Weipa. (Cape York 5).

On our trip down from the "Tip" to Weipa, we saw wild pigs, Brumbies & lots of corrugations!! It was overcast & we had several small showers.  We meant many other travellers, whom all talked about the OTT & most had all the bells & whistles on their Utes, but very few seemed to be actually doing the OTT?
Weipa is situated on the Western coast of Cape York, 850km north of Cairns.
We did a mining tour here as it is the Worlds largest Bauxite mine (the main component of aluminium). It takes 11 minutes for the bauxite to get from the trucks to the train & a train leaves every 44 minutes, 24/7.  The trucks are specially made for this mine operated by Rio Tinto Alcan. The trucks are 2,3 & 5 tonnes, costing 3.4 million, a tyre cost $38,000 & they use 140 litres of fuel per hour.  This mine produces 30% of the worlds aluminium.  Every 4 tonne of Bauxite, they get 1 tonne of aluminium.
We are camped in Albatross Bay and have also visited Mapoon, Pennefeather, EVANS landing & Lorim Point.

Me at Albatross Bay.

 

A big truck about to empty.

 

Truck to train (11mins).

 

A big truck.

 

A big truck being loaded.

 

Steve & Gary looking for a track to get to Pennefeather River.

 

Mapoon Beach.

 

He's not bother by us tourist, just waiting for someone on the beach to catch a fish for him!!

 

A Bauxite train.

 

This is the largest single railway bridge of its type in the Southern hemisphere. (one track no joins). So it doesn't go clickerty clack!!