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Gulf Track
Difficulty:
Suitable for:
This track follows the Gulf of Carpentaria from Borroloola to Normanton in one of Australia's harshest outback areas. At first, it appears a dry and barren place but if you take a few side diversions you'll find gorges of paradise & rivers of barramundi.
Start
Borroloola
Finish
Normanton
Distance
957.5 km
Minimum Days
2
Average Speed
69.5 km/hr
Driving Time
13 hr 46 min
Article By: Blaze (Glenn) Updated: 17 Dec 2007
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Description
Environment
Interactive Route Map
Driving Directions
Permits
Trek Feedback
Things to See & Do
Related Pages
Preparation
Recommended Reading
Camp Sites & Accomodation
In this Trek Note
Description
This route from
Borroloola
to
Normanton
is a major trek as it traverses remote country where facilities and civilisation are far and few between. You need to be fully self-sufficient with water, fuel and vehicle spares. The Gulf country is not a tropical paradise, it is part of the harshest and wildest country in
Australia
. Isolated communities and cattle stations are strung along the Gulf savannah plains with hardly any civilisation to talk of. So why do people want to come here? Because hidden amongst this rough and dusty country is the jewel of the crown - the
Lawn Hill Gorge
, protected in the National Park. For those who love
fishing
, the waters of the Gulf and its tributaries produce bounties of the most elusive fish in
Australia
, the
barramundi
, and for some the adventure to get to the destination is always more than half the fun of arriving.
Interactive Route Map
Borroloola
Borroloola has 2 fuel outlets, supermarket, post office, Caravan Park, air strip and school and is an excellent place to base yourself for some exploring and fishing, A great place to visit is the old Police Station which is now a museum.
Features:
Position: 136.3072ºE 16.0708ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Burketown Crossing
Distance:
3.63km
Average Speed:
67.04km/h
Burketown Crossing
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Features:
Position: 136.3161ºE 16.0817ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Snipe Lagoon
Distance:
5.76km
Average Speed:
75.57km/h
Snipe Lagoon
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Features:
Position: 136.3643ºE 16.0674ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Wearyan Waterhole and Falls
Distance:
48.88km
Average Speed:
77.52km/h
Wearyan Waterhole and Falls
Leave Borroloola crossing the McArthur River on the Burketown Crossing from here you travel east along the Savannah Way for 50klm’s until you come to the Wearyan River, 300 mtrs after the crossing there is a track off on the right hand side, here there is a great little waterfall
Features:
Position: 136.7599ºE 16.1712ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Echo Gorge
Distance:
171.76km
Average Speed:
76.61km/h
Echo Gorge
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Features:
Position: 137.7136ºE 17.1765ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Savannah Way, NT-QLD Border
Distance:
35.41km
Average Speed:
68.01km/h
Savannah Way, NT-QLD Border
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Features:
Position: 137.9950ºE 17.2133ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Hells Gate Roadhouse
Distance:
53.55km
Average Speed:
69.52km/h
Hells Gate Roadhouse
Located 173km west of Burketown or 52km east of Queensland / Northern Territory border. Phone: (07) 4745 8258. Be advised that fuel may not be available at this Roadhouse.
Features:
Position: 138.3579ºE 17.4541ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Kingfisher Camp
Distance:
91.25km
Average Speed:
69.07km/h
Kingfisher Camp
A great place for fishing swimming etc. A must do coming down from Doomadgee and then onto Lawn Hill. Very friendly gulf hospitality (It's part of Bowthorn Station) in a large camp ground on the banks of the Nicholson river. They even have a donkey for hot water very civilised.
Features:
Position: 138.2860ºE 17.8684ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Bowthorn
Distance:
32.58km
Average Speed:
50.76km/h
Bowthorn
Bowthorn Station no longer provides facilities for tourists.
