Bike trip to Cape ends in tragedy

IT WAS A SOBERING THING, IT REALLY HIT HOME. WE ALL RIDE BUSH TRACKS AROUND HERE AND THAT COULD BE ANYONE.

A BUCKET list trip to the Tip of Cape York for a group of mates has ended in tragedy after a rider taking part in an off-road motorcycle tour was killed after crashing into a tree on a remote dirt track.

On Thursday the 32-yearold from New South Wales was travelling in a group of around a dozen riders on a Moto Odyssey Australia tour when the freak incident occurred soon after 1pm.

On Narau Beach Road in the northern peninsula area of Cape York, a wallaby jumped in front of the rider causing him to lose control and hit a tree.

Moto Odyssey owner Charlie Bennison said the riders had visited the Tip and were heading to the Croc Tent after completing the Five Beaches track.

“He was with a group of mates and everyone was in shock and it just happened so quickly,” he said.

“We performed CPR until help arrived and we did everything we could.

“For us as an operator, we have never had anything like this happen before. We’re totally saddened and lost for words, but our boys and our staff performed really well with CPR and first aid.”

A chopper was dispatched but returned to base after paramedics arrived by road and declared the man dead at the scene.

DALE MEARS

Close friends of the man travelled to the Bamaga airstrip on Friday morning and boarded a flight back to Cairns.

Nearby Pajinka Rd souvenir shop owner Dale Mears was involved in providing first aid after the crash.

“His friends and the other riders had the presence of mind to initiate CPR and we continued the effort until QPS arrived to take over,” he said.

“It was a sobering thing, it really hit home. We all ride bush tracks around here and that could be anyone.”

Mr Bennison said it was a freak accident and he extended sincere condolences to the man’s family.

“It’s tragic. Everyone’s in shock and pretty upset,” he said.

“Everyone knows the risks you take, you just don’t expect it to happen. It’s just a freak accident.”

Investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit are continuing and a report will be prepared for the coroner.

As of Sunday there had been 23 deaths on FNQ roads since the start of the year. Last year there were 13 reported deaths and 16 in 2020.