Fact Sheets & Video - Cape York

Cape York Airlines has been running for over 20 years, delivering mail and goods to 60 remote rural communities in far north Queensland. Its the longest service of its type in the world, and the pilots don't mind taking passengers along for the ride.

The plane takes off from Cairns airport, headed for Cape York and surrounding areas.

The scenery along this route varies from dry and desolate terrain to beautiful sandy beaches and lush rainforests with spectacular waterfalls. The one common factor in the landscape is the remoteness. Most of Cape York is undeveloped and untouched.

Cape York Airlines visits a variety of places beyond the Atherton Tablelands. The first stop is Bolwarra, a beef cattle station north-west of Cairns stretching across 156 000 hectares. Here you can deliver some mail to the friendly locals and have a bit of a yarn. The next stop is at Torwood Station, just a ten minute flight away. Finally, the plane stops at Abington Downs, a remote location 110 kilometres from the closest town.

Abington Downs is one of the many places where School of the Air is used. The service is a great way to educate kids in isolated areas.

From a handful of students in 1951, the school's numbers have swelled to well over 1000 students in twelve schools today. Lessons are taught by correspondence using a high frequency radio, and there are regular telephone calls between teacher and student.

Being postie for a day is a great way to see remote areas of Australia that are untouched by tourism and meet locals and learn about their everyday life.

Life around these isolated regions is uniquely different to life in the big cities and taking this trip with Cape York Airlines lets you experience the outback lifestyle for a short space of time.

The facts

Cape York Airlines fly Monday to Friday year round. Seats start from $300.

Cape York Airlines

Tel: 07 4035 9399

Rooms at the Cairns Colonial Club Resort start from $151.

Cairns Colonial Club Resort

Tel: 07 4053 5111