Page 46 - Ebook Explore Cape York

Explore Cape York 40
Piccaninny Plains (Australian Wildlife Conservancy)
Piccaninny Plains, once a cattle station, is now a wildlife sanctuary
for iconic wildlife such as the Palm Cockatoo, Red Goshawk, and
the Spotted Cuscus.

Piccaninny Plains also has a dark side that you won’t find written in
the history books.

The atrocities are still spoken about amongst Indigenous families
on Cape York… of the murders of countless Aboriginal children,
buried in the ground to their necks...of the troopers using the butts
of their rifles as polo mallets to decapitate them. A very sad
colonial history.
Merluna Station
Heading towards Weipa, and 33km from the ‘Y’ you’ll find Merluna
Station - a further 8km through the working cattle property will
bring you to the homestead.

With an abundance of birds and wildlife, beautiful natural
surroundings, and welcoming hosts it’s just the place to chill out -
check out the trophy mounted in the office as you register!

You can get up close and friendly with many of the station pets –
pigs, horses and cattle to list a few, and then for something a bit
more strenuous, a game of darts, pool or table tennis in the rec
shed, or a stroll to the lagoon and its wildlife action. You’ll also get
to meet a ton of native wildlife.

Don’t forget to have a chat with Cameron and Michelle about how
they’re endeavouring to make Merluna a station that is eco-friendly
and sustainable for future generations

If you’re travelling with kids, they’ll love it too. There’s plenty of
room to run about and get rid of all that excess energy they’ve
accumulated from the road.

Accommodation: Cabins (3 queen, 1 family), donga rooms (8
double w ensuite, 15 single w shared amenities), spacious shaded
campground
Facilities: Air con all rooms, camp kitchen, recreation shed, WIFI,
shower & toilet block, meals available, caravan storage