The Laura Races and Rodeo is an annual event show casing Cape York’s courage, hospitality and skill. Organised by Karlene Sheppard, a local landowner, the Laura races and rodeo have become part of Cape York folklore with numbers of spectators and competitors growing each year. While the action really doesn’t get underway until Saturday, by lunchtime Friday, the camp grounds are chock-a-block with land cruisers and horse floats. For the past two years, ‘our camp spot’ near the large mango tree, has been well and truly inhabited by the time we’ve arrived. This year we are aiming to arrive on Thursday - just hope the boss doesn’t find out!

Friday is devoted to horse sports with competitors from all over North Qld challenging. The usual drafting events are on the card - testing the skill and acumen of local ringers and stockmen and women. While some of these competitors might seem a bit long in the tooth, believe you me they are desperate to avoid being left in the long yard by the youngens. Look out for Ron Simpson, a veteran of numerous Laura events. He might be a sprightly 50 something, but on the back of ‘Me Gift” he is as agile as ever. Ron’s nephews, Michael and Rowan are keeping the campdrafting tradition alive as are the Quaids, Elms, Sheppards and Quartermains.

Saturday morning sees the start of the real action - the bull riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing and bronc riding. Stock for the two day event is trucked in - some of the best bulls from Glen Simmonds, Biboohra and broncs from Teece’s Rodeo & Rough Stock. The arena is large enough to showcase the action, but small enough to afford everyone a bird’s eye view. (Don’t forget your hat and sunscreen though -the sun beats down even though it’s the middle of winter).

For the past few years a young bloke called Ted, (yep, short name, short bloke) has been the all round cowboy. Ted’s dad Ron still competes in the horse sports and his younger brother Bill (another short name, short bloke) gives Ted a run for his money on the bulls. If you don’t get how much of a family affair this is, Ted’s daughter Georgia had her first calf ride at Laura last year. No doubt we will see more of her in action later this year. That’s the great thing about Laura, as kids from all over get a chance to have a go in a safe and supervised situation. It’s rather reassuring to see kids leave the iPods and mobile phones behind and get involved.

About 1pm Saturday, the campdraft is over everyone heads up the hill to the race track. This five race meet boasts some of the fastest horses and jockeys that North Qld has to offer, and like all race meets features fashions on the field. It never ceases to amaze me how many women make the effort to dress up in their finery - stilettos and hats being the order of the day, and how every year, there’s some young wag in drag to keep everyone amused.

Once the fashion stakes are sorted, the racing and betting begin in earnest. Local bookies take bets on the races -the locals usually bet on the jockeys rather than the horses and then take their winnings down to the bar at the night time cabaret.

The cabaret is an open air affair complete with a live band. Watching folk from Cape York let their hair down after a day on horses and bulls is the most eclectic display of dancing, music and dress one could ever imagine. Needless to say, if you don’t enjoy yourself it’s your own fault. A word of advice though - the cabaret area is built above the race track - there’s a three metre drop to the ground if you happen to decide to take a short cut out the back.

The action resumes early Sunday morning. Many of us are awakened by a booming voice reminding cowboys and cowgirls of the days program. Thankfully the local ladies provide a hearty breakfast and decent coffee if one is too tired to cook.
Sunday’s program is fast and furious. There are usually two rounds of bull riding before the final. Some of north Queensland’s best riders battle this out. Riders to keep an eye on include Ted and Bill Simpson, Vincent (Porkie) Harrigan, Barry Bowen, Frankie Ward and Grant Ouantock. As courageous as the Cape York cowboys may be, they rely heavily on the skill and daring of the rodeo clowns. For many years, Des Burns and Mook Trimble have been keeping the riders, and the spectators, safe.

But it’s not just about the boys. The ladies barrel race is a hotly contested affair with some fine horses and riders including Kylie Corkhill, Karlene Sheppard and Erica Elms battling it out around the barrels.

The Laura races and rodeo week-end is a time when people from the Cape catch up. It’s a time when these people proudly display their heritage and hospitality. The week-end reminds us about life on the land, Slim Dusty and looking out for your mates.

If you have ever wondered about the bush spirit, the closing ceremony at last year’s event will leave you in no doubt that this spirit is alive and well. After the trophies were distributed and congratulations over, a quick pass the hat around was organized to support one of the local families who were doing it tough. I’m not sure how much money was collected, but it was given with love and there were few dry eyes.

If you are heading up the Cape this winter, do yourself a favour and plan a stop over in Laura. The dates for this year’s event will run from the 21st to the 25th of June.

Profile of a Bull Rider
Name: Ted Simpson
Age: 27
First calf ride: Mt Garnet Rodeo age 8, 1st place
First open bull ride: Chillagoe Rodeo age 15, 2nd place after falling off “Huey”
Career Highlights:
1997:ABCRA Junior Bull Riding Champion (North Qld Zone)
1997: traveled to Tamworth for ABCRA National Junior Rodeo Finals, coming 3rd overall and winning the average (means he won that particular rodeo even though he didn’t win the competition.),
2003: traveled to Sydney Royal Easter Show to compete for Australia and Qld 2003, winning the Champion of Champions Bull Riding competition
During this competition he stepped in for an injured team mate, riding his bare back horse (3rd time ever) to come 3rd against Australia’s best bare back riders,
2002: Winner of the Cape York Series
Regular chosen for the State of Origin Series held at the Annual Mareeba Rodeo
2007: Laura All Round Cowboy

Saltwater Crocodiles all found throughout Cape York. This pair were photographed at Lakefield National Park.

