Somerset Bay

Seisia Supermarket, located in nearby Seisia, serves as a hybrid grocery store and takeout spot, offering essentials and casual meals. While not a formal restaurant, it provides fresh produce, ready-to-eat snacks, and basic supplies for beachgoers preparing picnics or quick meals. Reviews highlight its friendly staff and clean facilities, with visitors appreciating its convenience in a remote setting. The attached seating area allows patrons to enjoy simple fare like sandwiches or pre-packaged meals. For dinner, travelers often rely on campsite cooking or visit hotels like Punsand Bay for pub-style meals.

While no hotels are directly adjacent to Somerset Bay, Punsand Bay (30km north) provides cabins and camping options with ocean views. Its beachfront bar serves burgers and cold beers, earning praise for relaxed vibes and heli-tours to nearby islands. Somerset Beach Camping Area offers rustic sites behind the beach, popular for self-sufficient travelers. Further south, Cape York Peninsula Lodge (100km away) provides lodge-style rooms and guided tours, though most visitors prefer on-site camping or vacation rentals for proximity to the bay.

Somerset Bay provides basic amenities ideal for remote camping: shaded picnic areas, restrooms, and cold showers. The absence of formal infrastructure emphasizes self-sufficiency, with no rental equipment or shops onsite. Freshwater sources are limited, requiring visitors to bring supplies. The beach’s steep high-tide section transitions to wide flats, allowing space for beachcombing and sandcastles. Campers can access vehicle tracks leading directly to the shore, simplifying gear transport. Nearby ruins and Fly Point lack facilities, reinforcing the need to carry essentials like sun protection and first-aid kits.

Fishing dominates Somerset Bay’s activities, particularly at Fly Point where currents attract large pelagic fish. Surfcasting and reef fishing are common, though croc sightings necessitate caution. Swimming is feasible at high tide in calm conditions, while snorkeling reveals patch reefs teeming with marine life. The 5 Beaches Drive offers ATV enthusiasts a thrilling coastal route, passing historic sites and secluded coves. Kayaking around Albany Island and birdwatching in adjacent marshlands add variety. Sunset photography and beachcombing for shells or driftwood provide quieter pursuits.

Accessibility is limited due to natural terrain: no ramps, boardwalks, or wheelchair-specific facilities exist. Steep beach gradients and soft sand challenge mobility-impaired visitors. Vehicle access allows proximity to the shore, but transferring to manual beach wheelchairs would require assistance. Campsites lack paved paths, and restrooms are not ADA-compliant. Travelers with disabilities should consider guided tours offering specialized equipment or visit during low-tide periods when sand flats harden slightly.

Free vehicle access is available via unsealed tracks leading directly to the beach, with informal parking spots behind the high-tide line. No designated lots or fees apply, but parking space is limited during peak seasons (dry months). Larger vehicles or RVs should exercise caution on narrow tracks. Street parking exists in Somerset’s township remnants, a short walk from the shore. Overland campers often park beside their tents, maximizing convenience. During king tides or storms, some areas become inaccessible, necessitating advance planning.

Somerset Bay was established in 1864 as a government outpost to combat piracy, later becoming a pivotal pearling and beche-de-mer hub. Its abandonment followed Japan’s WWII advance into the Torres Strait. The bay’s name honors the Royal Navy’s HMS Somerset, which patrolled these waters. Local gravesites include early settlers and shipwreck victims. Nearby Albany Island (Pabaju) holds Indigenous significance, with rock art sites accessible via boat. The area’s “hidden” status arises from its exclusion from most tourist maps until recent decades.

The ruins of historic Somerset settlement—abandoned in 1942—lie near the beach, featuring crumbling structures and gravestones. Fly Point (1.5km north) offers rock platforms for angling and views of Albany Island. The 5 Beaches Drive links Somerset Bay to dramatic coastal lookouts and secluded bays like Escape River. Albany Passage’s strong currents create natural whirlpools visible at certain tides. Marine life includes reef sharks and occasional dugongs, while coastal hikes reveal WWII-era relics and Aboriginal middens.