Replica Miners Hut, Maytown


On a ridge above  Marshalls Creek

Wild Irish Girl


Palmer River Heritage Map
 

Crossing the Palmer River

Palmer River | Maytown access, enter at own risk

Many fires are caused by careless campers and careless property owners, as well as by natural means. So the Palmer River burns every year for any of the above reasons but when it happens it is always blamed on the detector operators. It's part of "Drama on the Palmer"

When visiting Maytown, be aware that some of the local property owners do not normally give permission to camp or detect on their properties while other property owners have accepted payment for detecting and camping.

There also is doubt on the status on some roads to the Maytown and Palmer areas. Just because there are dirt tracks shown on topographical maps, this does not mean that they are gazetted roads open to the public. They could be property or mining tracks and you may encounter locked gates and open trenches across the track!

You definitely have visitation rights to Maytown Town Reserve (R12) and the Palmer River Goldfields Resource Reserve (formerly R16). Access from the Peninsula Development Road is via the White’s Creek road. This road is still not a dedicated public road. You can camp legally on the R16. Outside the reserve you need permission from Palmerville Pastoral Holding.

Maytown Town Reserve (R12) has been placed provisionally under heritage listing. (Yes, that means no metal detecting for coins or relics)

The Palmer River Goldfields Reserve, north of Maytown has been heavily mined for over 20 years. You are not allowed to metal detect on the reserve but mining is still currently going on. Some of the best gold available to electronic prospecting is on the reserve. The alluvial miners there are trying to make a living. Detector operators sometimes poach on their leases. Leaseholders pay for their leases. Detector operators are not always welcome but some kind leaseholders allow detecting on their leases if asked.

Anyhow just a few points to ponder. Do you still want to visit the Palmer River? Yes, you should as it is fascinating, full of history. Not far from Cairns in distance but a far away world of magic and geological wonder. Just leave your detector locked up.

 HOW TO GET THERE :

A trip to Maytown, Palmer River must be well prepared with a 4WD vehicle in good condition, spares, extra fuel and drinking water. 280km from Cairns on the Mulligan Hwy (road to Cooktown) The turn off is 68km north of Mount Carbine. From the turn-off on the highway (just before crossing Whites Creek  on the l/h side) a dirt track starts (called Whites Ck Rd) that can be very  rough and slow going, depending on when the road was graded last.  From Cairns, you must allow one day to get there and one day to come home. Take some good maps, older maps may not show the right tracks to take (conditions change as tracks deteriorate) Allow approx. 4 hours (from the bitumen) for the 76km to Maytown. On no account should you undertake the trip to Laura via the old coach track on your own. This takes twice as long for a similar distance. There is no fuel available inland. Your nearest garage is at Mount Carbine, south of the turn-off or the Palmer River Roadhouse, north. It is very risky to visit during the wet season. Heavy rains will make all creeks rise rapidly making it impossible to move forward or backward.

Turn/off coordinates from the bitumen UTM 55 256 946E  82 03 400N  (White's Creek road was in excellent condition June 2004 and it took only 3 hours to reach Maytown)
Conditions May 2006, roads in very poor shape, river barely crossable, very long grass.

  Frank and Leos Place visit this friendly camp

Maytown  picture gallery Maytown, Palmer River Nth Queensland

Miners Right a historical perspective of erosion of rights and privileges