After leaving our campsite on the banks of the North Kennedy River in Lakefield NP, we spent the morning driving north west to join up with the only road that heads north to the tip. A few more river crossing, corrugations and dust were negotiated as we moved through the NP. We eventually parked beside a 3 up road train outside Musgrave Station on the western edge of Lakefield National Park to use their facilities, stretch the legs and grab some morning tea.
Musgrave Station is just that – a cattle station that serves fuel, cold drinks and a place to ‘stretch the legs’. It also connects the track into Lakefield NP with the Peninsula Development Road which runs north south. The journey north from Musgrave Station to Coen was over a mixture of sealed road, good gravel road through to badly corrugated sections that quickly had the corn flakes settled in the bottom of the packet.
Arrived in Coen around lunchtime and waited a few minutes for Glen & Claire to catch up (they leave a few minutes between us so they aren’t eating our dust all the time). Drove a short way out of Coen and set up camp right on the banks of the Coen river.
Finally a chance to wash
Our campsite just north of Coen is about 3 metres from the banks of a crystal clear river. After consulting the locals swimming nearby, we all decided the opportunity to wash away almost 3 days of dust, sweat and smoke from campfires was too compelling and if there were crocs in there the Koori kids would be sweeter and more tender pickings.
It’s now G&T time – we’re all freshly washed and with time to kill before we feast on a tasty camp cooked paella. Life is very easy at the moment. Did I mention it’s also 28C with barely a breath of wind.