Deep waterfrontage land for sale on Bloomfield River

Property Id: Lot 6 on SP123877, Par Tribulation

L1 PER5501: PO 14/5501: PAR Tribulation

5.58ha (13.8 acres) of level land,
with absolute deepwater frontage of 245 m.
An adjoining Permit to Occupy (900 sq.m.) gives access to the waterfront.

Improvements: lockup boatshed with electricity connected, rainwater tank, phone available. Gravel surfaced boat ramp.
A permant watersupply is available with a permit from Idriess and Panican creeks

The land has a road frontage of 132m. on southern boundary and 86 m. on the western boundary (Evergreen Rd.) with easy access to the river front.
The land consists of 1.8 acres of grassland adjoining the boatshed, with the remainding 11 acres lowland rainforest.

The great Bloomfield River flood of March 1996 did not inundate the boatshed, (bags of cement on the floor of the boatshed stayed dry), so the land is always safe from abnormally high tides and seasonal flooding.

Also included in the sale , 18’ fishing boat with 12hp diesel engine on a trailer.
The hull is plywood sheathed in fibreglass. A large ice box is fitted.
(The boat , ‘Kingfisher’, was built by the owner in the early eighties.)

McCormack tractor with slasher. + assorted dingies and outboard motor.
A refrigerator and freezer, together with a large table, shelving and utensils,
boat gear and tackle occupy the boatshed.

The owner holds the business name “Bloomfield River Boat Storage and Slipway” and is happy to relinquish the name to a buyer upon request.

The owner has owned this property since 1977, using the property for family holidays and fishing trips for many years, however failing health and old age has detered the owner, over the past couple of years, from continuing general maintainance of both the land and improvements. As much as he loves the riverside living, he now has to let someone else enjoy it.

The property is favoured by a sea breeze during the day and land breeze at night and is fortunately not too frequented by mosquitos and sand flies, as is some riverfront land .

This is an absolutely unique property, the likes of which, rarely come on to the market. The owner has had many enquiries from would be buyers over the years and anticipates it will sell quickly now that the owner has finally decided to sell.


Price....................Best offer over $375,000 .


To contact the owner please phone 0740 937139
or email ronbruce at gmail.com


















































View to the boat ramp

















View down river from the boat ramp

















The boat ramp from the river...

















Just inside the river mouth...

















Rattlesnake head from the river mouth looking north

















Bloomfield rivermouth from sea

The red tractor

The tractor is a 1950’s era vintage McCormick International. Weighs about 5 ton

It still runs well and the slasher slashes, but it needs a bit of TLC
or even a restoration if you were that way inclined.

The seat (not original) has rust in it.
The slasher needs a couple of steel plates welded over some large rust holes (steel supplied).


The fuel filter needs replacing.
The battery box needs repairs (good battery supplied)
The generator is not working. The rear tyres are still good although old.
One front tyre is original, the other is a car tyre
Steering wheel NEEDS restoration
Some hoses need replacement, but at present are not leaking








To start the tractor….
Fit and connect battery.
Fit muffler
Top up radiator
Add unleaded petrol and a splash of lead additive.
Turn on fuel at cock
Full choke… throttle half open
Hit ign/starter switch
As soon it fires release choke
Warm up engine before driving off.

To engage a gear (usually slash in 2nd or 3nd gear) depress both clutch and brake pedals fully.

To engage slasher, in second gear, depress both clutch and brake pedals and pull up power take off lever behind seat.

To lift slasher, pull back 3 point linkage lift on RHS of steering wheel

The tractor will slash anything inc grass, lantana, saplings in 2nd gear with about 7/10 throttle.

To pull boat trailers out of the river, front towbar is good for this and reverse gear is nice and slow.

The tractor needs to be covered to keep rain off.
Rain will leak into the gearbox making the oil milky
And get down the exhaust outlet causing problems.



The tractor is included in the sale of the property......................

