Lawn Hill v Adels Grove

We stayed at Adels Grove in June 2001. Friends stayed at Lawn Hill.
The showers were good at Adel but not very good at Lawn Hill. There are a few camping options at Adel and the best looked under the tree canopy near the river. Unfortunately they wouldn't let us camp there after earlier in the day saying they would.
In 2001 you didn't have to book in either but at Lawn hill the spaces were limited.
The camping was probably a bit nicer at Lawn hill and you were closer to where the action is.
You could swim at Lawn hill but you couldn't drink the water. There are fresh water crocs but I didn't see any and they aren't supposed to hurt people.
hope this helps. Petrol was the most expensive on our whole trip at Adel. Went from Adelaide up to Lawn hill and to the top of Cape York and back to Adelaide.
Cheers

We came back through there on our way back from Cape York a month or so ago. It was the end of the season and there was hardly anybody about. No need to book at that time, but as I understand it, you MUST book if you're gunna be there during the peak tourist season.
We stayed at Adele's Grove. Because our friends had a gennie, we weren't allowed to stay down in the grove area which is very shady and a lot cooler than the "back" section, which had a lot of dead-looking trees and was pretty ordinary as far as camp sites are concerned. My suggestion would be to not let on if you do have a gennie......even if you do and you want to use it, so long as it was turned off by midnight they'd never hear it, cos the place itself has a big loud diesel gennie that runs until midnight. Also, if you have a dog, you'll be allowed to stay, but also be put in the back-blocks.

We only went up to the NP (10 klicks away) once and did the canoe hire bit, paddled up to the end of the 1st gorge. We hired 3 x 2 seaters and 1 x 3 seater canoes. They don't permit the 3 seaters to be dragged up the sloped bars to the 2nd gorge and we were happy to just have a bit of a look around and then we paddled back to base. There is no reason we could see that you couldn't have a swim anywhere around there. We didn't see any freshies hangin' around. We only went to the car park at the NP and can't comment on the camping facilities, although I have read that they are quite good.

The water at Adele's Grove was very inviting and our group spent a lot of time frollicking around in the rubber inner-tubes provided or just sitting around in the lazy "rapids" talking to other travellers etc. From what I could see there were 2 main swimming spots......the main one was a really deep section of river which just dropped off 4.5meters at the edge; you had to dive in and then keep swimming, treading water or floating on a tube etc. The other was the rocky, rapid type area in which you could find yourself a quite spot in amongst the rocks and let the water push at your back whilst bracing yourself with your legs against a rock in front of you. I prefer a sandy river beach, but there are none there.

All in all I (personally) was very disappointed with the whole visit there. I had heard so much hype about it being a real paradise and a place that'd you never want to leave......I guess my expectations were bleep tered by the camp site we were forced to put up with (when there were plenty of better ones closer to the water with heaps more shade), the heat which was up in the high 30's (our fault for going in October) and the lack of any sort of "beach".

Just my 2 cents worth. Sorry if i sound overly negative, but I cannot say that I'll be rushing back to that part of the country.

I can echo the above comments about Adel's Grove - saw quite a few freshies at Lawn Hill, we swam right up to one sunning himself on a log till he woke up and swam off. The walks at Lawn Hill are worth going on, leave early, take plenty of water etc. etc. There is a spot at the NP where you can run your gennie for battery charging, but the showers are cold. In July, I would definitely suggest booking - they may have one or two sites, but the chances of rocking up and getting four would be non-existent. They don't seem to fill the place up, even when it's half empty it's full if you get my drift.

Cheers

Just want to add that if you stay at the NP, you cant get your camper trailers onto the actual campsite. You have to leave them on the dirt roads next to the sites.

Cheers
Kevin

We stayed at Lawn Hill and thought it was great. Even if you don't stay there be sure to take a canoe up through the gorge; just beautiful.

If you have kids, keep in mind the water is deep where you go in near the camp sites. Its shallow where at the canoe hire area is but weedy.

Swimming is fine, just hire a tyre tube to rest on.

You should book in advance; although they lost our booking.

Also check out the riversleigh dinosaur digs while you're there.

Stayed at the Grove, it is a little cheaper, but the sites are pretty gruby, and the showers, although hot, are pretty run down.

The NP looked nicer, although no hot showers, but the shower/toilet block is nice and new, and the camp sites are a little bit nicer than the Grove.

If not going during peak time, you could just choice when you get there?

TrolUte

p.s. I understand that not everyone might find it a great place, but I thought it was very good. The walks make it, and the canoeing is cheap and fun, though dont forget the sun reflection on the water will get you burnt.

We had the best time ever at Lawn Hill, we went in for the day leaving the caravan free camping beside the river at Gregory Downs. Gregory Downs river was so wonderful we stayed there a week. Crystal clear safe to swim in river running just outside the caravan door. Lawn hill and Adele grove are wonderful for a day trip , hire a canoe and go up the gorge, swim under the waterfalls, but then come back to your camp at Gregory Downs River in the evening, sit around a campfire with other folks and enjoy! It didn't cost us a penny to camp there, there are toilets, and you are either swimming in the river or fishing for barra in it so you don't need hot showers! Can't recomend it highly enough.It was one of the highpoints of our 27km trip around OZ. Hope you find this useful.

G'Day Cameron, having visited Lawn Hill Gorge N.P for 3 years running (2000, 2003 and 2004), I feel I can offer some helpful advice, keeping in mind that it's my thoughts on this great camping destination and others have there own reasons for negative thoughts. Also, we all have differing ideas on how to camp and what constitutes a good campsite. Lawn Hill Gorge N.P. is heavily booked during the winter (if you can call it that in Qld) months, and must be pre-booked at most times to avoid dissapointment. My wife and I first spent 4 days there in 2000, then 5 days last year with friends, and 7 days this July weren't enough for my 80 yo Mum and 2 other friends. The friends loved the place that much, they have already booked in for next year with a another couple of friends.
The N.P camp fees are cheaper than Adels Grove, $4/night compared to $8/night. Cold showers at N.P ( but it's usually that warm during day, that this is all you need anyway). I also own camper trailer, and sites are on gravel outside main grassed area (although drought has diminished most of the grassed tents sites anyway). We use large shade cloth for floor, which works well. There are some nice shady sites towards 'Cascades' end of gorge (near canoe hire area), but these go quickly.
Canoe hire is not cheap (Adels Grove Canoes), so take your own or blow-up raft (NO MOTORS ALLOWED), if possible. The 2 gorges are worth the paddle and Indarri Falls hide some simple pleasures. Bushwalking tracks are easy to moderate and very scenic, and if like us you are seasoned bushwalkers, there are many other off-track areas to explore. Hopefully I've correctly inserted a link to my recent trip photos which includes many Lawn Hill shots. If it doesn't work, and you'd like to view them, you may email me at parkcomp@aol.com, and I'll send link.

Cheers, Howard

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