The ultimate Bunker Buster Tour! During the Second World War, Cape York was the first line of defence.

Due to the remoteness of the area, it is absolutely littered with the refuse of war. You'll see secret airbases, coastal defence emplacements, radar sites, military hospitals, crashed and dumped aircraft and bunkers.

In addition, our local guides will take our travellers through significant wartime sites and enlighten us with local folklore surrounding Japanese landings, guerrillas, secret arms caches and equipment disposal dumps.

Don't miss out on the experience of a lifetime. Areas visited include Cairns, Cooktown, Laura, Coen, the Famous Archer River Roadhouse, Iron Range National Park, Moreton Telegraph Station, Weipa, Muttee Heads, Bamaga, Somerset, Thursday Island, Horn Island.

This is an accommodated and safari camping (Iron Range) tour - sea or fly!

Day 1: Cairns, Mossman, Daintree, Cooktown (LD)

Far from being a sleepy backwater during the Second World War, Cairns saw a massive amount of military activity from USAAF Fighters and bombers through to US Navy Patrol Boats and even Z-Special Unit training operations. Today we explore Cairns’ military heritage including Bunkers, the Tanks Art Centre, Airport precinct and fortifications.

After lunch we begin our journey, heading north towards Cooktown along the scenic Ocean Road. Soon we arrive at Mossman and the site of the strange 1942 Japanese bombing raid in the area. We continue north, over the magnificent Daintree River and through the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation. Now, off the bitumen and onto the dirt, we travel the infamous Bloomfield Track all the way to Cooktown, our stopover for the night.

Day 2: Cooktown (BLD)

Today we explore Cooktown. Cooktown is famous as the site chosen by Lt. James Cook in 1770 to make repairs after HM Barque Endeavour hit the Great Barrier Reef off Cape Tribulation, but it has an extremely rich history, from indigenous culture through to the Second World War, Cooktown is a fascinating place. Today we will explore former RAAF Radar sites, air bases, explosive storage sites and much more. No visit to Cooktown would be complete without a visit to the Cooktown Museum, once headquarters for US forces in the area.

Day 3: Lakeland, Musgrave, Coen (BLD)

This morning we bid a fond farewell to Cooktown and continue towards Cape York. After a short stop at Lakeland, we follow the Peninsula Development Road through to Laura. We arrive at the iconic Musgrave Telegraph Station in time for lunch. After lunch we express through to Coen, an isolated former mining settlement in the heart of Cape York. Coen was also the site of a Royal Australian Air Force Advanced Operational Base including its own aid station. In Coen proper, we explore the Coen Heritage House, actually the former Mein Telegraph Station. We head north to the Coen Airport, site of a RAAF Advanced Operational Base during WWII. This site is littered with relics of its wartime role. We head back into town for our accommodation for the night and dinner.

Day 4: Archer River, Batavia Goldfields, Iron Range (BLD)

After breakfast we once again board the Oz Personnel Carrier and head north. Morning tea this morning is at the famous Archer River Roadhouse on the banks of the shady Archer River. On the way to our destination, Iron Range, we stop and explore the abandoned Batavia Goldfields. After lunch we continue to Iron Range. First stop is the Lockhart River Airport, once known as Gordon Strip, part of the massive war-era USAAF and RAAF Iron Range bomber base. We visit bunkers and anti-aircraft sites before heading to our Iron Range accommodation for dinner.

Memorial Display, Lockhart River Airport

WWII Bunker, Iron Range

Day 5: Iron Range, Portland Roads (BLD)

Operation Blowdown was the code name for a simulated nuclear explosion in the rainforest at Iron Range in 1962. You’ll be surprised at the forces which must have been exerted on the massive steel tower and instrumentation bunkers lying in pieces all over the site. You’ll be even more surprised at the other military tests which were planned for Iron Range in the 1960s. Today we visit several former military sites including a US Station Hospital and Stores Depot site.

After lunch we head to Portland Roads where we explore the remains of US Fighter Aircraft. Portland Roads itself was the sea transhipment port for Iron Range airbase. Every piece of equipment which could not be flown in was shipped to Portland Roads’ then-massive jetty by US Liberty Ships. This afternoon, it’s back to our Iron Range accommodation for dinner and a good night’s sleep after a busy day.

Day 6: Weipa (BLD)

We bid farewell to the Iron Range rainforest and soon we are back onto the open Cape York savannah as we cast out towards Weipa. On arrival at Weipa, settle into our accommodation and can choose to either spend the rest of the day relaxing or take an outstanding guided tour of the massive Rio Tinto Bauxite mining operation in the area.

