Wednesday, Dec 10, 2003 at 00:22
G'day Michael,
My eldest son used to be a ringer up that way for some years.
We visited him fairly regularly on one particular property he worked at, and were made very welcome guests of the station.
They even took us "chopper" mustering on one occasion - and that's an unbelievable experience
Wonderful bush people living in a great part of Oz.
As I said the choice between stopping at LH and Adels is a personal thing.
Personally I avoid stopping at National Parks if I can. Great to visit in the day, but imho very user unfriendly for 4x4 users. Too many rules and regulations and government bureaucracy.
I find that most responsible people look after their campsites without rangers hovering all the time.
As for Adels, it's commercial, bushie, friendly, has a good kiosk/
shop, a very interesting history, and a marvellous creeek [unbelievable
emerald green
water] running through it which is absolutely brilliant for swimming on a hot winters day.
Timings for
Normanton to
Lawn Hill timing will depend on your route.
If you go across the Great Top Road To
Burketown and then down you will be in for a slow rough trip. Nothing challenging - just a bit rough.
On the bitumen via Burke & Wills RH it is good [if boring] bitumen all the way.
A bit narrow in parts but thats normal in that part of the world.
The Burke & Wills RH would make a good lunch stop from a lazy mornings drive, followed by good bitumen to the
Gregory. [don't stop on the emergency runway just short of the township :) :)]
Others might disagree, but I'd stop on the river at
Gregory Downs overnight and go onto
Lawn Hill the next day or day after that.
Good for a refreshing swim, and a few beers with the other campers .
The road from The
Gregory to
Lawn Hill is dirt all the way, apart from the occasional very short bitumen stretch in flood prone areas.
Depending on when the grader last went through the condition ranges from easy going to bloody uncomfortable. The road is maintained regularly up as far as the turnoff to the Century Zinc
Mine, and after that it is maintained [???] by the local shire. The locals drive ordinary 2WD vehicles all around there so its not too bad.
Watch out for Road Trains in the dust.
enjoy
DennisN
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