The Kingfisher

The Kingfisher was built in Kuranda in the early seventies by Ron Bruce, with the help of his 80yo father, Reg Bruce.
The boat is a bit over five feet beam and about 18 foot long overall
waterline length of about 16.5 feet
It has a hickory keel, that was cut in the Bloomfield district, transported by boat to the Gordonvale sawmill and sent by rail car to Kuranda as 2 flitches of 4”x 12”.
The frames as silver ash from the Kuranda saw mill with Tea Tree knees cut on the coast near Palm Cove. The decks are of marine ply covered with planks of white beech,
It is sheathed in ½ marine ply, with fibreglass over all the underwater surfaces up past the waterline.
The mast is of A1 clear oregon (hollow)
The junk sails are of dacron and the spars are of silver ash.
The ice box is made of corthane foam sheathed in fibreglass and will hold ice for up to two weeks.unopened.
An underfloor fuel tank hold about 30 gallons of diesel a day tank on the Engine holds a gallon and a half… more than enough to run for 120 hours at 1.2liters per hour flat out.
The standing pits in the stern alow for Safe trolling for mackeral and the rear overhanging tray is handy for dealing with caught fish.

The engine is a Chinese Dong Feng 12hp single cylinder diesel, with a marine forward & reverse gearbox, swinging an 18” prop at 3:1 reduction of engine speed. The engine cruises at about 1,800 which gives about 5.5 knots.

With 2 persons in the cockpit the boat draws just under a meter.
2 persons can both stand on the rail on one side with good stability.
The decks are self draining in a seaway.
The boat handles the sea very well with the big 18” prop powering it through waves.
A passage was once made from Cape Trib to the Bloomfield river mouth with a big following sea, the sails abeam and engine at fast cruising power and an average of 8 knots was achieved.

The boat trailer needs 4 better tyres (15” Holden wheels and hubs)
Some plating of rust on trailer is needed.
The RHS steel awing frame is a bit rusty and could need replacing.
The green awning materiel is still in excellent condition
The boat overall needs some paint, especially the mast which is iun need of some spar varnish, but otherwise sound.
The Kingfisher needs the RHS rubbing rail refitted (was removed to repair plywood sides) The fore deck around the anchor hatch needs repairs.
The Engine runs well as does the gear box
The only water leak is thru the propellor stuffing box and this can be tightened when on a moaring.

There are three anchors ( A plough , danforth and reef pick together with some gal chain and 12mm silver rope for holding tackle.

A 10” plywood dingy together with a 5hp Yanmar outboard.
Together with oars and ropes is included.

Make sure the water pump driving belt is on and pump free to turn, Make sure seacock is open.
TO Start the engine, pump fuel up to the day tank till full, Stand in front of the engine with your right hand on the crank handle, your left hand on the decompressor lever (below on left), the throttle open a quarter.
WIND ENGINE OVER BRISKLY, then flick decompressor lever to ON position.
The engine will start instantly.
Set engine to idle and check water flow from pump out the exhaust.
Check water temp on gauge periodically when running, engine should be hot to touch as should exhaust water, temps around 60 degrees is Ok
Make sure engine is not running to cold… diesels don’t like to be too cold.

To stop engine decompress the valves, by moving decom lever.
Always wind engine over with the crank to the top of compression stroke, after stopping engine to ensure that both valves are closed (to stop rusting of the valves and seats. If you forget and find that the engine wont start because it doesn’t have enough compression Undo the nut holding the valve cover and tap the valve rockers with a hammer while winding over the engine, eventually the valves will seat enough to fire the engine.
Close seacock to water pump if moring or anchoring for a period.


The Kingfisher is included in the sale....................




A large baracouta caught trolling in the river mouth..

Aerial view of Bloomfield River

An aerial view of Bloomfield River
showing the location of the Land for Sale











The Coast Road Cairns to Cooktown via Bloomfield river

The Coast Road runs from Cairns to Cooktown through the pristine Daintree rainforest. As drives go the Coast Road is off the scale. You can look forward to river crossings and picturesque waterways, magnificent beaches & rugged mountains. You can also look forward to getting stuck if you don't have a 4WD (or you aren't a passenger in someone else’s). The bituman ends at Cape Trib.

Bloomfield Track, north from Cape Tribulation

The Bloomfield Track is 28ks of mostly 4WD dirt track through the Daintree Rainforest just north of Cape Tribulation. The track traverses several creeks and river crossings and including some steep climbs and descents. These steep parts have all been concreted over the past few years and are not the challenge they once where in the Wet.

