Transport access- Washdown stations

[Minh Tien TranParticipant]

Dear Sir/Mdm,
I’m working with the People part and have some questions, hope you can help me. I really appreciate your help on the previous days.
1. What is the main type of tourists (some characteristics about them like age, gender, job, etc) coming to Cape York and how they go there (what vehicle most people use to get there besides 4WD)?
2. What is the main vehicle used to ship cargo to this area?
3. Can you help me point out some entry points to Cape York on the map? I have seen the map but it makes me so confused.
4. Can you give me more detail about the place of the current washdown stations (I know it currently located at Lakeland and Lakefield but can you give me more detail such as what road they’re located or why they are put there but not at other place, etc)
Thank you very much
Sincerely,
Minh Tien Tran

[Luke BarbagalloKeymaster]

Hey Minh,

No worries, happy to help.

1. What is the main type of tourists (some characteristics about them like age, gender, job, etc) coming to Cape York and how they go there (what vehicle most people use to get there besides 4WD)?
A: It would vary, and I’m not sure where we, or you, would be able to find that kind of demographic data. An option would be to see if Tourism Queensland has created any visitor reports for Cape York. In terms of vehicles; it would be a safe assumption that the majority of vehicles that would be visiting the Peninsula are 4wd. Some of the roads are ‘4wd recommended’, meaning that whilst a 2wd might be ok, it is still easier/better to have a 4wd. It would be bordering impossible to get too deep into the Cape without one, were you to leave the main state road.

2. What is the main vehicle used to ship cargo to this area?
A: The main logistics vehicles would be road trains / b-doubles and semi trailers. In some instances, larger remote communities might receive air shipment, or if they are coastal, by a boat. The costs of all are high, and variable based on the season and conditions.

3. Can you help me point out some entry points to Cape York on the map? I have seen the map but it makes me so confused.
A:State Route 81 is the major entry point to Cape York by Road. If you use Google Maps, and search Route 81 you can see that at Lakeland, the road to the south east is called the Mulligan Highway (Route 81) and the road north west is called the Peninsula Development Road (Route 81). You can use this junction as the ‘starting’ point for the Peninsula for the purpose of your report.

4. Can you give me more detail about the place of the current washdown stations (I know it currently located at Lakeland and Lakefield but can you give me more detail such as what road they’re located or why they are put there but not at other place, etc).
A: Unfortunately, we’ve not got hyper specific GPS locations that we can give you for these. It is safe to assume however that the Lakeland station would be on Route 81. The Lakefield station would be in Lakefield itself, immediately prior to the national park.

Cheers,

Luke

[Minh Tien TranParticipant]

Hi Luke,
Thank you very much for your help. I have found a report about the location of the Lakefield washdown station but I wonder do it accurate. They said that it is located on the Battle Camp link road between Cooktown and Laura. Can you help me to check it?

https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=jscna/subs/sub0212%20attach%20d.pdf
The Page 92
Thank you
Sincerely,
Minh Tien Tran

[Luke BarbagalloKeymaster]

Hey Minh that is an accurate source, great find!

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