Under normal circumstances, with common sense prevailing, none of the animals of Cape York should present a threat to human life. Signs clearly state where caution needs to be exercised. However, it helps to be familiar with the animals that are potentially dangerous.
Mosquitoes are potentially the most dangerous animals on Cape York as they are known to carry a range of infectious diseases, some life threatening. There are in fact some 119 recorded species of mosquito on the Cape. Please cover up exposed skin or use a high quality repellant. Bushman and RID (tropical strength) are two such repellants. Other more popular brands are reported to be less effective and should be avoided if possible, however even the less effective brands are better than nothing.

This pair of snakes were found on the Batavia Road. We spent ten minutes watching them before they moved off the road to let us past.

There are a number of poisonous Snakes which can deliver a potentially dangerous bite, although snakebite is rare and in most cases, snakes will avoid humans. Most people never see snakes in the wild, as they will detect us first and take evasive action. Snakes that are regarded as dangerous on Cape York are the King Brown or Mulga Snake, Western Brown, Taipan and Northern Death Adder. Sea snakes will also be encountered in the coastal environments.
Estuarine Crocodiles inhabit tidal and most freshwater reaches of Cape York. Although normally not a threat to humans, they are quite capable of attacking and, in extreme circumstances, eating humans. They can be observed with safety, but caution and common sense are needed.
Freshwater Crocodiles are inoffensive to humans and prefer to be left alone. They do become accustomed to people in popular areas and may bite if provoked or tormented. It is not expected that you will see many freshwater crocodiles during your trip, however it is strongly recommended that you treat any crocodile sighting as that of an estuarine (salty) crocodile and use caution.

This scorpion was found when we were collecting firewood at Seisia.

Box Jellyfish inhabit all coastal waters of Cape York particularly during October through to May. These semi-transparent creatures have long, trailing tentacles armed with lethal stinging cells. It is not advisable to enter the sea particularly during this period.

Both the introduced Asian Water Buffalo and the Feral Pig have been known to attack people on provocation. Under normal circumstances, however, these animals will keep to themselves and should not be disturbed or approached. Buffalo are now a rare sight on Cape York, but Feral Pigs can still be seen in large numbers in the vicinity of floodplains and billabongs.
A variety of Spiders, Scorpions and Centipedes may also be encountered. Although none of these are considered more than a nuisance, individuals can react to bites in different ways. By taking the usual precautions when camping, these critters should present little concern.

There are a variety of spiders found in the Cape. Take care when walking tracks and also check your sleeping gear and tents as they may call these home.

Above information sourced from:-
Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency / Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.
Finally, avoid repeated, regular visits to the same spot at the waters edge

Below is a series of shots following one vehicle down Gunshot.

Are you keen to do Gunshot? I will leave the final decision up to you!

Okay, no big deal so far.

Getting a little more interesting.

Keep in mind this is a near vertical drop.

We have contact!

May be time to turn on those windscreen wipers....

The aftermath.

Look at that wall of water that has been pushed forward. Once you have made it down Gunshot, there is no way to drive out. Better go grab that Recovery Snatch Strap. You have one of those don't you?

This is the 'Bean Hole' and yes, it is quite deep.

They say that a picture says a thousand words. I bet I know what she is about to say.

Not content with just the water to drive through, this fella decides to do it while it is raining.

Now, this fella is being very cautious and has taped the doors and also has a tarp on the front. I am not too sure about the child riding on the trailer though!

Now that's a unique way to advertise your business.

I'm sure there are better ways to wash down your fishing reels at the end of the day than this.

Entering Nolan's Brook heading north on the OTL.

Yet another vehicle claimed by Nolan's Brook.

The adrenaline has kicked in. Nolan's Brook.

Well, that’s it for now. Lets hope this hasn’t scared you away too much. Oh, don’t forget to have a snorkel fitted if you do plan on doing anything like this!

Darren Morgan with a nice emperor caught while fishing with Jim Borthwick from All Fed Up - Gone Fishing Weipa.

