Bamaga (and Seisia)
The most northerly town in Australia.
Located 61 km north of the Jardine River and 983 km north of
Cairns Bamaga is the most northern township in Queensland.
It is an isolated settlement of some 2000 people, most of
whom are Torres Strait Islanders. Facilities are limited and
supplies are either shipped or flown in.
Nonetheless this has not stopped the 4WD brigade. There
has been a steady increase in the numbers of such vehicles
and a growing obsession with travelling around Australia.
This usually means skirting around the perimeter of the
continent. Indeed the Northern Land Council in the Northern
Territory constantly gets requests from drivers eager to
travel through Arnhem Land just so they can say they've been
around the edges of Australia.
Consequently there is a constant supply of vehicles
trekking up the Cape York Peninsula to Bamaga. It is
estimated that between 400 and 500 vehicles make the journey
each year, even though the roads are impassible in the wet
season. There is a sense of cameraderie which develops along
the route with drivers eager to help each other out when
they inevitably get bogged or stuck in the middle of a
river.
The shared experience has led to a sort of shared joke
amongst the 4WD enthusiasts. When asked what they did when
they arrived at Bamaga after their monumental journey they
reply: 'We went to Thursday Island. There's nothing else to
do.' While this is not entirely true it does highlight the
fact that most people who travel to the tip of Cape York do
so because it is one of those challenges which seem to be
made meritorious by the simple fact of accomplishment.
Off the coast is Possession Island where Captain Cook
formally took possession of the east coast of Australia in
1770.
Things to see:
Torres Strait Tours
No visit to Thursday Island and Bamaga is complete without
spending time cruising around the islands. The pick of these
cruises is undoubtedly Torres Strait Tours which operate a
comfortable catamaran, the M.V Robert Henry and do regular
trips to Thursday Island, Badu Island and Horn Island. This
is an idyllic adventure.
Thursday Island
The Thursday Island option is described thus: "At Thursday
Island you embark on a 2 hour air-conditioned bus tour
taking in the island culture and visiting interesting
historical sites, including Green Hill Fort with its
abandoned bunkers and tunnels. Some of these tunnels are
home to the Torres Strait Historical Museum. This unique and
fascinating Museum holds rare artefacts from the rugged past
of the Torres Straits, including displays from the pearling
era, traditional relics from the Torres Strait Islands,
nearby Papua New Guinea, and much more. Churches, over 100
years old, and Lions Lookout with its magnificent sweeping
vista¹s of the surrounding Islands and waters complete your
formal tour. You then have free time to browse through the
local shops to find an unusual, but typically Thursday
Island, keepsake.
The Horn Island
The Horn Island tour is conducted with an expert guide, who
is the curator and founder of the Heritage Museum on Horn
Island. This tour is an experience not to be missed. You
will be shown an often forgotten part of history, namely the
role of Horn Island in the Second World War. Revel in the
stories of the men and women who served here as recounted to
your guide by the veterans themselves. The Heritage Museum
also features a display of pearldiving memorabilia and
Torres Strait art. Your bus tour includes warplane relics,
an underground command post, an old gold mine commissioned
in the 1860's and many scenic spots from which to admire the
views.
Badu Island
This year is the first time Badu Island will be showing
visitors around their Island. This tour is exclusive to
Torres Strait Tours , and for a real taste of Island life
and culture, it is not to be missed. Your visit to Badu
Island, is one truly exceptional experience. Travel to Badu
Island on the M.V. Robert Henry, and on the way you will be
taken through various picturesque islands, sand cays, and
past gleaming coral reefs. There is many opportunity to spot
any one of Booby Birds, Torres Strait Pigeons or Green
turtles.
Upon disembarking at Badu Island, you are taken back in
time to real Island life, and although Badu island has the
second largest population (after T.I.), the local people
still retain their cultural heritage, and are extremely
proud to show their place to anyone who takes the time to
visit. You will be shown traditional arts and crafts, see
traditional Island dances (in full island costume, including
woven skirts, cassowary feathered headdresses and more),
they will teach you some local songs and dances, and you
will have a sumptious Island style lunch, complete with
seafood and traditional foods, cooked "kup-mari" style
(underground steam oven).
Somerset
The ruins of Somerset lie 22 km to the north of the
settlement. Somerset was established in 1863 by John Jardine
who had visions of the town eventually becoming a major
port. Jardine had been appointed police magistrate and gold
commissioner of Rockhampton in 1861 and in 1863 he became
the government resident in Somerset.
While he had the good sense to sail up the coast his
sons, Frank and Alexander, set off from Rockhampton to
overland cattle to the new settlement. They departed on 14
May 1864 and arrived at Somerset on 2 March 1865. On the way
they were harassed by Aborigines and spent most of their
time hacking their way through jungles and traversing
swamps. By the time they reached Somerset the 42 horses and
250 cattle they had started with had been reduced to 12
horses and 50 cattle.
