Cape York paradise at Portland Roads
You can Fly into Cape York and spend some time exploring. There is heaps to see in just one area. Explore the Iron Range National Park, Chili Beach and Lockhart River area from Portland Roads.
To encourage people to visit Portland Roads Beach Shack during the wet season, we have negotiated deals with Skytrans and Lockhart River Car Hire so that our customers can get discounts when booking through us.
A. Yes, you can visit Cape York in the wet season.
Most people think that it is impossible to visit Cape York in the wet season. It is true that the major rivers flood, cutting off road access.
However you can still explore the Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park, Portland Roads and Chili Beach. Forget your vehicle and take a flight from Cairns.
1. Hire a 4×4 from Lockhart River Car Hire and stay at the Portland Roads Beach Shack, or
2. Hire a 4X4 campervan from Lockhart River Car Hire and camp at Chili Beach, or one of the designated camping spots in Iron Range National Park.
The road from Lockhart River to Portland Roads does not cross any major rivers. It is graded and well drained, so the rains do not make it impassible. Occasionally Chili Creek may rise and make the crossing difficult, but it is tidal so will recede within an hour or two.
Skytrans flies in to the Iron Range Airport at Lockhart River 4-5 days a week.
Lockhart River Car Hire has a fleet of vehicles that are utilised by workers in the area in the dry season.
Paul and Laney Piva from Lockhart River run the local family owned business.
This is the place we are were caretaking. We have the cottage halfway up the hill, and this is where the visitors stay. This video shows the stairs, the deck and the view from the deck
This video shows the bedrooms, the deck and the view
The Beach Shack accommodates up to 4 people with a double and two single beds. It is self contained with a bathroom and cooking facilities for self-catering. The living area is on a good sized deck with great views looking out over the Coral Sea. The house is set back from the road for privacy and sits high on the hill to catch the sea breeze. Portland Roads is in the Tropical Rain Forest of Far North Queensland, 600kms North of Cairns. Portland Roads is a great stop if you
Rainbow at Portland Roads
Very cold today – had to put a long-sleeved shirt on when it got down to 25 degrees! Also rained most of the day and when it didn’t we had a beautiful rainbow.
I had 3 young men from Weipa staying (trying to fish but unable to stay out long in their boat because of the wind and waves)
They came back disappointed, and sat in the warm water of the bay, drinking and looking out at the rain
Boys from Weipa sitting in the rain