Let me say first that we are not talking the animal kingdom here we are talking of guys that have not been to the cape before, but get the chance to do what most of us dream of doing once in a lifetime.
On the first day we travelled from Cairns to the Wenlock River. Most of us had never been outside in the wide open spaces, most of us are land locked office monkeys fed on banana’s and wine and lattés.
The banter on the UHF started from the moment we left from the Cape Yorker Head Quarters, and the jokes flowed from he who must not be named and many a laugh started the journey ahead. By mid morning the banter had stepped up a bit as I was the only one driving a slightly modified rodeo 4×4 - nicknamed the pig because of the incessant squeal that it made from the newly fitted belts.
All the modifications were done courtesy of TJM 4X4 Cairns. Fitted with my new suspension and the airtek snorkel, winch Bull bar, Dual battery, and a new set of tyres c/o cairns tyres the day before we left as we had a few issues with the tyres that I had fitted prior to arriving in cairns which made some unique noises when turning.
Dressed in our new Cape Yorker shirts, we headed for the Wenlock only to find that nobody had any idea how to set up the TentCots that had been supplied to us to tryout. After lots of expletives and banter on how it should be done, I had to step in to help out as it was getting very late and the cook was getting his usual scowl happening. On the first night we all were quite tired of sitting down and the dust was getting to us all much like the fluros in the offices that we had been working in.
After a good feed and a few fizzes and a good nights rest we headed for one of the most beautiful billabongs that I have seen only to be told of the 16 footer that lives in there, well I said lucky I bought my trusty Crocs Biscuit - a 3 metre Polycraft tender with a BLA minkota 55lb bow mount electric attached, charged and ready for action.
This fishing in the more remote billabongs is some of the best that you will find. Don’t forget that most of these are private land and that you must ask for permission prior to entering.
After climbing aboard the croc biscuit I headed for the northern end of the billabong seeing that there was a large patch of lillie pads and I new that the saratoga that I was chasing would more than likely be there. After motoring up very gently I put on one of Gary Sturdy’s lures and on the first cast a wallop came from nowhere as the lure landed just off the lillie pad that I was aiming at, not expecting a hit straight off I turned to see if the other guys where getting into gear and nearly fell from the boat.

Ian Drapier with an archer fish caught from the Wenlock River.

P.s. its not a good thing to do in the billabongs where the crocs live in fact after landing a beautiful saratoga of nearly 4.5 kgs I had to sit down to gather my thoughts and make sure that I would not be that stupid again.
The next hour or so I managed another nice toga and a few tarpon and the odd pink eyed salmon as a buy catch, all returned unharmed for me to fish next time I am up that way (the way that I see fishing now is to make sure that I leave the place the same way that I have found it and It will be there for many others and myself to enjoy the hunt for that elusive fish either in size or species next time around).
After the morning fish it was time for breaky and a relax in the Wenlock river to recoup my thoughts for the afternoon fish and to gather more tackle for the next run.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner I must say was always an interesting time with our cook a long-time serving army cook with 25 years in service and more jokes and innuendos than you could ever imagine.
While waiting for the arvo fish I decided to have a chat to Gazza about the fish in the Wenlock and to my amazement some 48 species inhabit this waterway. The waters are so clear in November that you can see some of the amazing fishi just cruising the banks looking for a feed so sight casting to them is no problem. This is when my mate Gazza piped up and said “why don’t you give fly-fishing a go”. Well I thought to myself why not. I can tell you that it was the best time I had fishing in the Wenlock learning to cast the fly even though I spent most of my time chasing the fly up trees in grass and occasionally hooking myself in the legs and rear end some of which are still to heal. I must say though it was great fun and kept me entertained for long periods of time and I will definitely buy a setup when I get back from the trip as I thoroughly enjoyed casting the wand as Gazza called it, mind you the double haul to get the line out had me stumped for a long time but I eventually got it.
In the afternoon fishing we got the chance to fish a smaller billabong with lots a cover and more lillie pads and the hit rate went up very sharply. In a matter of 20 to 30 minutes some 10 to 15 bumps were felt and the hook ups were nothing if not spectacular. I was using a little green frog that I was given by Anthony Gomes. We had some great fishing to finish off the day and then back to camp for a roast that was to die for and few fizzies to wash it down and a good nights sleep before packing up camp to move onto the next port of call - Weipa.

Some quality golden snapper came on board during the chaos.

Fishing with our guide for the Weipa area some of us got the chance to get a great insight into some of the monsters of the deep from a man who knows where and when to fish. First we ran out to the reef for a spot of bottom bashing with squid and some fresh tuna that we managed along the way to the reef. We managed some great catches which included some red emperor, golden trevally, fingermark, a massive cod, and trevally. After 30 minutes or so it was time to move on.
After about 15 minutes or so we came upon a few schools of stripies, long tails and Spanish mackerel, where Jim quickly reset rigs and opted for slugs to fire in the direction of these marauding beasts. Muscles arched, arms burned and sweat poured from our brows, as the office workers got the workout of a lifetime. Cast after cast resulted in some of the most excruciating pain in arms and legs as we all found muscles we didn’t know existed.
Ian from TJM hadn’t caught one of these speed machines yet but in his last cast that landed 20ft from the boat a brute came past and took him for a long run after which he could hardly see from the sweat pouring his sunscreen into his eyes, but the look of satisfaction on the mans face was that he had finally got what he wanted an 8 kg long tail and a grin from ear to ear. We all had a great day with Jim Borthwick from All Fed Up -Gone Fishing and if you are ever in Weipa, do yourself a favour and go out for the day as you will have the time of your fishing life. He will make sure that all types are catered for from the novice to the pro fisherman after that elusive fish.
At the end of the day we all stayed at the Weipa caravan park. After setting up the camp we talked about the day we had and enjoyed a few brews to celebrate.
Everybody was happy that a feed of fresh fish was to be served for dinner as well as some sashimi, which I had never had before but again the cook showed what he was made of and made a magic meal from what we had brought home for the day.
I must admit that fresh is best and not one piece of fish from the day had been wasted.

