Peninsular AND BEYOND - Day57, 58, 59 (Fri 11-Sun 13 -July-25)

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From … the Seisha wharf and [on the ferry to Thursday Island (T.I.)] then toe-ing it (walking) from the Southern tip of T.I. to the Northern tip of T.I.

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Up around 4:30am join Joe & Karen packing tents (and all our camp-site), breaky, and repacking our gear in the car and parking it somewhere safe to board the ferry to T.I. at the Seisia wharf.

On arriving there we realized that the accommodation was for two, not three, so that gave me a chance to be more independent again… and let me walk the 4 or 5 km from the Southern Point (this is looking South - from below the helicopter pad):

(the blue dot at the bottom, at low tide, is now  "pointing" North East)

(where Baz Ruddick with the ABC tee-ed up an interview with Emma, & then  Adam on “Drive” that arvo at about 3:30pm., just enough time to finish my walk (of T.I.), past the wharf, to the Northern Point of T.I. (facing Northward, on land, two shots from spits going out):

screen- dump of Google Map, at low tide, with phone facing S.S.W.:

Then I returned, sat in the park and did the interview.

(Saturday, 12/07/25)

Baz Ruddick sent me through a link to the interview that night .. (with the ABC proviso that people who didn’t receive the email personally don’t disseminate it further. So, I think that since I did receive it personally I can let you listen to it, but please don’t pass it on further yourself)

Here is a link to download/ play it from Google Drive: ( https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-wlKqO5PYImzMc78knsXnHT5MNrMjx_1/view?usp=drivesdk  ) 

The recording misses out the "I would walk 500miles" song that was, I think, on before it..  (On the way North from Melbourne sometimes I'd sing that... Wanted to sing that to my lady when she opened the door in Orange, NSW)

Baz said 

"I attached a copy you can download. ...

I left the Crowded House track on the end because it's a good one!

All the best mate."

Gives me a record of that interview. Thanks ABC. Thanks Adam from the afternoon “Drive” program, for asking great open questions. Thanks Baz for tee-ing it up with Emma, and getting a copy to me, & thanks for leaving the Crowded House song (Something so strong) on at the end too, I hadn't heard it after the interview, because Chris came on and said "Thanks...etc"  but it is a good one, and it fitted well, in my experience, too.

I just downloaded the lyrics: even more to it than I knew. But now I know it in another way…

Love can make you weep

Can make you run for cover

Roots that spread so deep

Bring life to frozen ground

Something so strong

Could carry us away

Something so strong

Could carry us today

Turning in my sleep

Love can leave you cold

A taste of jealousy

Is like a lust for gold

Something so strong

Could carry us away

Something so strong

Could carry us today

I've been

Feeling so much older

Frame me

And hang me on the wall

I've seen

You fall into the same trap

This thing

Is happening to us all, yeah

Something so strong

Could carry us away

Something so strong

Could carry us today

Something so strong

Something so strong

Something so strong

Something, something so strong

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Neil Finn / Mitchell Froom

Something So Strong lyrics © Wyoming Flesh Publishing

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Now I get to look through those other 29 reasons for doing the walk … and assess, see if more needs to be done, or something “further in and higher up” (the call that the children's books The Narnia Chronicles finish with… )

Thanks to all those who did, for sharing the adventure of a life-time.. and making connection.

Thanks mostly to the creative love, the mate-ship, the fairdinkum-ness that partnered with me, let me join in on the walk in order to keep learning to be a partner myself. The patience, the persistence, the wisdom, the capacity to see enough of the big-picture in order to take the next step(s) in the right direction, the friendship that extends itself, that was extended to me, in order to be a conduit of that to others in whatever small ways are possible. It has been overwhelmingly difficult (at times), exciting, but full of wonder, & ... beautiful. Worth every step!

Here's Kapila at The Jardine on Thursday Island, on Saturday morning. He came to take my breakfast order, but 

willingly took this shot of me (below, without a high viz shirt on). Thanks Kapila.

Time to retreat/ reflect on a “job done”; “life still to be lived”; for these two days (Saturday & Sunday) now, on T.I., then heading back to Weipa, Qld., and then driving back to Orange, NSW.

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If anything especially reportable happens in the next bit, I'll stick it up here. (The trouble is.. things like that don't seem to just stop happening). 

