Cape York

Cape York is the pointy tip of Queensland, the closest part of mainland Australia to Papua New Guinea. The peninsula covers over 137,000 square kilometres and is one of the least developed regions in the country, with a population of fewer than 18,000 people spread across vast distances.

The land is the territory of more than a dozen Aboriginal nations who have lived here for at least 40,000 years. Several communities (Wujal Wujal, Hope Vale, Lockhart River, Aurukun, Pormpuraaw, Mapoon, and others) maintain strong cultural traditions and operate cultural tourism programs. Several routes through the peninsula require Indigenous land permits.

The drive from Cairns to the Tip takes most travellers two weeks return, and is considered one of the great 4WD adventures of Australia. The route includes the famous Old Telegraph Track (with multiple river crossings and challenging terrain) or the easier Bamaga Bypass Road. Highlights along the way include Lakefield National Park, Eliot Falls, Fruit Bat Falls, and the historic Pajinka Wilderness Lodge near the Tip.

The sign at the actual northernmost point ("You are standing at the northernmost point of the Australian continent") is one of the most-photographed in the country. The dry season from May to October is the only feasible time. The wet (December to April) closes most roads with flooding and turns rivers into impassable crocodile zones.