lost their minds and fled into the bush to
escape some form of mental demon. And yet,
somehow houses are self-built, land cleared
for crops and animals fed and tended to. I
have a mate who, seemingly, spends his time
whenever I visit chilling in the shade of a mango
tree, gently rocking in a hammock peering
out at all around him from beneath a battered
straw hat. Yet somehow, prodigious amounts
of labour and enterprise happens without me
noticing. Hey presto! — a two story house made
out of hand milled timber appears. Lo! — a new
driveway is carved through dense rainforest,
graded and carefully cambered.
Years ago, a large, complete, trunk of a red
cedar washed up on a deserted beach near
where he lives, probably after being dislodged
from the deck of a ship out at sea during a
storm. That’s what he’d be thinking about in
the shadows of the mango tree from 10 till 12
before lunch. Working out how he’
transport this now exceedingly
rare and expensive 40-metre long
tree trunk back to his property to
mill and store for future buildingGOING OFF-GRID ON THE CAPE
THE DISTINCTIVE pointed tip of north east Australia is almost entirely unoccupied. There’s a central road that connects
Cooktown and Laura at its southerly base to Bamaga at its apex. In between is a mixture of tropical jungle, especially in the
south around the Bloomfield River, and scrubby inland tundra and open country. There’s also multiple large river systems
that deal with the monsoonal deluge and, as there’s not much in the way of highlands, quite a bit of meandering marine
swampland.
Going off-grid is a community affair — unless you’re extremely jacked with the whole thing and want to go on a Man Friday-
style trip and completely isolate yourself from humanity and bash it out on your own, masochistically, without any outside
help. Cape York accommodates both off-grid extremes and everything in-between.
Whatever style you choose, a monumental amount of pre-move preparation is mandatory. Before embarking on a
complete alteration of method in sustaining one’s self and perhaps, your family’s, a total self-diagnosis on skills, shortcomings
and capabilities is required. Are you cut from the right cloth? And if not, what will it take to get you there? The tropics is an
unforgiving and relentless environment, not at all like the tropical paradise myth routinely trotted out in magazines and
brochures. A simple nick, or even a scratched mossie bite, on the arm or leg can quickly get infected and turn into debilitating
never-healing ulcers. A sound medical check-up before embarking on your new-found life is essential. A clear understanding
of your health, what your body can and can’t cope with (everyone’s different) will give you a sound perspective on types of
food you need to eat and other types of sustaining habits you should practise.
Power and water supply is, of course, paramount. Many off-gridders use reticulated poly pipe set in a nearby watercourse
above their living quarters and then let gravity do its work. Simple and effective. A looped coil on the roof in the sun is a good
way to ensure at least one hot shower to start the day.
Multiple renewable energy power sources are usually employed by off gridders. Solar panels, water turbines set up in
nearby water courses with regular current, gas-powered fridges, windmills. Power becomes a scarce commodity and many
quickly learn to conserve and use it judiciously. You'll have to, too.m 10 till 12
dgCape bananas at dusk
Fast flowing water is a good place
to set up a reticulated fresh water
supplyADVEN URES
pr
r