By Darren Morgan

The 3 metre Tuff Tender all set up and ready for action.

Jennifer caught this barra trolling right on dawn at Karumba.

It is well over forty years since I had my first magazine article published and during that ensuing period I have been privileged to visit, fish, and write about some of the most exotic locations on Planet Earth.
My wife Jennifer (my fishing mate) and I have fished all over tropical Australia, and selected regions in the rest of it, plus International countries such as P.N.G (about 15 times), South East Asia, Alaska, South Africa, Egypt (3 times), Costa Rica (twice), Brazil (3 times), Peru and Argentina.
Yes I have been around a little, but with places like that at my beck and call it would be reasonable to assume there would be nowhere up this way I would even be interested in, let alone want to spend time at.
Not true old mate. There is one tiny town in North Queensland that we visit and fish twice a year for eight or nine day trips. And that is Karumba, a tiny fishing village that lives on the south east corner of the Gulf of Carpentaria.
What is the attraction of this tiny town of six hundred permanent residents? Well it has certainly mellowed from the days when the prawn was King and you could get a fight, a feed, and something else, every night at the “Animal Bar”.

But it still is a pioneering town to some degree where men are men and the women are damn glad of it, the people are friendly, the food is good, the beer is frosty cold, and the fishing is excellent.
Naturally the fishing is the big drawcard at Karumba and thousands of visitors (better make that tens of thousands) flock there every year to do battle with said fish, and, mud crabs so big they are almost a menace to low flying aircraft.
Yes tourism is extremely important at Karumba, but if you’re the kind of person who wants to go night clubbing, five star dining, or dancing in the street best you stay home as Karumba is just a simple town with simple Aussie attractions.
I first visited and fished Karumba about 25 years ago and Jeez was it an adventure just getting there back then. The bloody road (if you could call it a road) had pot holes big enough to lose Volkswagons in, and, you could be stuck on that muddy goat track for days if it rained. Now the two main highways to Karumba are tarred, and you can roar up there in the family limo with no worries, although you have to be careful during the wet.
Look, let’s you and I slip up to Karumba for a week or two. I live at Gordonvale (15 Ks south of Cairns) and we leave here about 5 in the morning for the 750 kilometre trip to the Gulf, and it’s a great trip indeed.

Mareeba based fruit grower Anne Leighton was very happy with this crab.

Up the Gillies Range, across the Tableland, and breakfast at Mt. Garnet or Innot Hot Springs where we meet the rest of the group. Full of bacon and eggs it’s back in our Land Cruiser trayback with our 4.7 metre V nose custom built punt, “Raptor”, behind and it’s heigh- ho silver and westward ho.
Through Mt. Surprise at a great rate of knots (we have lunch here on the return trip) and we stop at that great little shady park in Georgetown and crank up the old Thermos and bikkies. Lunch is at Croydon (top little town) and onto Normanton.
It’s only about 80 Ks to Karumba from Normanton but now we’re getting excited, especially when we break out of the woodland and start across those big flood plains. Birds everywhere, especially Brolgas, and then to the left we see that huge shed of Zinifex’s. And around 3 p.m. we’re there.
But of course that’s day one buggered — so for the last couple of years we have left the day before, stopped at Croydon for the night, and into Karumba by 9 a.m. We throw everything in our room and are fishing by lunch time which means we haven’t lost a day.
We have stayed at Ash’s Holiday Units for years and years and it’s great. Nice big airy rooms that are air conditioned with everything you’d ever need in them, a good clean pool to relax in, excellent fish cleaning facilities, and Ash’s fish and chips are famous all over Cape York.

The late Ashton Colahan (who started this operation) believed if you wanted barra and chips, or king salmon and chips, that’s what you got and PLENTY OF IT.
But there a lot of self contained units, motels, and three caravan parks at Karumba, so accommodation is not a drama, but YOU MUST BOOK WELL IN ADVANCE.
Okay we’re all settled in so let’s go catch a fish. There are two boat ramps at Karumba, and both are not bad. Karumba is right on the eastern bank of the Norman River, and while this is a boaties paradise you can catch big fish from the bank if you don’t own a boat. More on this later.
Okay let’s go catch a fish. Karumba is famous for grunter (javelin fish) and so it should be as they are wide spread in the Gulf, grow to about 4 kilos, pull like a D9 bulldozer, and are superb eating with white nutritious flesh.
Righto we’ll go and try to catch a few grunter, so we’ll head out the shipping channel towards the leads that run out for several miles and fish around the big sand bars, or the edge of the channel, but first let’s drop over a few crab pots.
Well it’s been a great few hours and we have 4 or 5 nice big grunter, several blue salmon, one king salmon, and two whopper fingermark about five kilos a piece. And just for that famous icing on the cake — four big cranky old mud crabs.

