Matt Nicholls, Cape York Weekly

The things you see while driving in the Cape. This is Peter Stuart, an Atherton man on a mission. He’s riding all the way to the Tip of Cape York and for no particular reason.

Five optometrists from Queensland University of Technology recently visited the Northern Peninsula Area and provided free eye tests for children. “The aim was to provide a service to the kids to do comprehensive vision testing and to understand the extent of any uncorrected vision problems that may be in the community,” said Dr Scott Read, Associate Professor at QUT’s School of Optometry and Vision Science.

Cape York residents are being encouraged to help clean up the Peninsula’s beaches this year as Tangaroa Blue celebrates 10 years working in the region. Since 2011, the Tangaroa Blue Foundation has run annual beach clean-ups, with the first ever held at Chilli Beach, north of Lockhart River.

Troy Cassar-Daley says he’ll have “a whole lot of fun” when he tours remote Cape York communities early next month. The country music star was booked to perform at the Cooktown Expo and has been able to add shows at Aurukun, Coen, Mapoon and Pormpuraaw while in the Far North. He’ll perform with The Black Image Band, made up of the Harrigan brothers from Wujal Wujal.

Weipa's air force base will play host to soldiers from Australia and the United States in a couple of months as Defence prepares for a major training exercise ... RAAF Base Scherger has been locked in to play a role and Weipa residents should expect to see some aerial activity around the site in July ... Last year’s Defence strategic update said Australia might now have fewer than 10 years to prepare for a major conflict.

Mark Berg has fished all over the world and been to most parts of Australia – including Cape York – but he’d somehow skipped Weipa. His life changed last week when he returned from a fishing trip with Far North Fishing as part of his television series, Mark Berg’s Fishing Addiction ... “It’s got to be the best place in Australia for fishing offshore with light tackle ... if not the world.

Weipa residents will enjoy a public holiday on Friday, September 3 after the date was able to be changed to accommodate the Weipa Fishing Classic. The annual event will be held from September 3 to 5, with the expectation that the fishing days will be Friday and Saturday in a small change to the format.

Cape York’s tourism season has officially begun after the Peninsula Developmental Road was opened to travellers at 4pm on Friday. Businesses all over the Cape, from Laura to Weipa, Portland Roads to Bramwell Station and the Archer River to Punsand Bay are expecting 2021 to be the busiest season on record.