Otherwise, for now, it's over & out! 

(Now that I've toed it (from the South tip of both Tazzy & the Mainland) to the North tip, of not just the Mainland, but also of Thursday Island (even further North), I'm changing the name of the blog to yvalker (tip toe).

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Paul (de) Walker. 

(... The Slow... & the Curious)

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Peninsular Day56(Thu 10th July 2025)

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From …New Mapoon (Bond Street) to the Seisha warf where the ferry leaves for Thursday Island (where we are booked to go tomorrow - Friday).

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Up around 5:30am join Jo & Karen in their morning routine, including cuppa, quiet, breaky, washing, hang out clothes, then they dropped me in New Mapoon on their way to the Tip of Cape York Peninsula (Pajinka).

Whereupon I walked the ~4 km  to the Seisia warf. After the warf (and the loo), I went to the Seisia Kiosk, which then pointed me around the corner to the Seisia coffee shop. There I met Annabelle (and Didi, her friendly pup), we talked about her travels around the world with her hubby… I practiced doing a line portrait of her

Then a lovely lady from Bamagar, () waiting for a coffee, showed me a pic (on Facebook?) of me from the inside of a car passing me… to check if it really was me… (it was!), we talked for a while…  then out on the street again, Glennys offered me three little cheese topped rolls left over from her lunch… thanks Glennys, which I munched on as I walked back towards the Loyalty Beach Campsite…

On the way, Tony and Liz from Mackay… stopped to chat and congratulate me.

Thanks for your encouragement. Hope you enjoy this bucket list thing!

Then, Chris (from Frankston in Melbourne Victoria), Mairi, & David (from the Mornington Peninsula in Melbourne Victoria), joined me for a photo.

They are here for as long as it takes.. we had a catch up time. How fun. Thanks for taking the time to connect people.

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Byron, a local, checked that we were okay, &  welcomed us to Loyalty Beach.

Then I made it home, got the washing off the line, and had some beautiful fish and chips for lunch with Joe & Karen. After that we had a quiet Arvo, some resting, keep out of some soft rain, prep for dinner, stoke the cooking fire, cook and have a cuppa while waiting for dinner to cook.. then start writing up blogs for this week…

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Met up again with Paul, outside the shower/ loos and talked about ways forward for this country. They went to T.I. today. He gets travell time to listen to the radio and ask questions of people where he goes for work, so he’s always thinking about ways forward.  .. 

Thanks for your time and willingness to discuss important issues.

And, Stephen from the Northern beaches in Sydney said G’day while we were waiting at the laundry too…

been to the tip today and got bogged, a couple of centirmeters of water inside the car, but got winched out… much got wet… so drying things off.

Thanks for sharing the adventure of life..and making connection.

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Peninsular Day 55(Wed 9/7/2025)

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Back towards the rest of Australia again (from the trip to the Tip of Cape York Peninsular)

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Up at 5:30am with Joe & Karen. Lovely breaky in deck chairs overseeing the beach from our accommodation rooms at Loyalty beach. Paid our dues from last night and moved gear from rooms by 10am, then went shopping for a tent, & a blow up queen sized mattress for Joe & Karen, and cooking/ camping gear & food. 

Returned to Loyalty beach camp-site & booked two days camping & one way ferry tickets for Thursday Island (T.I.) on Friday morning. 

After dinner, State of Origin NRL up at the outdoors big screen, where we watched Qld win convincingly. Then shower and bed.

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Peninsular Day 54(Tue 08/07/2025)

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Back towards the rest of Australia again (from the trip to the Tip of Cape York Peninsular)

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We asked for, and we're given until 12 noon to decide whether to stay in the accommodation at loyalty beach, or move somewhere else on the mainland or at T.I. then did some shopping, and Joe and Karen took me along as well, to meet Nick, one of the representatives of the traditional owners, at the Injinoo lookout & who then took us to see the building of New Mapoon’s run down Uniting Church. And later that night joined us for dinner at the Loyalty Beach food outlet. A very rich time.

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Peninsular Day53(Mon 7th July 2025)

From … the Tip of Cape York Peninsular back to the rest of Australia

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Up around 6am

Steve had to go to work around 7:45am. I spent the morning about the house with (until the other visitor - Justin,  left around mid-day) & Jacquie for the whole day until Steve came home from work, then I went fishing for Bara with Steve.