Frank Jardine went on to marry Sana Solia, the niece of
the King of Samoa, and when the settlement at Somerset was
moved to Thursday Island in 1877 he stayed on as a kind of
tropical lord holding elaborate banquets for any passing
visitors. He died of leprosy in 1919.
Cape York
There is a dirt road to Cape York 32 km north of Bamaga
which allows those who have made the long journey to stand
on the northernmost point of the Australian mainland.
Seisia
6 km north of Bamaga, Seisia has an excellent foreshore
camping area, a kiosk and service station. There is an
information centre at the Seisia Camping Ground Office
where, during the peak tourist season, the Seisia Island
Dancers perform traditional dances. The fishing is said to
be outstanding from the jetty and there are fishing
excursions to the Jacky Jacky Estuary and the Jardine River.
Tackle and bait is available at the camping ground which can
also furnish a map highlighting the whereabouts of a number
of World War II relics, including the wreck of a DC3. tel:
(07) 4069 3243.
Thursday Island
There is daily access via a ferry which departs from the
Seisia wharf. There are two bus companies which offer tours
of the island, a motel, several hotels, a bank, a post
office and numerous shops. The Torres Strait Cultural
Festival is held every June.
Jardine River National Park
Truly a wilderness area the park covers 235 000 ha and has a
wealth of birdlife. There are two primitive camping areas,
though access is difficult. Tel: (07) 4060 3241 for further
information.
Australian Businesses for sale
Caravan Parks for sale
Motels for sale
Hotels for sale
Broadwalk Business Brokers
Businesses for Sale in Bamaga: Buy or Sell Hotels, Motels,
Caravan Parks, Bed & Breakfast, Pubs, Wine Bars,
Restaurants, Cafe, English Tea Rooms, Coffee Shops, Deli,
Catering Business, Pubs, Bars, Sandwich Bars, Pizza
Delivery, Bakeries, Hot Food Take-away, Fish & Chips, Petrol
& Service Stations, Australian Businesses for sale, Car
Sales, Motor & Transport, Car/Van Hires, Newsagents, Dry
Cleaners, Salons, General Stores, Retail Stores, Post
Office, Printers, Convenience Stores, Clothes shop, Hair
Dressers, Beauty Salon, Fruit Markets, Butchers, Florist,
Card & Gift shop, Sports shop, Book Shops, Care Agency,
Pharmacy, Tool-Hardware & DIY shops, Pet Shops, Auto
Mechanical, Auto Parts & Accessories, Bakery Businesses for
sale , Motel sales, caravan park sales, Hotel sales,
Business sales, Bar for sale, Juice Bar for sale, Beauty
Salon for sale, Bike and Motorcycle Businesses for sale
, Australian Businesses for sale, Blinds and Shutters
Businesses for sale , Boat Business for sale , Book Shop ,
Bread Run, Building and Construction , Butcher Shop, Café
Business for sale, Car Dealerships for sale, Car Rental
Business for sale , Car Yard, Cleaning Business for sale,
Computer Business for sale, Childcare Centre for sale,
Confectionary Business for sale, Convenience Store for
sale, Deli Businesses for sale , Distribution Businesses for
sale , Earth Moving Businesses for sale , Businesses for
sale , Engineering Businesses for sale , Export/Import
Businesses for sale , Fitness Centres for sale, Florist for
sale, Franchise Businesses for sale , Fruit and Veg
Shop for sale, Function Centre for sale, Funeral Parlour for
sale, Furniture Businesses for sale , Garden Equipment
Businesses for sale , General Store s for sale, Gift Shop
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Motels for sale, Caravan Parks for sale, hotels for sale,
Ice Cream Businesses for sale , Juice Bar for sale,
Laundrette ' s for sale, Lawn Mowing Businesses for sale ,
Magazine Businesses for sale , Manufacturing
Businesses for sale , Marine Businesses for sale ,
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Businesses for sale , Mobile Businesses for sale ,
News agency Businesses for sale , Pawnbroker Businesses for
sale , Preschool for sale, Pest Control
Businesses for sale ,Business for sale Pet Shop, Plumbing
Businesses for sale , Post Office for sale , Removalist
Businesses for sale, Restaurants for sale, Roadhouses for
sale, Rubbish Removal Businesses for sale , Rural Supplies
Businesses for sale , Sales and Distribution Businesses for
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sale, Shoe Shop for sale, Supermarkets for sale, Takeaway
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Transport Businesses for sale , Vending Machine Businesses
for sale , Wholesale Businesses for sale, Wrecking Yard for
sale in Bamaga.
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