Cape York Fatbike Adventure

Ever wanted to try a fatbike? Perhaps you’ve got one and really want to put it to good use. In either case, this fully supported Cape York adventure could be just the ticket. 

With a reputation as one of the most remote and wild destinations in Australia, a chance to explore the most northern outreach of Queensland by bike should be on every mountain biker’s bucket list. Endless deserted beaches, natural log rides and sand drop-offs, all surrounded by pristine waters and a plethora of wildlife—Cape York really is an unbelievable setting for a nine day fatbike adventure.

The expedition was the brainchild of Captain Greg Bethune, owner of Carpentaria Seafaris Charters. He discovered the joy of mountain biking during a chance meeting with William Bird; skills instructor, race director, blogger, adventurer, trail therapist and ‘chief cycologist’ at Cycle FNQ. With this coming together, the first fat bike trip to the tip was born.

The inaugural fatbike tour attracted an enthusiastic group of 10 riders from all walks of life. We all flew into Bamaga; a small town 40km from the tip of Cape York that served as the initial meeting point for the adventure. From Bamaga we travelled a short distance to Seisa on the Gulf side of the Cape York Peninsula where we boarded the Tropic Paradise; a 17 metre alloy catamaran. This wasn’t any old boat; it was our luxury accommodation for the following ten days. Five star meals, fully air-conditioned with full size bunk beds, hot showers and proper toilets—this was looking good!

From Seisa we motored 12 hours south to Dyfken Point, near the mining town of Weipa. Once aboard we assembled our bikes. While most of the trip would be possible on a regular MTB, riding a fatbike will make it far more enjoyable. Aside from making the sand riding ride less of a slog, they also allow you to pedal in the drier sand higher up the beach where you are less likely to become croc-bait!

Bike hire can be factored into the package and everyone in our group took the opportunity to ride their shiny new model Mamunt Diamat fatbikes. We had a choice between two models; the Mamunt F4 (14.5kg without pedals), or the lighter F3 12kg (I rode the heavier option). The flotation you get from the 4.6-inch wide tyres inflated to 6psi is amazing! It makes beach riding loads of fun and provides unstoppable traction everywhere else. Sure they are slow to turn but you can literally ride the unrideable—they float over the sand, mud, wet roots, rocks and other terrain that’s usually impassable.

Adventure Begins

Once ashore at Dyfken Point, the afternoon was spent getting acquainted with our fat new toys; floating through the soft back-dunes and across scrublands where the red dirt meets the white shore. This was the start of the tour proper and the following nine days would see us cover approximately 320km of isolated coastline from Dyfken Point all the way to the tip of Cape York—any further north and you’ll be swimming!

Travel by bike really is the best way to see the Cape. Cruising over sand dunes, alongside the sparkling water’s edge you can see solider crabs, turtles, stingrays and reef sharks. Little has changed since the first European arrived—a Dutch sailor named Willem Janszoon in 1606. However the debris along the water’s edge tell a different story; everything from hand bags to beer bottles, large light globes, crates, medical equipment, buoys and shells. Rest stops were often spent beach combing and exploring. Riding from Dyfken Point is a feast for the senses with lighthouses and plane wrecks to discover, there’s even some nice singletrack. It’s an excellent opportunity to see what these fatbikes can really do. Despite my preconceptions I found they can wheelie, jump and really plough over rocks.

The stifling humidity started to kick in around nine o’clock as we followed the hardened sand between the Pennefather River and Cullen Point. There is little shade along this stretch and the river crossings provide a welcome break with their tantalising cool waters. A runabout is used to ferry us across the rivers so we can continue the journey. Every now and then reality kicks in and a croc-slide reminds you that there is danger alongside the bank—don’t get complacent and succumb to the lure of a glistening tributary.

We stopped for lunch at an abandoned research station not too far from Old Marpoon. Freshly baked treats and refreshing fruits were served—it’s funny how much you appreciate good food after being on the bike, and that’s especially so when you’re in such a remote location. With our camelbacks topped up we hit the beach for the final leg of the day. The rising tide meant the hard sand was disappearing fast. This made the going more of a challenge, so finding a traditional raft washed up on the beach was a welcome excuse to stop for a photo opportunity. Finally we made to next river crossing and enjoyed a magic Cape York sunset with a feast of fresh mud crab on the beach.

