planning a trip to lawnhill and back

We were at Lawn Hill same time 2004. Magnificent place - not too many tourists at this time, but very, very hot. Lots of night swims and lazing about.

You might consider coming back through Carnarvon Gorge from Emerald instead of heading out to the coast if you havent already done this trip.

We came into Lawn Hill from the opposite direction to you and towed a Coromal off road van from Burketown, out through Kingfisher Camp and took the back road through Bowthorn Station (where we stopped for scones and tea) without any trouble at all. One shallow water crossing. We were the only campers at Kingfisher camp at this time of the year.

You're making me jealous, would love to go back this year. Have fun

From Brisbane, have done LH, via Mt Isa, (turn north west of MI), and stock up in MI, cheapest fuel and groceries for a while. Do Riversleigh deposits on the way.
3 days at LH, then Normanton, Kurumba (2 days or so), then east through Croydon etc to the Undalla Lava tubes, then south down the Kennedy development Rd through Richmond, Muttaburra (Dinosaur country, kids were dinsouar mad at the time), Longreach, then east to Alpha, can do some fossicking on the way through, and home via the coast road or even the Brisbane valley highway, or a little further west again.

To make it a complete dinosaur tour, do Larks Quarry just outside Winton on the way north :-).

Few dirt roads but no seriously bad roads, maybe a few medium corrugations in places.

Took just over 3 weeks. Just a suggestion. Plenty of interesting ways home from the north.

I thank you for your feed back so far is three days enough in Lawn Hill ?

How I would love to do that trip again. It is such a beautiful country that we have, and never enough time to really enjoy it.

We did a similar trip a coup[e of years ago to what you have planned but missed out on Lawn Hill only because we were new to the travelling game and did not know it was there. It is differently on the radar for next time.

A month should be just about right for a rushed trip north. It will give you a few nights in different places so that you don't feel like you are travelling huge distances every day.

Our trip consisted of Brisbane to Roma, Roma to Charleville, then onto Tambo for the teddies and into Blackall for a tour of the wool scour. Through to Winton and Lark Quarry, Longreach for a paddle wheeler trip on the river then onto Cloncurry. All where one night stops with the exception of the Curries where two nights were in order. We drove straight through to Kurumba from there and stayed three days. Unfortunately for my fishing, the wind blew a gale while we where there and I couldn't get out at any time.

The trip home was just as enjoyable with a trip across the Kennedy highway from Normanton to Georgetown stopping at Cobalt Gorge (great stopover and beautiful small boat cruise to check out the salties there). Then a short hop to the Undarra Tubes for a night and tour (bookings essential) then through to Townsville to see the mother-in-law. One night there and into Charters Towers, then Clermont, Emerald, Carnarvon Gorge (a must see if you haven’t been there) through to Dalby then back home to Brisbane.

A wonderful three weeks towing a camper trailer and having the time of our lives!!

There is a great web site that gives you all the info on towns and places to see travelling the Matilda Highway, have a look, you won’t be disappointed.

Site Link

Happy and safe trip.

Cheers, Patrick

Hi BBB
Got back on Saturday from Brisbane to:
Possum Park (near Miles), Charters Towers, Undarra Lava Tubes, Cobbalt Gorge, Leichhardt Lagoon (near Normanton) Lawn Hill (and Riversleigh), Cloncurry, Muttaburra, Hughenden (Proserpine Gorge) Mitchell, Brisbane. Just under 6000ks in three weeks in a Touareg V10 towing a TVan.
No water in crossing deeper than 100mm. The Lawn Hill road from Gregory Downs is excellent for about 45 ks (maintained by Century Mine - watch the ore road trains as they throw up big rocks even when you are stopped) the remaining 40 odd ks to Adels Grove is ordinary but OK. Lawn Hill National Park only like 14' and below vans but Adels Grove is nicer anyway - it is only 10ks away. Three days is about right for Lawn Hill depending if you need to queue for a canoe (there are only 12 of them) and it is essential to go for a paddle. Some good walks too!
It is a great trip and when we went the rumour was out the roads were bad (as a result of Larry and Monica) so there weren't too many people around which was great.

Ian

G'Day
Hope you don't mind but just replying so we can watch this thread as family and I thinking of doing the same trip from ACT in late july / August.

This is a great site for info

I couldn't recommend anyone towing a caravan from Lawn Hill to Kingfisher camp or anywhere else on the Gulf Track, its already littered with busted caravans and we also saw a boat, trailer, motor etc burned out. The track from Lawn Hill to Kingfisher is a long way, over 150km, about 20 or more gates and some hilly rocky track with tight corners. We may go that way this year and will be towing a Tvan but will still take it very carefully.

M&ET