Old Telegraph Track

The Old Telegraph Track earns its reputation. Running roughly 350 km up the spine of Cape York, the OTT is a corridor of deep creek crossings, chewed-out red exits and soft sand that has drowned more than a few engines. Our team runs it most dry seasons, and the first thing we say to anyone towing is blunt: you do not take a caravan up the Tele Track. ## Why this one is a no-vans route The OTT is a hardcore low-range 4WD route, not a touring road. Crossings like Gunshot Creek and Nolans Brook involve steep chutes, water over the bonnet and exits that demand momentum and clearance no van can give you. This is the flagship 'no van' verdict in our 'Can My Van Do This?' work, and it is not close. If you want to understand how we grade a trip like this, read [why we rate rigs the way we do](/articles/can-my-van-do-this-rig-rating-explained) before you start planning. ## Leave the van at Bramwell The sensible play is to base your van at Bramwell Junction or Bramwell Station, then run the OTT unladen over a couple of days. Van travellers and anyone who would rather keep their panels straight can take the bypass roads and the sealed Peninsula Developmental Road north to Bamaga, rejoining the adventure at Fruit Bat Falls and the Jardine River Ferry. Both the Southern and Northern Bypass Roads exist for exactly this reason, and taking them is not a failure of nerve, it is good planning. ## The crossings that define it Palm Creek is the first real test and sets the tone with its steep, rutted entry. From there the list reads like Cape York folklore: Ducie, Dulhunty with its lovely riverside camp, Bertie, Cholmondeley, Gunshot, Cockatoo, Sailor, Cypress, Cannibal, Mistake and the deep, sandy-bottomed Nolans Brook that regularly fills airboxes. Most crossings have a chicken track around the worst of the obstacle, and there is no shame in taking one. Fruit Bat Falls and Eliot Falls are the rewards, and both are popular freshwater swim stops. Always read the signage and check with rangers before you get in the water anywhere. ## Crocodiles and water safety Estuarine crocodiles live throughout the lower reaches and the Jardine River system. Never assume a crossing or waterhole is safe, never clean fish or camp at the water's edge, and walk a crossing to check depth only where it is plainly croc-free and the bank is solid. Keep well back from the Jardine at the ferry, and treat every murky pool as occupied until you know otherwise. ## Gear, comms and convoy Carry full recovery gear, a snorkel, spare belts and a satellite communicator, because there is no phone reception for most of the run. Travel with at least one other vehicle. Winch points and a mate on the bank are what get you out of Nolans on a bad day, and self-recovery in deep water on your own is a genuinely dangerous position to be in. ## Permits, fees and conditions The Jardine River Ferry charge covers access and camping in the northern communities, and land through the northern section sits on Injinoo country, so confirm current access and permit arrangements before you leave. Check Queensland's Department of Transport and Main Roads for road status, as the Cape opens only once the wet drains away, usually from June. Pair the Tele Track with the rest of your lap using our [Big Lap itinerary](/itineraries/the-big-lap), and browse [national park camping](/parks) for the Jardine and surrounds.