island, now identified as one of the last great frontiers in Australia, holds some great Australian history. In 1880 Thursday Islandacted as the defence centre for Australiaand evidence of this still exists in that the cannons still remain in place.

Cape York

The culture is quite distinct from mainland Aboriginal culture.

There is a variety of accommodation and tours to experience the Torres Strait Islands.  It’s an ideal stopover to see the Torres Straitculture and lifestyle inherited from its South Pacific neighbours.

Varied terrain

One of the world’s last wilderness frontiers, the Cape York Peninsula is a unique area of incredible contrasts.

Measuring some 11 million hectares in size, it extends 1000 kilometres north of Cairns to Cape York, the tip of the peninsula, which extends out beyond the islands of Torres Strait.

The Cape begins at Cooktown and from here a wild, unexplored habitat awaits – dusty tracks, abundant river systems, crystal clear creeks, spectacular waterfalls and prolific wildlife.

Cape York

The further north you venture, the more diversity you’ll discover – windswept beaches where time and tide have eroded cliffs into fascinating shapes and mountains clad in rainforest, gently sloping down to the sea.

Beyond Cooktown, most residents live in Aboriginal and cattle station communities and in small mining towns dotted among enormous national parks.

Cape York Peninsula is home to the Injinoo Aboriginal people, who know the land intimately, allowing their survival in this harsh land. Visit the Pajinka Wilderness Lodge at Pajinka, owned and operated entirely by the Injinoo people who offer lodging, field trips and tours to visitors.

There are only two seasons on Cape York Peninsula the ‘wet’ and the ‘dry’. The wet from mid November to April is by far the most spectacular but access is only by aircraft. At the end of the big wet, south-east trade winds return to dry the land, leaving it green and lush and covered with  wild flowers.

Nearest Airport: Cairns

Experiences

  • Active
  • Caravan and Camping
  • Romance
  • Cultural
  • Eco Tourism
  • Environmental
  • Honeymoon
  • Indulgence/Luxury
  • Mountain
  • Nature based
  • Relaxation
  • Remote
  • Island

Popular Activities

  • Off Road Driving
  • Bird Watching
  • Bush Walking
  • Canoeing
  • Cruising
  • Sailing
  • Scenic Flight
  • Shopping
  • Sightseeing
  • Swimming
  • National Park
  • Adventure
  • Rainforest
  • Wilderness
  • Wildlife
  • Fishing - Game
  • Outback
  • Scuba-Diving
  • Fishing - Beach
  • Beach
  • Fishing - Deep Sea
  • Fishing - Trout/Fly
  • Fishing - Estuary
  • Diving
  • Snorkelling
  • Reef
  • Gold prospecting

About Cape York

Accommodation In Cape York

Discover some of the accommodation in and around Cape York

Explore The Outback

Australia has a vast remote interior, much of it largely untouched. By night, the outback is deathly quiet, with the only light provided by the stars and the moon - a perfect oportunity for stargazing. Explore the isolated heart of the country, meet and connect with Aboriginal people and experience one of the oldest living cultures in the world. Go ‘walk-about’ and immerse yourself with Australia’s endless outback horizons.

Outback Experiences

Luxe Accommodation

Enjoy a distinctly Australian luxury experience, such as the unforgettable reefs, islands, beaches and coast; rugged mountain ranges, rainforests and vast national parks; and the many vibrant food and wine regions. Take a once in a lifetime adventure and discover the sheer indulgence of experiencing the wonders of Australia in style and stay in total luxury.

Australia has wide variety of accommodation options to suit most budgets and travelling preferences. Choose from luxury lodges, boutique hotels, serviced apartments, motels, bed and breakfasts, caravan parks as well as youth and backpacker hostels.

Accommodation

Glasshouse Mountains

The Glasshouse Mountains in the hinterland of Queensland’s Sunshine Coast are actually the cores of 20 million year old volcanoes. The sides of the volcanoes have eroded away leaving only the hardened rock spiremountain cores we see today. Learn more about this awe-inspiring landscape.

Glasshouse Mountains