Weipa Qld Tuesday 9Aug2022

 Weipa Qld Tuesday 9Aug2022

An early start and back on the track heading for Weipa, way up the Cape and on the Gulf of Carpentaria side. Our first stop was at the Musgrave Telegraph Station, the only surviving building from the six or seven that made up the Queensland version of the Overland Telegraph, which went from Cardwell to the Tip and via an undersea cable to Batavia. Today the Musgrave Telegraph station is the private residence of the folks who run the busy roadhouse / cafe / camping ground. 

Overland Telegraph Station c1880 Musgrave Qld

ExOverland Telegraph Station. Musgrave Qld

On we pushed along mostly fairly rough dirt road, our mouths watering at the though of our lunch at Archer River Crossing. We had preordered hamburgers the day before and been told they were the-best-in-the-world.  Archer River Crossing is another of the few roadhouses along the Peninsular Development Road and you’d be mad not to pull in and refuel at least. Even if diesel is $2.80 a litre its a long way to anywhere and you can never be sure that they actually have your particular fuel when you arrive. The Crossing is a hive of activity as they are building a bridge, their first one, and all the associated roadworks that go with it. This is largely flat country where it rains half a metre during the wet and all the river just swell to huge proportions as the water races to to the Coral Sea Sea.

Archer River Road House. Qld

Apart from hamburgers, they have hot chips, and a variety of cold drinks, and not a lot else. We hadn’t ordered chips so we had a soggy, bland hamburger and a nice cold drink. 

"World Famous" Archer River Road House soggyburger. Qld
Nice drink though.

From there to Coen (another of the OT station towns) where we stopped at the Heritage House museum for a break and a cup of tea. Main claim to fame in the area these days is the Sexchange Hotel, aka the Exchange Hotel, where some wit of bygone days climbed onto the roof and added an ’S’ in front of the hotels name displayed along the ridge capping. Heritage House and the grounds housed a collection of museum-abila mostly from more recent times that the OT.

Heritage House. Museum and Picnic area. Coen Qld

One half of a twin five-head stamper battery. Heritage House Museum. Coen Qld

They kept going on about this bird -  a Golden Shouldered Parrot
We never saw one so I took a snap of a snap just to amuse the bird-fanciers on the tour
Heritage House. Museum. Coen Qld

Back on the road again and we made it into Weipa at about 3pm after a long day in the truck. Thankfully we were in one of the middle seats halfway between the front and back wheels, which is nowhere near as jarring as the very back or front seats.

Wiepa Qld. Best view from a distance....