Cape York Patrol

Weipa, Queensland

The Cape York Patrol is based in Weipa where there is a joint Anglican/Uniting Church Congregation called St Luke's.

There are approximately 122 pastoral stations, along with a few small communities in the region. The area is made up of rugged and at times inaccessible countryside, Aboriginal communities, cattle stations and a number of tourist resorts.

Patrols in the area began in 1937 when the Rev. Pom Thomas began patrols from Thursday Island . For many years the patrol was known as the Kennedy Patrol. In 1989 the Queensland Synod and the Bishop of Carpentaria signed an agreement of cooperation which formed the cooperating parish. Since then Frontier Services has expanded the town ministry to include much of Cape York in a patrol focussed ministry.

Church services are conducted at Weipa every week and other services throughout the patrol in the small communities as and when appropriate. Special occasions such as funerals, weddings and baptisms are times of pastoral care and opportunities for sharing the hope of the gospel. In the wet season roads are impassable and the patrol minister must wait for floods to clear before being able to visit families.

Reverend Michelle Cook is appointed to this patrol and was ordained in August 2006.