Jane Blackwood (my wife’s good school friend) rang - to see if we can catch up while I'm up this way…. We’ll have to wait ‘n’ see.

A night with friends Joe & Karen, dinner at Loyalty Beach, read some of a book together, shower, cuppa, bed around 11pm

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Peninsular Day 52(Sun 6th/07/2025)

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Back towards the rest of Australia again (from the trip to the Tip of Cape York Peninsular)

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Up around 7am & off to meet Pastor/Uncle T(om T.) He tells me that the local Injinoo church is not meeting today - praying at their homes, but suggests that he could take me to the Umagico church and that he could pick me up around 10:30 am and take me there. In fact he talks with the minister and asks if I would be willing to address the church..

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I return back to Steve & Jacquie's place & have some toast and a cuppa. Then am collected and taken to the Umagico church. What a lovely space. A number of songs, some heart-felt prayers, and hearing  what God has done in their lives during the past week. Then I addressed the people present regarding Jesus Christ’s last command to his followers, and what in fact were his commands to his followers. And then what he actually said & did not say in that last command…” … Then a practice of breathing out, then breathing in; and noting how important it is to breathe out the old air rich in CO2 (Carbon di-oxide) if you want to fill your lungs with air rich in O2  (Oxygen).

Then we had a beautiful lunch together. They dropped me back to where I was staying in Injinoo, and I considered joining with that church again that night, but decided to go out for dinner with my hosts and their visitor instead, to the fish & chips night at the Loyalty Beach campsite.

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Peninsular Day 51(Sat 5th July 2025)

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From Bamagar towards the Croc tent and the Tip of Cape York Peninsular

Up around 6am, dress, pack. Ready to drop stuff in back of Jacqui’s car… catch a lift with her to the BP servo.  Then she drives on, while I walk on..

Melbourne 2 Mapoon (& even New Mapoon) has been completed, yet really, hardly begun; the wedding (or first night together) is over, the marriage (or partnership) has started);

Thanks Gregory Bond & Bruce Sailor for the chance to talk a bit yesterday, and both of your suggestions to see the history hut. A lot to think about and digest. Thanks for being men who, in your various ways model a grappling with going forward from here. I hope you can combine your efforts and pioneer wise, creative, thriving, and generous community. Nothing less is needed. I would love to see this happen, and remains at the core of my life’s purpose on Earth too.

What remains of this small physical walk for me is 

Looking back, looking out, looking up, & especially looking in, & looking forward; this humungous task of integrating and keeping alive in me, and my growing home community, what has started in my walk from Melbourne (a city large in Australian, if not Western Cultural ways), to Mapoon (which, by edict, boating, burning, and current Government policies of repatriation & rehabilitation, is quite small in those ways, but retains some germ or spark of life amongst the embers)

Completing two more tasks of similar scope

Completing two land walks to the Northern Tip (of Cape York Peninsular)

from the Southern Tip of the continent (biggest island) of Australia (@ Wilson’s Promintory), [started with two companions on Monday 25 September 2017  .] &

from the Southern Tip of Tasmania (@ South Cape) [started after being driven to the Southern-most road by my daughter, then walking South of Cockle creek, along trails then off trails on Wed 25 Sept 2013.]

(hmm.. both started on a 25th of September, by the look of it. Not through my planning.)

Thus the blog name change today from the bit in brackets saying “Melbourne 2 Mapoon” to “Tips2Tip”.

See how we go... (still it's one step after another)... 

Up around 6am, dress, pack. Ready to drop stuff in back of Jacqui’s car… catch a lift with her to the BP servo.  Then she drives on, while I walk on..

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Melbourne 2 Mapoon (& even New Mapoon) has been completed, yet really, hardly begun; the wedding (or first night together) is over, the marriage (or partnership) has started);

Thanks Gregory (Bond) & Bruce (Sailor) for the chance to talk a bit yesterday, and both of your suggestions to see the history hut. A lot to think about and digest. Thanks for being men who, in your various ways model a grappling with going forward from here. I hope you can combine your efforts and pioneer wise, creative, thriving, and generous community. Nothing less is needed. I would love to see this happen, and such a goal remains at the core of my life’s purpose on Earth too.