The Bloomfield Track was built to connect Bloomfield to Cape Tribulation in the early eighties and was the scene of a major confrontation with conservationists who opposed the road.
It is now a popular drive for tourists wanting to see a bit of spectacular costal country in their 4WD as well as in everyday use by the locals from Wugal Wugal and the Bloomfield district.

• Daintree River car ferry – there is no bridge.
• Cow Bay ( the nearest pub)
• Myall Creek
• Thornton Beach
• Cape Tribulation Beach, the ultimate 'where rainforest meets the reef' tropical beach'
* Cape Trib various bars and meals available
* The gravel road starts just beyond Cape Trib and it's 4WD only past Emmagen Ck.
* Shopping & petrol available at Wugal store and Ayton.

North to Cooktown...
* The Bloomfield Airport is a couple of ks north of Ayton, regular services to Cairns.
* The Lion's Den (nearest pub going north), mostly bitumen all the way.
* Cooktown, historic town with pubs, cafes and plenty to see.

Woobadda Creek,

• Woobadda Creek, which has a swimming hole upstream and the beautiful, and remote South Cowie Beach.

• Emmagen Creek. This is also popular, beautiful and a great photo stop. Take the track upstream (not down) on the south side of the creek for swimming holes.








Bloomfield Falls
• Bloomfield Falls, a place of particular cultural significance to the Kuku Yalanji people.
















Bloomfield River crossing at Wugal Wugal




















Google Earth view

















Rainforest near the river mouth












The shallow horse crossing a few hundred meters upstream from the Boatshed
a favourite spot in the late afternoon to catch a mangrove jack

The Boat Shed

The boat shed was built by Ron Bruce and family in the early 90s.
It was built with plans approved by the Douglas Shire.
It is built on the Permit to Occupy 900Sq. M. waterfrontage
Also known as a jetty lease.

It is built with 75mm RHS steel frames set in the concrete slab
With 6” x 2” oregon rafters and battens and clad with colourbond
Corrugated iron. It is about 8.5 meters x 5 meters and 4 meters high.
There are 7 push out corr,iron shutters that let the breeze in .

The power is connected and a rain water tank collects water.
A permanent connection to the Pannikin Creek water line is available,
Mobile phones generally all work OK at the boatshed, while a Telstra in ground phone line is available by application. (the next door neighbours are all connected)

In the big flood of the early 90s the water did not enter the shed, bags of cement laying on the floor did not get wet.

The arrangement of the boatshed site gets good sea breezes by day and the and breezes in the evenings., so that biting bugs are not the problem that some l sites have.. The boat ramp was made in the 90s and several 20ton loads of round river gravel spread on the lower tidal areas, but this needs doing again due to siltation over the stones.
Otherwise boats can be launched and recovered on the remaining hard ground during high tides.
A jetty could be built to access the river, many neighbours have built their own over the years, some didn't’ survive the big 9os flood though.


The grassy areas have gone a bit feral due to lack of slashing over the past five years, regular slashing would see the return of the native grass which is still there below the weeds . The mission horses need to be fenced out as they spread the siclepod weed everywhere they go. The siclepodhas been mowed out a few times before, along with the lantana, but ill health has prevented me from regular slashing every 6 months as needed.
Currently there are a couple of local horses keeping the grass down, (a quieter option).
The grassy area is large enough to play a full size game of soccer or cricket , which was popular with my kids and their friends over the years.

The boatshed has been used as a fishing camp by myself and some old mates for 30 years and by my family while they were growing up on school holidays. The fishing in the river can be very good when all the planets are in alignment. Monsters can be caught (but not landed) on a setline overnight. Trolling for pelagic fish off the river mouth and around the inshore reefs can usually get you at least a feed and some times your quota.
Bottom fishing further out on the nearby reefs (some of which have been closed temporaily) is legendary, as is snorkling on a good day.

A permanent mooring was in place in the river out front of the boat ramp for many years and could be replaced if necessary.

A barbecue/fireplace sits at one side of the concrete slab under the awning and the long table
with deck chairs makes for sociable living, with as mod cons as you want to plug in.

There is quite a collection of usable and abandoned dinghys and tinnies drawn up on the grassy bank... all go with the propery.