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Cape York and the Old Telegraph Track, Cape York Peninsula

Trips / QLD

Cape York Peninsula

Cape York and the Old Telegraph Track

The trip to the northern tip of Australia runs up the corrugated, partly sealed Peninsula Developmental Road, then takes the Old Telegraph Track from Bramwell Junction through Palm Creek, Gunshot Creek and Nolans Brook to the Jardine River ferry. Bypasses skirt most obstacles, and the wet season shuts the tracks from about December until the Old Telegraph Track opens around June.

From Narangba1,950 km
TripExpedition
DifficultyHard
Longest fuel gap166 km
When to go
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec
Red is the best of it; hatched is when tracks or parks are closed.
  • corrugations
  • sand
  • mud
  • water crossings
  • steep
  • remote

Permits Jardine River ferry ticket from the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council (it covers camping at designated NPA sites); QPWS camping e-permits for Apudthama National Park, including Eliot Falls, booked before you arrive.

Before you go Check QPWS park alerts for the Old Telegraph Track before you go, and ring Moreton Telegraph Station to confirm fuel.

1,950 km by road from the workshop Narangba

What the trip asks of your 4WD

In the order a fitter would raise them, each with the reason. Up to three parts that fit for each, the first already chosen; swap any of them, or mark one you don't need.

Build it for your 4WD

Your rego or your model, and every part below is one that fits it. Until then you see the gear that fits any 4WD; the parts made for one vehicle wait for yours.

Rego · fastest

We look up the make, model, series and engine from the plate. We keep the plate and the vehicle details, never the owner’s, for 90 days, so you aren’t asked twice.

Make & model

  1. 1 · Suspension & GVM

    Hundreds of kilometres of corrugations with a full load overheat stock shocks, and the Old Telegraph Track needs extra clearance.

    Build the suspension for your 4WDLift, load and the engineer's rules for your state, specced for the vehicle and what it carries.

  2. 2 · Recovery

    Steep clay entries and exits at Palm Creek and Gunshot Creek catch vehicles out, so carry a winch or travel with a second vehicle.

    • View part
    • View part
    • View part

    • 3 · Air intake

      Nolans Brook can run up to about 1.5 m deep, and the dust on the main road is relentless.

    • 4 · Bull bars

      Cattle and wallabies roam the unfenced roads, and a winch needs a strong bar to mount on.

    • 5 · Tow & rear bars

      A rear wheel carrier takes the second spare that rocks and corrugations make essential.

    • 6 · Lighting & 12V

      A dual battery keeps the fridge running through weeks of remote bush camping.

    • 7 · Rock sliders

      Steep creek drop-ins and rutted exits put the sills and underbody against clay and rock.

    Each of these is made for one vehicle, so the parts show once we know yours.

The trip asks for these; the rest of the rig is yours to choose. Build the whole rig for this trip.

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