The wealth of a nation-This is the Zinifex ore loading facilities at Karumba.

Back at Ash’s, Jennifer washes the boat while I peel the fillets off our fish. She then vacuum seals them with her Foodsaver, and into the freezer. A nice long cooling swim and it’s beer o’clock. It’s only 5.30p.m; but we’re so relaxed we’re almost comatose when she quietly remarks “I don’t feel like cooking tonight” and I immediately answer “Screw the cooking. Let’s go the tavern”.
I really enjoy the Sunset Tavern as it’s only a couple of hundred metres from Ash’s, and it lives right on the foreshore of the Gulf of C. This is one of the few places in eastern Australia where the sun sets in the sea, and to sit in the beer garden and watch Sol slip beneath is one of life’s little joys I can tell you.
And the food at the Tavern is excellent; although I am seriously peeved they took ‘Sunset Duck’ off the menu. That was the best duck north of Bowen.
The next morning we troll upstream of the ramp using deep lures chasing barramundi and Jennifer nails two, both about eight kilos. Nice fish, so we run way upstream to beat the turn of the tide and get two more. Ahh! - Life is good.
We sit under a tree and gobble mud crab to our hearts content. Did I tell you life is good, although the alternative is not real flash. We come back early and go for a drive uptown to have a look around. Like all women, Jennifer has to check out the supermarket, the bakery, post office, butchers shop and every other shop in the town while I look bored, but I soon find someone to discuss fishing tactics with.

There are so many options for the boat owner at Karumba I would need this whole mag. to detail them along with tackle and techniques. As far as tackle goes we use quality baitcasters and 20 and 30 lb line (either braid or mono), but the secret to serious success up there (or anywhere else for that matter) is the bait.
I take up TOP QUALITY squid and prawns, and can generally catch plenty of mullet with my cast net, especially in the rivers to the north.
Okay you don’t even own a boat, but you’re going to spend a few days at Karumba relaxing and just enjoying life, but you’d like a feed of fresh fish. Well there is excellent fishing from the sand bank right beside the boat ramp down at the spit. I have seen big black jew and barra pulled from here.
Or you can turn right just before the Sunset Tavern and the road runs along the top of the beach beside the airstrip. You can stop anywhere along here, or even right in front of the Tavern, and have a fish, but you need an incoming tide about 2/3 full. This is the home of big blue and king salmon, huge barramundi at times, even the occasional grunter and mud crabs use this as their highway number one.
But what I do suggest is you go out on one of the charter boats for either a 1/2 or full day charter. There are a couple of charter boats at Karumba, but as I have only been on one I can’t say what the others are like, but I’m sure they would be good.

I have spent a lot of time on the 8 metre “Sandy Belle”, which is skippered by Paul Donald. Paul and his wife Kerry run Kerry D. Charters, and it’s a brilliant operation, and, top value for money.
On a charter boat you can relax and let some other silly bugger do all the work and make all the decisions, and life is sweet after you’ve caught a couple of nice fish.
There are also hire boats at Karumba by the way.
So you see you have dozens of options as far as fishing goes, but what you must do is go see the Barra Farm. That is awesome as you’ll see the big breeding barra, plus all the other infrastructure of a full on aqua culture facility.
And you must, repeat MUST, have a few drinks at the famous Animal Bar. Sure it’s just a shadow of its wild past, but you never know your luck, and it’s a top place to check out and an excellent venue for a leisurely meal.
One other thing is be careful driving around Karumba as you can easily run over a local. No not some clown staggering home full of wee wee and bad manners, I mean a wallaby. Karumba is the wallaby capital of southern Cape York and the bloody things are everywhere during the dry.
While Karumba is still a pioneering town, with some rough tough characters, it has a big heart for a small community. A big SOFT heart actually, and this was bought home to me big time last year. Here is the story.

Eddy and Heather Olorenshaw from Adelaide were blessed with three children, but the two boys suffer from Cystic Fibrosis, and one also has Global Dyspraxia. Life hasn’t been a bed of roses for the boys and Kieran (15) spent three months in hospital last year.
The boys big sister, Karyn, works on Augusta Downs and naturally enough the boys desperately wanted to see her, but money was tight and it looked hopeless. After all it’s a damn long way from Adelaide to Cape York.
However they applied to the Make a Wish Foundation and their wish was granted. I tell you these foundations deserve to sit on the right hand side of Christ and deserve all our help, and especially government help.
The family spent a few days on Augusta Downs and those tough cattlemen took them horse riding chasing pigs, and all the things you do on a working cattle station and the boys had an absolute ball. Then the pair expressed a wish to go fishing at Karumba.
Paul Donald was contacted and asked for a quote to take the family fishing. Paul was horrified and said “Don’t talk money to me. I would be honoured to take the family as my guests”. Paul and Kerry slipped out the day before the family arrived and set some crab pots, and on the day the boys caught some whopper blue salmon and were thrilled to bits when they pulled the pots and there were big crabs in them.
The boys have trouble coordinating at times, but the fish were on their best behaviour and Paul helped them out a little.