Features:
Position: 138.3033ºE 18.0980ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
Distance:
90.91km
Average Speed:
65.77km/h
Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
Junction
Features:
Position: 138.5931ºE 18.5862ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Adels Grove
Distance:
15.97km
Average Speed:
62.6km/h
Adels Grove
Adels Grove is 140klm’s from King Fisher Camp. Again the track is mainly single, and quite rough in places, with some large usually dry creek crossings. The camping area at Adels is a proper caravan park and there is fuel is available. Phone: (07) 4748 5502
Features:
Position: 138.5295ºE 18.6906ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Lawn Hill Gorge
Distance:
11.08km
Average Speed:
50.03km/h
Lawn Hill Gorge
Lawn Hill is accessible with trailers and caravans, although the bulldust is just as rough along the rest of the Gulf roads as here due to the constant road train traffic.
Features:
Position: 138.4880ºE 18.7004ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Adels Grove
Distance:
11.08km
Average Speed:
50.03km/h
Adels Grove
Adels Grove is 140klm’s from King Fisher Camp. Again the track is mainly single, and quite rough in places, with some large usually dry creek crossings. The camping area at Adels is a proper caravan park and there is fuel is available. Phone: (07) 4748 5502
Features:
Position: 138.5295ºE 18.6906ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
Distance:
15.97km
Average Speed:
62.6km/h
Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
Junction
Features:
Position: 138.5931ºE 18.5862ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Gregory Downs
Distance:
72.61km
Average Speed:
78.12km/h
Gregory Downs
Gregory Downs - Phone: (07) 4748 5566 For the General Store - Phone: (07) 4748 5540
Features:
Position: 139.2537ºE 18.6483ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Leichhardt River
Distance:
63.88km
Average Speed:
84.56km/h
Leichhardt River
Located 80km north west of Burke and Wills Roadhouse.
Features:
Position: 139.7850ºE 18.8086ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Lake Eyre
Distance:
9.53km
Average Speed:
77.71km/h
Lake Eyre
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Features:
Position: 139.8209ºE 18.7709ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Burketown Rd & Savannah Way
Distance:
68.49km
Average Speed:
83.51km/h
Burketown Rd & Savannah Way
Junction
Features:
Position: 139.8925ºE 18.2297ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place:
Normanton
Distance:
155.16km
Average Speed:
82.02km/h
Normanton
Normanton, is a small cattle town in the north of the state of Queensland, Australia, just south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the Norman River. The town's population is 1447, over half of whom are indigenous Australians (2001 census).
Features:
Position: 141.0772ºE 17.6718ºS (GDA 94)
Route Control
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Permits
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needed.
Things to See & Do
Lawn Hill Gorge
Lawn Hill is accessible with trailers and caravans, although the bulldust is just as rough along the rest of the Gulf roads as here due to the constant road train traffic. Lawn Hill can also be accessed via the south from Mt Isa and now that the Riverseleigh fossil discovery has made the area prominent, more and more visitors are coming each year.
Wearyan Waterhole and Falls
Leave Borroloola crossing the McArthur River on the Burketown Crossing from here you travel east along the Savannah Way for 50klm’s until you come to the Wearyan River, 300 mtrs after the crossing there is a track off on the right hand side, here there is a great little waterfall.
Borroloola
Borroloola has 2 fuel outlets, supermarket, post office, Caravan Park, air strip and school and is an excellent place to base yourself for some exploring and fishing, A great place to visit is the old Police Station which is now a museum.
Adels Grove
Adels Grove is 140klm’s from King Fisher Camp. Again the track is mainly single, and quite rough in places, with some large usually dry creek crossings. The camping area at Adels is a proper caravan park and there is fuel is available. Phone: (07) 4748 5502
Snipe Lagoon
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Echo Gorge
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Lake Eyre
No description entered.
Enter description or photos
.
Lawn Hill Gorge
Adels Grove
Echo Gorge
Wearyan Waterhole and Falls
Snipe Lagoon
Lake Eyre
Borroloola
The main attraction is the canoeing along the gorges. Just a few metres from your camp in the National Park you can hire one or use your own. You can easily spend a day or two paddling beside the colourful walls that tower 60m above the deep green waterholes. The banks are densely fringed with rainforest plants and aboriginal art, unusual species of fauna and flora and excellent walking tracks are other attractions that will delight you. Lawn Hill is fast becoming a favourite holiday spot and advance booking is the only way to ensure you'll be able to stay. Contact: (07) 4748 5572 to contact the ranger.