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What remains of this small physical walk for me is 

• Looking back, looking out, looking up, & especially looking in, & looking forward; this humungous task of integrating and keeping alive in me, and my growing home community, what has started in my walk from Melbourne (a city large in Australian, if not Western Cultural ways), to Mapoon (which, by edict, boating, burning, and current Government policies of repatriation & rehabilitation, is quite small in those ways, but retains some germ or spark of life amongst the embers)

• Completing two more tasks of similar scope

• Completing two land walks to the Northern Tip (of Cape York Peninsular)

• from the Southern Tip of the continent (biggest island) of Australia (@ Wilson’s Promintory), [started with two companions on Monday 25 September 2017  .] &

• from the Southern Tip of Tasmania (@ South Cape) [started after being driven to the Southern-most road by my daughter, then walking South of Cockle creek, along trails then off trails on Wed 25 Sept 2013.]

(hmm.. both started on a 25th of September, by the look of it. Not through my planning.)

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Thus the blog name change today from the bit in brackets saying “Melbourne 2 Mapoon” to “Tips2Tip”.

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~7:30am Jacqui and her hubby Stephen drop me off from their SsangYong twin-cab ute at the BP servo that I walked past yesterday, to walk up the last dirt track to Lockerby (where the Croc Tent is), … and … maybe further??

It is forecast to be showering today. . Wonderful.

 About 8:20 I meet Dave & Sonia from Brisbane visiting the tip for a month.

Impressed “that the view from the very top was so amazing…  the expanse makes me feel so small… 

Fun to get away from the world, and see actual creatures and water swirling/churning this morning off the point.”

They offer to get something from the servo in Bamagar… and are planning to get me a pie and a drink… see how they go..

Too soon they are back! I’d only got 5 km, by the looks of it. No pies, but a bacon & egg roll and a coffee. They wouldn’t accept any money for it. Thanks you two!

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Danni, Brooke, and their kids stop as they drive towards the South again, and I get a chance to draw the last 2 of their kids. A lot of fun. Good on you all, and thanks for your connecting.

Before I'm finished the second of the kids’, one of their cousins, Scarlett, stops & pops around with her Mum..

Liup.

to that side of the car to deliver a letter from herself to me…

I was packing up my gear and hoping to try to get to the end today, so I said I’d take a picture and try to draw her tonight, and I would post it on my blog, then she could print it and get her picture that way. Here goes:

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Macey, and Logan conned their mum (Frances) and Dad (Nathan) into buying a special number plate for me at the Croc Tent today. 

This is them with “Salty” Francis’s Dad ( on the right)

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Then Kane & Lea the managers of the croc tent, gave me, through Elissa a cold drink ..to keep going…

Penina gave me her sausage roll…

Greg who worked at the Croc. Tent took my rubbish & saw the need, 

so asked if his son Trev might run with me.

Zerwedi and Letoya (left to righ) gave me two mandarins to help as well.

Trev came to jog with the last 18km . I think he might be disappointed.

A couple of car loads travelling together, the Keen family stopped to say G’day and wish me well. I tried to record their names to write here, but lost the recording during the day, so, sorry I'm missing the first names of this very keen family:

Thanks for connecting still!

Then, Will, (Franco the sausage dog?), BRENT (the Dad), & Kristy (the Mum). Stopped to wish me well and say G’day…

And I drew Jack with the broken arm’s pic. 

 a sticker on my trolley after fbF with some corn chips let me know they had been close to me.

Alice the doctor… stopped to congratulate me too…

Thanks for your encouraging words.

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Owen & Sharee stop to offer $50.00 cash to Movember through giving me the cash. I got their email to send the receipt to them tonight

Thanks a lot you two.

Our lift caught up with us at about 3:30pm and said they could wait for us  till we got there.

Trev somehow led the way across two creeks in such a way that we didn’t wet our feet. Good work Trev.

Got to Pajinka at the top ~4:30pm

Quite sore feet. 

Collected some running water from a wave in an empty can, to take home and maybe mix with the sample of the Tasman water I collected from there, if I can find it at home.

Trev, the angel sent to help me make it today.

Then we walked back down along the sand, since it was low tide. And drove to Injinoo with Steph and Jacquie, showered, and ate a lovely buttered chicken dinner. Thank you to all these people who contributed to this occurring, and thank you to my senior walking partner - providence! For providing these others too.

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