Cape York–Coen & Archer River Roadhouse–28 July 2011

Coen River was named after the Governor of Batavia. The town was founded as a fort on the River and grew with the Gold Rushes. One of the original Repeater Stations from the Old Telegraph Line is preserved as Cape York Heritage House which is a museum.
 

Coen has a nice really clean little coffee shop and is a good spot for a break.

Outside Coen is the Quarantine Station. This is where one is given the brochures for travelling North. Not people to waste paper they wait to see if you are serious before you are given the information guides.
They are very serious about Quarantine up here as there are a lot of diseases that can come in from New Guinea.

We camped at Archer River Roadhouse. They supply meals and have good facilities. There is limited water. They have the most innovative use for Oppenheimer Poles, even using the insulators as part of the washing line.

We had a swim in the Archer River. We were worried about crocodiles but others had been before us. It was very refreshing.

 

This German Tourist didn't know how to change a tyre. Tricia didn't know whether to be appalled at his naiveté or impressed by his bravery.

John used it as a teaching moment, showing him how to use the manual to find the correct location for the jack and then helping to change the tyre.  As they said on the lid of Cabot paint tins in our youth: 'When all else fails read the directions."  Like most outback stations Archer River Station can repair tyres.