Preparation
Fuel Supplies & Usage
Borroloola
,
Hells Gate Roadhouse
,
Adels Grove
,
Gregory Downs
,
Normanton
Diesel
4cyl 106 litres *
ULP
4cyl 155 litres
LPG
4cyl 191 litres
6cyl 134 litres *
6cyl 137 litres *
6cyl 169 litres
8cyl 154 litres
8cyl 159 litres
Usage is averaged from
TrekFuel
(* specific to trek) submissions and calculated based on trek distance.
There is also fuel available at Burketown (not shown on this trek note) which is approximately 70kms north of Floraville Station.
Best Time To Visit
Closest Climatic Station
Wollogorang
Distance from Trek Mid Point 80.46km W
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Mean Max. °C
35.0
34.5
34.4
33.6
31.4
29.1
29.4
31.1
34.5
36.8
37.6
36.8
Mean Min. °C
24.2
24.2
22.8
19.7
15.5
12.3
11.4
12.1
16.0
19.8
22.4
24.2
Mean Rain mm
212.2
251.1
167.0
39.1
7.3
3.8
1.5
0.4
3.9
22.6
64.8
167.0
Best time to travel
Ok time to travel
Travel NOT recommended
Services & Supplies
The following locations have various services and supplies:
Borroloola
,
Hells Gate Roadhouse
,
Adels Grove
,
Gregory Downs
,
Normanton
There are basic supplies available at Burketown (not shown on this trek note), which is approximately 70kms north of Floraville Station.
Camp Sites & Accomodation
Lawn Hill Gorge
Lawn Hill is accessible with trailers and caravans, although the bulldust is just as rough along the rest of the Gulf roads as here due to the constant road train traffic. Lawn Hill can also be accessed via the south from Mt Isa and now that the Riverseleigh fossil discovery has made the area prominent, more and more visitors are coming each year.
Normanton
Normanton, is a small cattle town in the north of the state of Queensland, Australia, just south of the Gulf of Carpentaria, on the Norman River. The town's population is 1447, over half of whom are indigenous Australians (2001 census). The town is one terminus of the isolated Normanton - Croydon Railway, which was built during gold rush days in the 1890s.
Leichhardt River
Located 80km north west of Burke and Wills Roadhouse.
Kingfisher Camp
A great place for fishing swimming etc. A must do coming down from Doomadgee and then onto Lawn Hill. Very friendly gulf hospitality (It's part of Bowthorn Station) in a large camp ground on the banks of the Nicholson river. They even have a donkey for hot water very civilised. 138.2865º E 138º 17" 11.23' E A very pleasant place to camp for a few days.
Hells Gate Roadhouse
Located 173km west of Burketown or 52km east of Queensland / Northern Territory border. Phone: (07) 4745 8258. Be advised that fuel may not be available at this Roadhouse.
Borroloola
Borroloola has 2 fuel outlets, supermarket, post office, Caravan Park, air strip and school and is an excellent place to base yourself for some exploring and fishing, A great place to visit is the old Police Station which is now a museum.
Gregory Downs
Gregory Downs - Phone: (07) 4748 5566 For the General Store - Phone: (07) 4748 5540
Adels Grove
Adels Grove is 140klm’s from King Fisher Camp. Again the track is mainly single, and quite rough in places, with some large usually dry creek crossings. The camping area at Adels is a proper caravan park and there is fuel is available. Phone: (07) 4748 5502
Lawn Hill Gorge
Kingfisher Camp
Gregory Downs
Normanton
Hells Gate Roadhouse
Adels Grove
Leichhardt River
Borroloola
Environment
Station tracks such as those near Bowthorn station appear dusty and dry and incapable of causing any problem. If there is any chance of rain however, we suggest you do not continue and definitely do not proceed if rain catches you unaware. The black soil is extremely slippery and tracks that were once dusty and dry can suddenly disappear under huge puddles of water. This area is a floodplain and during the wet is totally inaccessible.