Back on shore the boys threw their arms around Paul and gave him a big hug of thanks. Now Paul is a big man, and as tough as nails, but that blew him away and he told me “Jeez John! I had to walk away to stop bursting into tears”.
But it didn’t end there I can tell you. Paul arranged for the family to visit the Barra Farm and would you believe they lowered the water level of one of the big tanks so the boys could get in and pat a huge barramundi. Now these are big strong fish but they were also on their best behaviour and just lay there.
Ash’s Holiday Units put the family up for the night as their guests and the Sunset Tavern hosted them for dinner. When the chef heard the story he went above the call of duty and did their catch of fish and crabs into a sea food masterpiece.
So you see this reputedly tough town opened its heart to two sick boys and gave them memories that will last forever. Sure I know it was a case of “there for the grace of God go I”, but you must admit Karumba did its best and never dreamed of thanks. Well Karumba I’m thanking you right now. Well done folks.
And what about those cattle folk on Augusta Downs? Tough enough to hold a bull out to pee, but with hearts as big as Cape York. You did well people!
Look I know Karumba is just a bush town and a far cry from other places I visit, but to be honest- it’s me. Sure it’s laid back, but it’s still a vibrant little place that dreams away on the eastern bank of the Norman River in the South East corner of the Gulf of C.
I feel like I’m at home there and if I forget my shoes and shirt no one gives a big rats bum. Karumba is simply how you find her——end of story.
But hey! Don’t take my word for it go and see for yourself. I’ll be there in April and June and if you see a white Land Cruiser tray back with barras painted on the doors come over and say “gidday”.
We can have a bit of a chat and tell each other how lucky we are to be at Karumba up there in the Land of Lots of Time.

FOOTNOTE.

“While Karumba is still basically a pioneering town it never ceases to amaze me at the changes each year brings. There is almost every camping experience known to man at Karumba, and now the old town has gone way upmarket with the End of the Road motel. This four star facility is total beach front and lives right beside the Sunset Tavern. A friend of mine, who just happens to own a very large tourist complex on the east coast described it as “Bloody excellent, and definitely four star”.

Now there is a BYO restaurant where the food is top shelf. I have traveled extensively, and eaten in more countries than I care to think about, and Mick’s Seafood is as good as anything I’ve ever experienced and I mean that. Mick’s is in Massey Drive, very intimate and quiet, and just the place for a romantic dinner.

So now you can fly in and stay in a four star motel and eat in a venue as good as anywhere I’ve ever found. Where will it all end?

By John Mondora

Catching the bait for the clients of Sandy Belle.

Shooting the rapids in the PolyCraft on the way to find the barra.

Yearn for something different? Cannot afford a luxurious, expensive boat in these times of increasing interest rates and financial pressures? There are other cheaper alternatives for adventurous, fun and/or family orientated fishing trips.
Water craft such as canoes meet these criteria. Canoes, in their various forms, date back thousands of years and during this time, they have been successfully used for crossing anything from creeks to seas and even oceans.
They are light-weight, portable and the more recent plastic versions are almost indestructible. Also, canoes provide a means of exploring new and varied fishing alternatives; many of which cannot be undertaken easily by larger powered boats. For the fisherman on a tight budget they are a significantly cheaper option than many, if not most, aluminium or fibreglass boats.
Canoeing is also a great form of fitness that enables the paddler to fish while exercising - it’s amazing how often you find yourself paddling against the wind.
There are, however, some polarised viewpoints as to their suitability when fishing waters inhabited by estuarine crocodiles. In such locations, you can never be too cautious. That said I have used canoes on Cape York, with a degree of trepidation at times and caught numerous species including jungle perch, sooty grunter, saratoga and the ever sought after, barramundi.
Easter provided an opportunity to chase barra on the southern Peninsula, on one of Lakefield National Park’s feeder watercourses, while paddling two differing plastic water craft.
My son Matt and I were paddling an old Coleman Scanoe, while Anthony Gomes was trailing his latest toy - a Polycraft 3m Tuff Tender from Boatscene in Cairns. His plastic boat at only 3m long was a beamy 1.4m wide and tipped the scales at a robust 80kg. While the Scanoe was a touch under 5m long, almost half the weight of the Polycraft and still relatively beamy, at 1.1m wide.
First impressions were that the new Polycraft looked bullet proof. To put it bluntly - it would bloody well have to be. If you have ever seen Gomes in full flight, this plastic boat will have to be of tank-like construction to tolerate the treatment he dishes out. I’m sure that Gomes, in Mexican, means bulldozer.
The point was rammed home even before the Polycraft hit the water. On lifting it off Anthony’s roof racks the stern touched the deck and I tried to turn it around and lower it gently to the ground. Anthony just said ‘drop it’. His demeanour more than inferred ‘none of that pussy stuff around here; its plastic with a 10mm hull and it will take it’.

Paul Graham with one of the better barra for the trip.

