Lawn Hill Gorge
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Gulf Track

Difficulty: Trek rating 3 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 3 of 5 - Click for detailsTrek rating 3 of 5 - Click for details   Suitable for: 4WD Bike 
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.
StartClick to Reverse the Dynamic Map and Driving NotesBorroloola
Trek
FinishNormanton
Distance957.5 kmMinimum Days2
Average Speed69.5 km/hrDriving Time13 hr 46 min
Article By: Blaze (Glenn)   Updated: 12 May 2009
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 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

BorroloolaBurketown CrossingSnipe LagoonWearyan Waterhole and FallsEcho GorgeSavannah Way, NT-QLD BorderHells Gate RoadhouseKingfisher CampBowthornLawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)Adels GroveLawn Hill GorgeAdels GroveLawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)Gregory DownsLeichhardt RiverLake EyreBurketown Rd & Savannah WayNormanton
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: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park River Crossing Walk Track Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Mine Food,Shopping Cemetery,Grave Site Aboriginal Lands,Communities Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 136.3072ºE   16.0708ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Burketown Crossing
Distance: 3.63km
Average Speed: 67.04km/h
Features: River Crossing
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: Water Body,River,Stream,Falls
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: Water Body,River,Stream,Falls
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: Gorge
Position: 137.7136ºE   17.1765ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Savannah Way, NT-QLD Border
Distance: 35.41km
Average Speed: 68.01km/h
Features: Marker,Sign
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: Service Station,RoadhouseCaravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel
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: Camp Fee
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: Populated Place
Position: 138.3033ºE   18.0980ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
Distance: 90.91km
Average Speed: 65.77km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
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: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Airstrip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
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: GorgeCamp Free Walk Track
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: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Airstrip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
Position: 138.5295ºE   18.6906ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Lawn Hill (Wills Rd Junciton)
Distance: 15.97km
Average Speed: 62.6km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
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: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Camp Free Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Resort,Motel
Position: 139.2537ºE   18.6483ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Leichhardt River
Distance: 63.88km
Average Speed: 84.56km/h
Features: Camp Free
Position: 139.7857ºE   18.8081ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Lake Eyre
Distance: 9.53km
Average Speed: 77.71km/h
Lake Eyre
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Features: Water Body,River,Stream,Falls
Position: 139.8209ºE   18.7709ºS (GDA 94)
Next Place: Burketown Rd & Savannah Way
Distance: 68.49km
Average Speed: 83.51km/h
Features: Junction,Intersection,Turn Off
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: Populated PlaceService Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
Position: 141.0772ºE   17.6718ºS (GDA 94)

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 Permits

No permits needed.

 Things to See & Do

Lawn Hill Gorge - QLD   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Gorge Camp Free Walk Track
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 - NT   
Water Body,River,Stream,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 - NT   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park River Crossing Walk Track Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Mine Food,Shopping Cemetery,Grave Site Aboriginal Lands,Communities Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
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 - QLD   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Airstrip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
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 - NT   
Water Body,River,Stream,Falls 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Echo Gorge - NT   
Gorge 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
Lake Eyre - QLD   
Water Body,River,Stream,Falls 
No description entered. Enter description or photos.
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

Fuel SymbolBorroloola, Hells Gate Roadhouse, Adels Grove, Gregory Downs, Normanton Diesel4cyl 106 litres * ULP4cyl 155 litres LPG4cyl 191 litres
6cyl 134 litres *6cyl 137 litres *6cyl 169 litres
8cyl 154 litres8cyl 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 80.73km W
 JanFebMarAprMayJun JulAugSepOctNovDec
Mean Max. °C 35.034.534.433.6 31.429.129.431.1 34.536.837.636.8
Mean Min. °C 24.224.222.819.7 15.512.311.412.1 16.019.822.424.2
Mean Rain mm 212.2251.1167.039.1 7.33.81.50.4 3.922.664.8167.0
    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 - QLD   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Gorge Camp Free Walk Track
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 - QLD   RatingRatingRatingRatingRating
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Pub Food,Shopping Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
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.
Kingfisher Camp - QLD   
Camp Fee 
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 - QLD   
Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel
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 - NT   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park River Crossing Walk Track Airstrip Rubbish Bin,Tip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Mine Food,Shopping Cemetery,Grave Site Aboriginal Lands,Communities Water Body,River,Stream,Falls Camp Fee Police Station Medical Services Resort,Motel
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 - QLD   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Caravan Park Camp Free Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Resort,Motel
Gregory Downs - Phone: (07) 4748 5566 For the General Store - Phone: (07) 4748 5540
Adels Grove - QLD   
Populated Place Service Station,Roadhouse Airstrip Fuel Water Supply Toilet Food,Shopping Camp Fee Resort,Motel Point of Interest
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

 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.

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