‘Will not risk men or machines’: Cape York travellers warned

A Cape York adventure seeker who came unstuck attempting a notorious river crossing has prompted a stern warning from authorities amid lingering dry season water flow.

A CAPE York adventure seeker who came unstuck attempting a notorious river crossing has prompted a stern warning from authorities amid lingering dry season water flow.

While crossings can often be dangerous in the wet season at Archer River, Laura River and Myall Creek are currently easily passable but water levels at the Pascoe River crossed via Frenchmans Track remain elevated.

Frenchmans Track links Portlands Rd to the Peninsula Developmental Rd north of Lockhart River and is known as being one of the Cape’s deepest river crossings through waters of the Pascoe River. And on June 9 a traveller in a Isuzu D’Max underestimated the terrain and got stuck on the eastern bank on the Pascoe River. Lockhart River council chief executive Dave Clarke said Frenchmans Track was an un-gazetted road and recovery of vehicles by rescue units based in Weipa and Coen was not an option.

Frenchmans Track, Cape York. Photo courtesy of Tourism Tropical North Queensland

“We want everyone to enjoy their Cape York experience but we will not risk men or our machines to remedy bad decisions,” he said.

“My understanding is a vehicle made it through west to east then died on our side bank of the Pascoe.

“Other tourists offered to give him a lift into Lockhart but he wanted to stay with his vehicle.

“He wanted the message passed in that he was looking for our retrieval service to collect him and his vehicle.

“It is well advertised we have no such service. Coen and Weipa RACQ do not service the Frenchmans Track citing safety issues.”

A police spokeswoman said the driver of the stricken vehicle was assisted by passers-by and headed to Weipa to repair the vehicle.

“(Police) did make our way to Frenchmans Track from Portland Rd but conditions were too treacherous for our vehicle,” she said.

The Archer River claimed another victim last week when an impatient motorist tried to cross floodwaters measured at 600mm over the causeway in May this year. Picture: Cameron Brown

“Local council has advised people not to use it and RACQ in Coen and Weipa advised vehicles not to use it.

“You have to do have the right vehicle and the right conditions, it’s not the sort of track you just jump into and off you go.”

In April travellers were trapped for weeks between the Pascoe and Wenlock rivers. A pregnant woman was flown out and helicopters dropped emergency supplies to vehicles cut off by rivers swollen by a late wet season rain.

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Originally published as ‘Will not risk men or machines’: Cape York travellers warned