Much of the land fringing the Gulf Track is either Aboriginal owned or private cattle station property. It is unwise to go wandering onto private land however the creek crossings usually have good camp sites off to the side and we particularly like the camp at Robinson River.
Driving Directions
Time
Direction
Distance
Borroloola to Burketown Crossing
3.63 km
SE
142°
3 min
Burketown Crossing to Snipe Lagoon
5.76 km
E
73°
4 min
Snipe Lagoon to Wearyan Waterhole and Falls
48.88 km
E
105°
37 min
Wearyan Waterhole and Falls to Echo Gorge
171.76 km
SE
138°
2 hr 14 min
Echo Gorge to Savannah Way, NT-QLD Border
35.41 km
E
98°
31 min
Savannah Way, NT-QLD Border to Hells Gate Roadhouse
53.55 km
SE
125°
46 min
Hells Gate Roadhouse to Kingfisher Camp
91.25 km
S
189°
1 hr 19 min
Kingfisher Camp to Bowthorn
32.58 km
S
176°
38 min
Bowthorn to Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
90.91 km
SE
151°
1 hr 22 min
Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton) to Adels Grove
15.97 km
SW
210°
15 min
Adels Grove to Lawn Hill Gorge
11.08 km
W
256°
13 min
Lawn Hill Gorge to Adels Grove
11.08 km
E
76°
13 min
Adels Grove to Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
15.97 km
NE
30°
15 min
Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton) to Gregory Downs
72.61 km
E
96°
55 min
Gregory Downs to Leichhardt River
63.88 km
E
108°
45 min
Leichhardt River to Lake Eyre
9.53 km
NE
42°
7 min
Lake Eyre to Burketown Rd & Savannah Way
68.49 km
N
7°
49 min
Burketown Rd & Savannah Way to Normanton
155.16 km
NE
64°
1 hr 53 min
Borroloola to Normanton
957.5 km
13 hr 46 min
Distance is GPS recorded driving distance (not straight line), Direction is straight line from start to end, Time is calculated from actual GPS driving data.
Trek Feedback
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What Others have Posted
Andrea11 : 19 Jul 08 11:27
We did the Gulf Track from Burketown to Borroloola June 6th and 7th ...
We did the
Gulf Track
from Burketown to
Borroloola
June 6th and 7th 2008. Was an interesting trip although one I hope not to do again in a single axel on road caravan. The road was heavily corrogated for the most part, and of course the dreaded red dirt through everything.
Borroloola
to Daily Waters was a long boring drive with not much to see except the wonderful sunsets.
Read Full Thread...
Latest: 19 Jul 08 14:25 Replies:
1
FollowUps:
2
Views:
504
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vince cairns : 17 Jun 08 00:15
Dean and Anja Clapp are riding a tandem bicycle all the way from Cai...
Dean and Anja Clapp are riding a tandem bicycle all the way from Cairns to
Broome
.... a belated honeymoon after marrying in June 2007. Dean will celebrate his 60th birthday along the Savannah Way. Starting from their home in Cairns on June 1 2008 and finishing up in
Western Australia
sometime in August.
Dean owns "Crocodile Express" nature cruises based on the
Daintree
River which he has operated sucessfully for 22 years.
Anja operates "Body Mechanix" natural therapies and remedial massage and recently completed her diploma in remedial massage, myofascial / craniosacral. No doubt, Dean will take full advantage to keep his motor tuned.
You can follow their progress on the web at
http://savannahway.blogspot.com/
Say hello if you see them along the way and please forward the blogger any photos of the dynamic or crazy duo to vince@tropicalqueensland.com.au. Comments can also be left on the
blog
. Especially interested in
road conditions
and their sanity
Read Full Thread...
Latest: 17 Jun 08 00:15 Replies:
None
FollowUps:
None
Views:
307
Hide
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