A trip to the tip: how to get to Cape York and Australia's northermost point

A trip through rugged outback country is the only way to reach our country’s northernmost point, the tip of Cape York, and Australia’s last frontier.

Cairns to the Daintree

A quest to the tippy top of Australia’s Tropical North is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The journey to Cape York begins in Cairns, heading north through the canefields to the ancient Daintree Rainforest. Stopping at Mossman Gorge in Daintree National Park, take the Ngadiku Dreamtime Gorge Walk with local Indigenous guides to learn the secrets of traditional hunting and gathering methods, and hear the sacred stories of the Dreamtime.

Cape Tribulation to Cooktown

Sealed roads are left behind as you hit the rugged Bloomfield Track, which starts at Cape Tribulation and carves its way through rainforest for 80 kilometres before cruising back onto bitumen for
the last stretch to historic Cooktown.

Laura and the ancient Split Rock

Heading inland, at the tiny settlement of Laura, a visit to the Quinkan & Regional Cultural Centre provides context for a tour of the ancient rock art galleries of Split Rock, known for its distinctive figures of the Quinkan spirits believed to live in the sandstone, and listed by UNESCO as one of the top 10 rock art sites in the world.

The home stretch

From Laura, it’s unsealed roads all the way to ‘The Tip’. This epic journey is one that award-winning tourers, APT Tours, knows well. Specialists in reaching the hard-to-reach and seeing the unseen, they’ve been operating adventures off-road through Australia’s remote outback country for more than 50 years.

ATP 4WD Emmagen Creek — APT’s custom-built 4WD vehicles are made for this journey.

APT’s custom-built 4WD vehicles are capable of traversing some of the world’s roughest terrain, including the Kimberley, Kakadu, Lake Eyre, Central Australia, Karijini National Park in Western Australia, and the Victorian and New South Wales High Country – just a few of the many destinations APT travels to.

On a Cape York journey, each day brings something special. Visit the old gold mining town of Coen, stop at the Archer River roadhouse, see waterfalls and giant termite mounds and an array of stunning birdlife, and learn about the Aboriginal and European history of this fascinating and remote region.

Arriving at the tip, spend some time on beautiful Frangipani Beach. From Punsand Bay, it’s a short walk to the edge of the peninsula for a photo with the iconic sign that shows you’ve joined the ranks of those who ‘made it’.

Sign of Australia's northernmost point — A photo with the iconic sign of Australia’s northernmost point is a must.

Cooktown & Cape York with APT Tours

11 days / from $8245 per person twin share

APT’s 11-day Cooktown & Cape York quest to the top of Australia’s Tropical North is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. The tour’s exclusive Signature Experiences means you’ll be granted access (by helicopter, no less) to the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve, a conservation area typically off limits to the public.

Take to the skies again on a scenic helicopter flight from Punsand Bay for a different perspective of the tip of Cape York, and spend the last days of the tour exploring Thursday Island and Horn Island in the sparkling Torres Strait.

Aerial view of Punsand Bay — Take a scenic heli-flight over Punsand Bay for a different perspective of the Tip.

APT’s 4WD journeys are designed for small groups – no more than 22 guests – escorted by a knowledgeable driver-guide and tour director. They’re committed to working with local Aboriginal communities, and are the only major tour operator with an advanced ecotourism certification in the Outback for their commitment to environmental and sustainable practices.

Book the Cooktown & Cape York tour before December 15 and save $1500 per couple. Trips run from May to September and can be combined with a Great Barrier Reef cruise.

For more information on APT’s Outback Wilderness Adventures, visit aptouring.com.au/Outback2020 or call 1300 341 214.

Exploring the world’s largest sand island starts with the perfect K’gari homebase.

The morning light is still soft, but it’s already a perfect sunny day. We left our K’gari homebase at Kingfisher Bay Resort with our guide, Peter Meyer, at 9 am to make the most of our time to explore all that the world’s largest sand island holds. The size of K’gari is hard to grasp until you arrive here. This is no sandbar. Stretching 120 kilometres, unique lakes, mangrove systems, rainforest, 75 Miles of beach, historic shipwrecks, small townships and even one of Queensland’s best bakeries are all hidden within its bounds.

But first, one of the island’s most iconic sights: the pure silica sand and crystal clear waters of Lake McKenzie.

Laying eyes on it for the first time, I’m finally able to confirm that the photos don’t lie. The sand is pure white, without the merest hint of yellow. The water fades from a light halo of aqua around the edges to a deeper, royal blue, the deeper it gets (not that it’s particularly deep, six metres at most). The surface remains surprisingly undisturbed, like a mirror.

Arriving with our guide before 10 am means that no one else is around when we get here. Which means we have the pleasure of breaking the smooth surface with our own ripples as we enter. As a self-confessed wimp with chilly water temperatures, my fears are quickly assuaged. Even in the morning, the water stays around 23 degrees – perfect for lazing about all day. But we have more sights to see.