On trying to carry it to the water the first pangs of disappointment with its construction set in. There were hand rails to use, but you couldn’t easily get your fist through the gap between the metal carry rail and the side wall. It needed to be a good 10mm wider to allow for a more comfortable carry. Accordingly, the poly boat was dragged to the top of the slope and let slide to the water’s edge. The rough treatment put an almost perverse grin on Anthony’s face - he really wanted to see just how tough these craft were.
Meanwhile, the Scanoe was carefully lifted off the vehicle and carried down to the river. As it wasn’t mine, I had to treat it somewhat more lovingly than the Polycraft.
It was time to throw the gear in and set off. Now, the Scanoe is a bloody roomy canoe and with only two backpacks and several rods we had room to accommodate a third fisherman. Come to think of it, a couple of scantily clad, busty hand maidens holding the golf umbrellas for shade and serving cold drinks, at a squeeze, could also fit in the Scanoe.
Although spacious, I was sure that later on in the day, after hours of paddling and sweating profusely, I would miss my tinnie with its carpeted floors, padded swivel seats, below deck storage, esky full of cold drinks and, electric motors at both ends.
Anthony toyed with the idea of throwing on a 15hp Suzuki outboard, but the river appeared too shallow. So he opted for a 54lb electric motor, several tackle boxes, an esky and an assortment of rods. The large electric was an overkill; during one quiet stretch, it pushed the Polycraft and towed us at far better than paddling speed.
Anthony looked like Lord Muck as he stood astride his craft using the electric to easily manoeuvre the Polycraft downstream. There is something soothing and decadent about the gentle whirr of an electric motor pushing a canoe. What happened to the days of yesteryear when energetic and rhythmic thrusts of the paddle were used to propel a canoe?
It didn’t take long to encounter our first rapid. And if we shot one rapid we shot 20. There was no stuffin’ around. Gomes lined up his preferred course, lifted the electric and using the oar as a lever, blasted his way downstream - I don’t know why he bothered to line it up. The Polycraft resembled a pin-ball as it bounced off all and sundry, emerging unscathed. His performance was nothing like a ballerina gracefully rising en Pointe. It was more akin to a dog cocking its leg on a fire hydrant.
We worked our way downstream luring the various feeding stations. There was an assortment of both bank and mid-stream structure that consisted of numerous rock bars and, the boughs of statuesque old blue gums that had many wets ago toppled into the water, when the eroded banks had failed to support their weight. The barra, however, proved elusive and the only fish that would rise to our lures were archer fish and spangled perch.

The quietness of our mode of travel allowed us to take in the splendour of one of Cape York’s many mystical river systems.
The Peninsula is truly a spectacular wilderness with starkly contrasting seasons and vegetation regimes. The tall riparian forests that lined the banks, which are so characteristic of Cape York, towered over the vibrant green hues of the shrub and grass layers. Further a-field of the lush river banks a mosaic of Eucalypt and Melaleuca woodlands dominated the landscape, while springs actively discharged their life giving waters into the low points of the topography.
I was comforted by the fact that I was not four-wheel driving through this country at this time of year. With so much surface water concealing the tracks, I pensively wondered just how long it would take before a vehicle broke through the crust and sank to the diffs, languishing in a quagmire that would necessitate hours winching and not fishing.
Arguably the country was at its best and showed no signs of the moisture stress which would surely develop as the dry season unfolded and the vegetation gradually lost its lustrous hues, fading to shades of yellow and then finally withering to brown. Then, as has happened for millennia, fires rage almost unabated and torch the landscape which then await the life giving monsoonal deluges to renew the cycle. It’s ironic that on many parts of the Peninsula you could bog a black duck during the wet season and yet, during the dry, water is as scarce as rocking horse sh!t.
Another pool ended and a riffle section was encountered with a short sharp rapid. Both craft ‘boated up’ to assess the drop. Incidentally I noticed that the Polycraft had another 50mm of freeboard and gauged from previous rapids, the draft was similar if not less.
Rather than risk capsizing, Matt and I took the soft option and walked the Scanoe. What happened to yesteryear and the adrenalin-pumping deliverance-like trips into northern NSW searching out waterfalls to shoot in kayaks? Gomes just shrugged off my caution and careered off downstream in his D3.
We had been fishing for several hours and had failed to raise a barra, let alone catch one. You just have to accept it - some days you’re the pigeon and on others, you’re the statue.
On a quiet tract of river, Matt and I were taking a break under the pendulous branches of one of the many majestic Melaleucas that lined the banks watching a small azure kingfisher winging across the surface, when Matt casually stated that there was croc drifting slowly with the current, near the far bank.
Generally with crocs when you are in a canoe, there are only two sizes - big and ‘oh my god’. Thank god this one typified neither. It was about 0.4m long and was quite untroubled by our intrusion into its aquatic habitat. On approaching to within a paddle’s length, it casually submerged and disappeared into the turbid depths of the stream.

