The northernmost tip of Australia. This is the end of the line, and it’s no easy task to get here. You can’t just jump into a car and drive. An ordinary car will get you as far as Coen, on the Peninsula Development Road, but here you’re still 400 km short of the Cape. From there on, only a 4WD is good enough, and the trip should only be undertaken by those who are experienced in this type of terrain and know how to use a winch. The main trouble is the river beds, and for most of the year these are impassable: you can only be sure of completing this journey between June and October.

By far your best bet is to join one of the tours that set out from Cairns. Tours are often a combination of 4WD driving and flying, and can last from five to fourteen days taking in most of the sights on the way. Expect to pay around A$3,000 all in for a seven day tour – expensive, but it’ll be one of the great journeys of your life.

One of the most experienced operators is Oz Tours (www.oztours.com.au, +61 7 4055 9535).

Another great way to see this region, for a similar cost, is to take one of several cruises from Cairns up to Cape York. These also last about a week, and take in many sights (such as Lizard Island) on the way.

And what do you get, when you finally arrive at the end of the line? A view out across the shimmering island-dotted Torres Strait – and that sensational feeling of having done it. Papua New Guinea is over the horizon, just 150 km away.

If you’ve made it under your own steam, there’s a pleasant and not-too-expensive resort with a fabulous beach 9 km west along the coast – as the crow flies. The bad news is that it’s 30 km away by road.