Exploring K’gari

ariel of in lake mckenzie on k'gari fraser island — Relax in the warm waters of Lake McKenzie. (Image: Ayeisha Sheldon)

This was the Personalised 4WD tour offered by Kingfisher Bay Resort, and my absolute top pick of experiences. Over the course of the day, we had the freedom to create our own bespoke itinerary (plus a provided picnic lunch along the way), with an expert guide who had plenty of stories and local expertise to give context to what we were looking at. From the history of the SS Maheno shipwreck, which survived the First World War only to be washed ashore by a cyclone in 1935, to a detailed description of how an island made of sand could sustain such diverse flora.

If it’s your first time to K’gari, the Beauty Spots Tour is another great option. Departing daily from Kingfisher Bay Resort (you’ll start to notice a trend, as many of the tours do start and end here), an air-conditioned, 4WD bus takes guests to the island’s most iconic locations, including the best places to swim, like Lake McKenzie and Eli Creek. The latter offers a gentle current, perfect for riding with a blow-up tyre out towards the ocean.

The next day, for a look at a completely different side of K’gari, I joined one of Kingfisher Bay Resort’s Immersive Ranger-guided tours to kayak through the mangroves of Dundonga Creek. This long, snake-like stretch of creek winds its way inland from the ocean outlet we entered by, at times too narrow for three kayaks to be side-by-side. Small insects buzz from leaf to leaf, while birds call overhead. Occasional bubbles indicate we’ve passed some fish that call this place home.

kayak tour through the mangroves at k'gari island — Learn about the island’s mangroves from your Ranger. (Image: Reuben Nutt/ TEQ)

If kayaking isn’t for you – or if, like me, you simply want more – other ranger-led experiences include nature walks and a dedicated Junior Eco Ranger Program for kids ages five to 12 (these run every weekend, and daily over the peak December holidays). Just ask for a timetable of upcoming tours when you check in.

While during whale season, Hervey Bay Whale Watch & Charters operates tours from the hotel’s jetty to get up close to the famous Humpback Highway of Hervey Bay, from 7 November to 31 May, attention turns to the Aqua Oasis Cruise . Departing from the resort every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday for resort guests, adventure along the island’s remote western coast, pointing out wildlife like dolphins, turtles, flying fish and eagles along the way.

The cruise drops anchor so guests can jump into the water using the boat’s equipment – from SUP boards to inflatable slides and jumping platforms. Then refuel with a provided lunch, of course.

Unwind at sunset

two people drinking cocktails at sunset bar, kingfisher bay resort — Unwind at the Sunset Bar. (Image: Sean Scott)

As much as days on K’gari can be filled with adventure, to me, the afternoons and evenings there are for unwinding. Sunsets on K’gari are absolutely unbelievable, with Kingfisher Bay on the west side being the best spot to catch the colours.

The Sunset Bar , located at the start of the resort’s jetty and overlooking the beach, is the ultimate location for sundowners. Let chill beats wash over you as you sip on cool wines, beers and cocktails in a relaxed, friendly vibe. Personally, a cheese board was also absolutely called for. As the sun sinks, the sand, sea and horizon turn a vibrant shade of orange, with the jetty casting a dramatic shadow across the water.

When the show is over, head back to the hotel for dinner at the Asian-fusion Dune restaurant, or the pub-style Sand + Wood. But if your appetite is still whetted for more lights and colours, the evening isn’t over yet.

Settle into the Illumina stage for Return to Sky, an immersive light and sound show leading viewers on a captivating journey through K’gari’s stories and landscapes.

Indulge and disconnect

woman setting up massage room at kingfisher bay resort Island Day Spa — Find bliss at Island Day Spa. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Of course, there is a type of traveller who knows that balance is important, day or night. While Kingfisher Bay Resort offers more than one pool for guests to spend all day lounging by (they’ll even serve you food and drinks while you do it), you’ll find me at the Island Day Spa.

The masseuses could match the magic hands of any big city spa, and I felt the warm welcome as I walked into the light, breezy reception. Choose from a range of botanical facials, beauty treatments and soothing massages using traditional techniques (obviously, I couldn’t go past a relaxing massage). All products used contain organic, native botanical ingredients with nutrient-rich plant extracts to soothe skin and mind. To really indulge, try out one of the packages, couples treatment or even a pre-wedding day offering.

Getting there

kingfisher bay resort 4wd tour driving passed ss maheno on k'gari island — The world of K’gari awaits. (Image: Jessica Miocevich)

Getting to K’gari is shockingly easy. Find daily flights into Hervey Bay from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Kingfisher Bay Resort offers a shuttle bus between the airport, their headquarters in Hervey Bay and the ferry to take you to K’gari.

A trip to the tip: how to get to Cape York