The crocs reactions were vastly different to the 1.5m snake that crossed our bows a short time latter. It couldn’t wait to seek refuge on the bank. Thankfully it didn’t try to seek sanctuary in the canoe. It would have been an interesting decision - remain in the canoe with an agitated and possibly venomous snake or, leap from the canoe into the river with the croc(s).
Abruptly, the topography changed and the gentle slopes of the river’s alluvial terraces gave way to a gorge. Our plastic boats provided a great vantage point from which to view the steeply incised metamorphic rocks that had been carved by thousands of years of wet seasons into a craggy landscape.
This imposing terrain provided totally different feeding stations to those we had fished previously and the most productive-looking water encountered all day. It had barra written all over it.
With the keen sense of anticipation that overcomes you on sensing that conditions have changed for the better, we hastily set about luring for barra. And it didn’t take long to raise the first.
My Mann’s Stretch 10 was mauled on hitting the surface. However, the barra dropped it almost as quickly as it had risen from the opaque depths to engulf my artificial offering.
I recast to the same eddy and enticed yet another barra. Again it missed. A metre further on another barra, with a mouth like a torn tent, slammed the lure; inhaling it totally.
We had been paddling for four hours without a sight of a barramundi. Then, in an intense five minute period, seven barra were landed, with six from as many casts. Unfortunately all were rats, with not a legal fish amongst them.
Just as the fishing had hit a purple patch and we were starting to imitate the pigeon and not the statue, I looked to the bank and there was the car; our paddle was over.
Anthony’s jaw dropped. With a furrowed brow he hauled his D3 up to the stunted tea-trees that lined the bank and wondered just how in hell 80kg of plastic could be hauled to the vehicle through the vegetation and over the remnants of the rock gorge.
I left Anthony psyching himself for the gruelling task ahead and took the opportunity to paddle further on. Another rat was lured from the timber, while a short distance downstream a steep bank with a break in the vegetation and no rocks to speak of was located. ‘That would do nicely’ I thought.
The rest was easy. A snatch’ em strap attaching the boat to the bull bar and both plastic crafts were hauled to the top of the bank.
To say the 3m Tuff Tender was tough is an understatement. Anthony was keen to name it the Cape Crusader. But given the short, far from streamline proportions of the Polycraft and its robust nature, it would be far more appropriate to flog a stubby across its bow and christen it ‘aqua pig or D3TT’.

By Paul Graham

Loading the boat back onto the Cruiser at the end of the day was a relatively easy affair.

Camping out can be as simple or as complicated as you make it.

• Keep it simple, avoid extra work.

• Do a trial pack before the trip, pack everything you think you’ll need, this will help establish a ‘home’ for all items and maybe identify the things you can do without.
• If possible, do a dry run before the trip to test everything, to do this pack your vehicle as you would for the trip.
• On the mornings you are to leave your campsite, pack your bedding and tent before having breakfast. This allows you to have an enjoyable and relaxing breakfast without having to worry about packing your camp afterwards.
Example :- the 678 rule.
Up at 6:00 am
Breakfast at 7:00 am
On the road at 8:00 am
• Fresh milk may be difficult to buy at times, pack ‘long life’ or powered milk as an alternative. Condensed milk can also be used as a substitute for milk and sugar, and can be purchased in either cans or tubes.
• Carry an alternative fuel source for cooking meals etc, do not rely on butane stoves alone as cans of butane may be unavailable at times.
• Wear ‘reef shoes’ when walking the river and creek crossings, some of the crossing bottoms are rocky and can be uncomfortable on bare feet.
• A ‘dirt bag’ fitted to your rear mounted spare tyre will prove useful for carrying garbage between dump points, as well as allowing you to carry wet or muddy equipment outside your vehicle.

A comfortable camp chair will come in handy for obvious reasons!

• Rubber bands around aluminium cans will help stop them rubbing together and rupturing, duct tape will also work.
• Anti-slip foam matting placed in the bottom of your fridge and storage boxes or draws will help to absorb road vibration and reduce the incidence of ruptured cans and breakages.
• Use the basket provided with your fridge, this will protect the cooling coil from damage.
• If using an esky, make sure you keep the water well drained. Cans floating in the ice water can rub against another and may rupture.
• Plastic money in the form of credit/debit cards are accepted in most places, however, it’s recommended that you carry a suitable amount of cash in case of power failure at your point of purchase, or in the event they do not have the facility to accept credit/debit cards.
• If your vehicle is a station wagon, a cargo barrier will keep the people at the front separated from the equipment at the back.
• Try to avoid carrying all your drinking water in one container, should the container spring a leak you’ll end up with no water.
• You may visit areas where obtaining drinking water will be unreliable or not available. A general rule of thumb is to carry 4 litres of drinking water per person per day, it may seem excessive, but it’s better to have it then not.
• Glass containers and bottles are easily broken, try to avoid these as much as possible. If you do carry glass make sure you wrap them to avoid breakage, bubble wrap, old socks and stubbie holders are good for this.
• Try and separate packet dry food stuffs from liquids, leaks and spills of sauces etc can spoil the other.
• Cans packed together will tend to rub against each other and make labels difficult to read, write on the top of the can what’s inside, also helps to identify contents without having to remove the can from the crate.