A Cape York road trip isn’t complete without a stop at the famous Bramwell Station Tourist Park! With a reputation for being a bit of a party station – Bramwell Station, Cape York isn’t where you go for peace and quiet. Despite the Bramwell Station camping area being HUGE – during peak season, you can expect it to be full most nights and you’ll need to book well in advance if you want to join their popular nightly buffet dinner.
While most people camp at the station, there is also a range of budget and motel style rooms available. These are great for those non campers, or even for those campers that get into camp late or can’t be bothered setting up for the night. They’re also happy to take care of your van if you need to leave it behind while heading further up the Cape.
Keep reading below for everything you need to know about staying at the Bramwell Station Tourist Park.
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Where is Bramwell Station Tourist Park?
Bramwell Station is the most northerly cattle station in Australia – located 2-3 hours north of Weipa and the Archer River and around 4 to 5 hours from the very tip of Australia. It’s a well known stop as it’s just 10 km from the start of the popular Old Telegraph Track – a challenging 4WD track.
To reach the Station, you will need to detour off the main road (Bamaga Road) as the Station is 6.5 km from there. However, look out for the two large white tractor wheels – you can’t miss them among the vibrant red dirt.
Bramwell Station Camping Area and Accommodation Options
Adjacent to the homestead, Bramwell Station has a huge campground as well as rooms available – both are briefly discussed further below.
Camping and Van Sites
The campgrounds at Bramwell Station are expansive! Sites are not designated and you can choose your own spot to camp. There are shady spots under the trees, spots close to the amenities or secluded spots out the back where you can be on your own. There is also a range of old shelters scattered about the place, which you might be lucky to score so you can have some permanent shelter.
The campgrounds do get pretty busy during peak season and by the afternoon, the place is jammed packed. However, come morning, the place empties out pretty quickly as most folks continue their journeys.
All campsites are unpowered. You’re also allowed to have fires at your campsite and bring along your dog. Plus, there is drinkable water on site where you can fill up your tanks before heading off.
Bramwell Station camping fees are a flat $25 per vehicle per night.
Rooms
As well as camping, other Bramwell Station Roadhouse accommodation includes 28 budget and ensuite rooms. These are perfect for those that aren’t camping or just need a night off from setting up.
Budget Rooms come as a twin or a double room and start at $112 per night. These rooms have air conditioning and require guests to use the shared bathrooms on the property. There are also rooms with a private ensuite which start at $200 per night. All rooms accommodate up to two people in either a queen or twin beds.
Bramwell Station (Cape York) Camping Facilities
Below we briefly cover the amenities and facilities available at Bramwell Station.
Meals and Entertainment
The Bramwell Station Tourist Park is famous for its nightly entertainment and buffet dinner. These dinners book out well in advance – when we were there, they said they had no availability for the next two weeks! So book well in advance if you’d like to have dinner there.
There is also a bar which there is no need to book into – however, you may need to bring your own chairs and sit on the outside of the dining area if the buffet is on.
All guests are welcome to enjoy the nightly entertainment – it’s not just for those having dinner. The night kicks off with an interesting chat by the manager, telling you all about the property’s history. Then a one man band comes on playing lots of great music and tells some good ole dad jokes!
The buffet dinner is $37 per adult, $18 for kids 13-15, $15 for kids 3-12 and under 3s are free.
Amenities Block
There are a few different amenities blocks scattered throughout the property. They are mostly situated around the restaurant area, so if you decide to camp at the back of the property, it’s going to be a real hike getting there. We did notice big lineups to use the amenities during peak times like dusk and first thing in the morning. However, if you avoid showering outside these times, you won’t have to line up. Although if you shower late, don’t expect any hot water.
These certainly weren’t the cleanest of facilities we found up the Cape – but they did the job.
Bramwell Museum
The old original bar has been turned into a small museum with various items on display. Venture into the room behind the bar and you’ll find a range of old photographs and documents showing the history of Bramwell Station as well as the various people that once called the place home. There is also an old cemetery on the property where some of the past residents are buried. Both are worth a quick look.
Bramwell Junction Roadhouse
While not located at the Station, the Bramwell Junction Roadhouse is just 10km up the road and run by the same people who run the station. There is also Bramwell Junction camping and this is where you’ll find the official start of the Old Telegraph Track. Some may find it a little more convenient to camp here rather than the Station as it’s right there on the main road, rather than the 6.5 km detour you need to take to reach the Station.
At the Roadhouse, you can grab fuel, meals and beer. In terms of meals, they sell burgers, sandwiches, wraps and chips – see the menu below. The Roadhouse is open weekdays 8 am to 6 pm, Saturdays 8 am to 4 pm and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm.
Bramwell Station Tourist Park – Our Verdict
We had big expectations when camping at Bramwell Station Tourist Park, given all the rave reviews it gets. While we did enjoy our stay and loved having a bar and entertainment on site – I was really disappointed in the amenities on site. They could have been much cleaner and probably even a few more, considering the huge number of people that camp here.
Having said that, the people who run the campsite were some of the friendliest we came across on the Cape. Other campsites had such grumpy and rude staff – but the Bramwell Station staff were always helpful and friendly.
Honestly, you can’t go up to Cape York and not stop for at least a night at Bramwell Station – it’s an iconic campsite on the trip up to Cape York – just ensure you have reasonable expectations and you’ll have a great time.
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Hopefully you found this guide on staying at Bramwell Station Tourist Park helpful. We’ve got a range of guides for staying in Cape York such as camping in Laura, Punsand Bay and Archer River.