Day 7: Mapoon, Moreton Telegraph Station (BLD)

After breakfast, we leave Weipa and travel to a secret location for one of the real highlights of the tour, an exploration of the remains of a crashed WWII B17 Bomber aircraft, still laying in situ 65 years after it crashed. After morning tea, we head for our cabin tent accommodation for the night at historic Moreton Telegraph Station. Established in the 1880s, Moreton was one of a string of telegraph stations across Cape York. During WWII, Moreton played a vital role in land communications for allied forces in the Cape.

Cabin Tent, Moreton Telegraph Station

Fruitbat Falls, Cape York

Day 8: Fruitbat Falls, Jardine River Ferry, Punsand Bay (BLD)

After breakfast, we bid farewell to Moreton Telegraph Station and head north again along the Old Telegraph Line road. After a lunch and a swim at Fruitbat Falls, we continue to the famous Jardine River Ferry. Now in the thick of things, we pass through the aboriginal communities of Injinoo and Umagico before passing through Bamaga and Siesia, part of the Red Island Point / Higgins Field / Jacky Jacky military complex during the war. Although we head straight to our accommodation tonight we will have a full day on Day 11 to thoroughly explore the Seisia/Bamaga area. Tonight we are staying at Punsand Bay, near the Tip of Cape York. Ensuite cabin tents on the beachfront.

Day 9: Tip Of Cape York, Somerset, Thursday Island, Horn Island (BLD)

After Breakfast at the resort, it’s a short drive and walk to the Tip of Cape York for a rare photo opportunity. You just can’t go to Punsand Bay without “Doing the Tip”. Then it’s off to historic Somerset, and the ruins of the “Singapore of the Pacific”. This afternoon, we tackle the Torres Strait as we transfer from Seisia to Horn Island via beautiful Thursday Island. Tonight’s accommodation is the Gateway Torres Resort on Horn Island.

Day 10: Horn Island, Thursday Island, Punsand Bay (BLD)

Horn Island was the site of a RAAF Advanced Operational Base and was subjected to vicious Japanese bombing raids during WWII. We embark on the outstanding “Forgotten Isle Tour” a guided WWII tour of Horn Island by local historian and author Vanessa Seekee. On this tour you will learn of the hardships involved in the development and maintenance of Horn Island as an advanced operational airbase. Some of the sites visited include a World War Two plane relic, slit trenches, taxiways, a 3.7 inch gun site and an underground command post.

A short ferry ride later we are back on Thursday Island, and embark on the “Garrison Town Tour” examining the Greenhill Fort, a coastal defence fortress built in the 1890s and used throughout WWII and other historic sites on the island. This afternoon, we board the ferry back to the mainland and our accommodation at Punsand Bay.

Day 11: Red Island Point, Higgins Field, Muttee Heads (BLD)

Today we explore the US and Australian military sites of the Red Island Point / Higgins Field / Jacky Jacky complex. We’ll see crashed C47 and Bristol Beaufort bombers, remains of military installations and much more. In the afternoon we head over to Muttee Heads, site of the most intact WWII air force radar site in the country as well as site of a major US transhipment point. This afternoon, we return to Punsand Bay for dinner and a well-earned rest.

Day 12-14: Seisia, Cairns (Air Travellers) or MV "Trinity Bay" (Sea Travellers)

Today we bid farewell as you begin your journey south to Cairns. Air travellers will be back in their Cairns accommodation by this afternoon, while Sea travellers have two more nights aboard the MV “Trinity Bay” following the WWII shipping lanes between Cairns and Cape York before disembarking at Cairns port on Day 14 of the Tour.

14 Day Day 1-3: Sea Voyage Cairns to Seisia, MV "Trinity Bay" Day 4: Overnight Punsand Bay Day 5: Cape York and Somerset Day 6: Higgins Field, Muttee Heads Day 7: Jardine River Ferry, Moreton Telegraph Station Day 8: Weipa Day 9: Iron Range Day 10: Iron Range Day 11: Batavia Gold Fields, Archer River, Coen Day 12: Musgrave, Lakeland, Cooktown Day 13: Cooktown Day 14: Daintree, Mossman, Cairns

12 Day Day 1: Fly Cairns to Horn Island Day 2: Bamaga / Seisia, Punsand Bay Day 3: Cape York and Somerset Day 4: Higgins Field, Muttee Heads Day 5: Jardine River Ferry, Moreton Telegraph Station Day 6: Weipa Day 7: Iron Range Day 8: Iron Range Day 9: Batavia Gold Fields, Archer River, Coen Day 10: Musgrave, Lakeland, Cooktown Day 11: Cooktown Day 12: Daintree, Mossman, Cairns