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.
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Gulf Track
From: Normanton
To: Borroloola
Distance: 957.98 km
Direction: 289 °
Average Speed: 69.28 km/hr
Travel Time: 13 hours 49 mins
Using the Map
Our treks have a moving map facility, to take a virtual tour click on the Play button in the Moving map control (see Moving Map help)
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Permits
Things to See & Do
Wearyan Waterhole and Falls - NT
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.
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
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
Mornington Island
Distance from Trek Mid Point 58.75km NE
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Mean Max. °C |
32.1 | 31.8 | 32.0 | 31.5 |
28.9 | 25.8 | 25.7 | 27.7 |
30.2 | 32.3 | 33.3 | 33.1 |
| Mean Min. °C |
25.5 | 25.4 | 24.6 | 23.2 |
20.3 | 17.2 | 16.2 | 17.3 |
20.5 | 23.6 | 25.7 | 26.2 |
| Mean Rain mm |
320.8 | 302.3 | 256.9 | 51.7 |
9.5 | 7.0 | 2.5 | 0.8 |
1.4 | 12.5 | 54.4 | 155.2 |
Best time to travel Ok time to travel Travel NOT recommended
Services & Supplies
The following locations have various services and supplies:
Normanton,
Gregory Downs,
Adels Grove,
Hells Gate Roadhouse,
BorroloolaThere are basic supplies available at Burketown (not shown on this trek note), which is approximately 70kms north of Floraville Station.
Camp Sites & Accommodation
Kingfisher Camp - QLD
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.
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.
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.
