Nele & Andrew Around Oz

Day 226 – 30^th September 2011

Mutee Head Campsite, QLD

Today we booked a boat trip to visit some of the Torres Strait Islands. First stop was Roko Island with a visit to the pearl farm. Next we went past Possession Island where Captain Cook raised the Union Jack to claim the eastern half of the continent for King George III. Along the way to Thursday Island they dropped a couple of lines but the fish weren't biting. At Thursday Island a local taxi driver took us for a sightseeing tour of the island, visiting the Green Hill Fort (offering amazing views), the historic cemetery with Japanese Pearl Monument and All Souls Quetta Memorial Church. Next we hopped on the boat again to Horn Island where we enjoyed a beautiful Fisherman's basket lunch before visiting the Torres Strait Heritage Museum. On the way back to the mainland another attempt was made to catch some fish but no luck. No problem for us we had the lovely Spanish mackerel for tea given to us by the sailor we met at the tip yesterday. We did some quick grocery shopping at Bamaga before driving to Mutee Head where we camped for the night.

Peaceful Seisa Beach at early morning

This is the boat for our excursion to Thursday & Horn Island

All aboard

Here we go

Roko Island - Pearl farm

Old Stone Jetty - Roko Island

View from old stone jetty
apparently there is a 4m croc that lives here - we did not see it

Leaving Roko Island

Enjoying the views of the Torres Strait Islands

Views of the Torres Strait Islands

A turtle saying hello

Possession Island - where Captain Cook raised the
Union Jack claiming the eastern section of Australia

View of Prince of Wales Island

Thursday Island in view

Thursday Island

Green Hill Fort - Thursday Island

Views from Green Hill Fort

All Souls Quetta Memorial Church

Sacred Heart Church

Thursday Island Pub

Main St - Thursday island

Pearl Shells

Big turtle with baby turtles behind

Beach - Thursday Island

Back on board

Horn Island

Nele's new man
Horn Island Torres Strait Heritage Museum

Back at the mainland - Seisa

Drive to Mutee Head

Mutee Head Beach

Sunset at Mutee Head

Day 225 – 29^th September 2011

Loyalty Beach Caravan Park, Loyalty Beach, QLD

We had set the alarm early to watch the sun rise over the bay but unfortunately clouds covered the sky this morning. Luckily it started to clear up later in the morning so we took the 4WD shortcut to The Tip (shortcut in distance but not in time). It was high tide so we walked over the headland to Australia's most northerly point. We have made it! We started chatting to another SA guy who has been sailing the world for the last 16 years. He offered us some Spanish mackerel he had caught. After the compulsory photo shoot at the tip we had lunch and went for a drive to Somset Beach and did the 5 beaches 4WD loop via Fly Point, Nanthau Beach and Lake Wicheura. Afterwards we decided to drive back to the tip as the tide was out and the weather had cleared up a bit more. So off we went again with this time a walk along the beach leading us to The Tip. Nele watched the sun set while Andrew pumped back the tyres he had to lower earlier for the beach loop. We drove to Loyalty Beach Caravan Park to camp for the night.