Road
Coen
is 576 km from Cairns by road. Most people drive overland along the
Peninsula Development Road or simply Peninsula Road. This runs from
Lakeland, North of Mareeba, to Cape York, a continuation of the roads
from Cairns, Port Douglas, and Mossman which are all good. Sections of
road including Cooktown to Lakeland are sealed each dry season, but the
Peninsula Road is largely unsealed, often stony, and can be
treacherous. Drive with care. Often impassable in the Wet because of
poor road condition and many water crossings which flood regularly. Can
be quite good in the Dry after recent grading, but very dusty. So it is
best travelled in a 4WD vehicle. Note that fuel, accident and repair
services are limited; be prepared for all eventualities. An average
road speed of 60- 80 km/hr can be expected. Average travel time from
Cairns is therefore 8-9 hours with brief stops.
Air
Regular air services from Cairns to Coen are operated by SkyTrans on
weekdays. Travel time is 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the route. Air
Charters can be arrranged. The Coen airport is 24 km from the town, but
local transfers are provided for scheduled flights. In Cairns,
departure is from the General Aviation area of the airport.