Croc Dodging

While you don’t need to be an elite athlete, pedalling along the secluded coastline is hard work and you need to have some fitness to truly enjoy the trip. We had an early start to enjoy the stretch from Vrilya Point to Crystal Creek. Soldier crabs and turtle hatchlings scattered along the sea shore as we went. A number of ‘log rides’ gave us an excuse to play around and an old shipwreck was a real highlight—now just a shell, it has formed a mini-reef in the shallows. The evening wrapped up with a game of beach cricket and a bonfire on the sand.

The next day was the most worrying as we were heading into big croc country. Passing behind Crab Island isn’t to be taken lightly. We rode in a tight group, intentionally making a fair bit of noise to scare any ‘big lizards’ away as we made our way up to the Jardine River. All eyes were peeled as we crossed a few smaller tributaries that flow from the nearby swamps. A couple of small crocodiles were spotted in the distance but they made themselves scarce as the peloton approached. With the mangroves now kissing the water’s edge, the expedition headed inland towards Seisa along some great scarlet soil singletrack and past massive termite mounds. We all got our feet wet with multiple inlet crossing. By this stage most of us had finally got the knack of floating the bikes across by leaning forward to keep the front wheel down as we hit the water crossings.

The final day was one of the most spectacular, as we headed through lush rainforest from Seisa to the very tip of Cape York. Muddy tracks and river crossings served to keep us cool and the vegetation is ever changing; from savannah lands to tropical rainforest and open beaches. The first bicycle reached Cape York more than a decade before the first motor vehicle. Nowadays the Tip is more developed and there are plenty of tracks for two-wheeled adventurers. After a brief stop at the beach we tackled the last leg journey—a rocky hike-a-bike to Australia’s most northern point. Azure ocean and pumice stone welcomed us, and an obligatory photo at the Tip marked the end of our journey.

If you don’t own one but find yourself curious about these fat-tyred beasts, this trip affords a brilliant opportunity to hire a proper fatbike and really put it through its paces. If you already own one, well this is the sort of adventure that they are made for. The trip takes you through remote and beautiful places that you’d be unlikely to visit by any other means. It’s all topped off with great food, comfortable accommodation and if you’re into it, there’s fantastic fishing too.

General Information

Getting There

In the dry season (May to November) you can drive to Bamaga if you wish. From late March onwards you can fly from Cairns to Bamaga with Skytrans (www.skytrans.com.au) and the crew from Carpentaria Seafaris will meet you at the airport.

The next Cape York Fat Bike Tour is coming up in the cooler months (July/August). This will be a shortened version of the maiden tour over eight days and seven nights. The Tropic Paradise will motor down to Namileta Creek to begin a fully supported adventure with experienced and knowledgeable guides for the ride up to the Cape. If you choose to hire a fatbike it’s recommended that you bring your own saddle and pedals as well as ride clothes and water bottles/hydration pack. The maximum group size tour for the tour is 10. 

Costs

An all-inclusive trip including flights from Cairns, transfers, food and accommodation is $4,598, and less if you are driving up to Bamaga. Use the following contacts for more information: E-mail fatbikecapeyork@gmail.com or greg@seafaris.com.au.

Phone (07) 4069 3254 or mobile 0428693254.

You can also look them up on Facebook – just search for ‘Fat Bike Cape York’. 

Other Options

If don’t want to sleep on the boat and lash out on the full supported luxury trip, you can stay at Oasis Accommodation, located in beautiful Seisa. It’s a great base near trails that would allow you to do day trips to the top of Cape York and surrounds. There are at least four different bike loops to discover.

Self-sufficient Day rides include:

• Ride from Seisa to the tip of Cape York and return – 64km plus the Punsand Loop adds an extra 8km.

• Ride to the tip along 4WD roads via Sommerset with nine beaches and return 82km.

• Muttee Heads – Jardine River swamp loop 74km.

• Jardine River via plane wrecks 96km return (swim across Coxes Crossing). Travelling via Cypress will shortened this trip by 18km.

Prices vary depending on whether you want to hire a bike, insurance and the length of your stay. As an indication, five nights and six days at Oasis Accommodation will be around $1,640 per person including return air fares ex-Cairns, staying in air-conditioned, single donga rooms (some doubles available), using shared bathrooms, quality evening meals. This includes hire of a Diamant Mammutt fatbike, personal ride insurance (e-mail proof of your current ride insurance for a discount of this cost portion), airport transfers from Bamaga, maps and ride briefings. An additional night is $169 per person so you can just rock up and explore the trails. Ride guides are available by arrangement. Some standard conditions apply; for example you always need to be with at least one other rider, have to wear a helmet and so on. For details e-mail fatbikecapeyork@gmail.com  or admin@seafaris.com.au