Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill Gorge), an oasis in the middle of savannah country and the Waanyi People’s name for the Dreamtime Rainbow Serpent. The limestone rock which gives the waters its beautiful blue tint is the perfect contrast against the burt orange sandstone walls and the incredibly deep green forest canopy which lines the waters edge.

340km north-west of Mt Isa, 220km south-west of Burketown, 425km north-west of Cloncurry – no matter where you come from a dusty corrugated track will lead you into paradise. Following the Savannah Way, we overnighted at Gregory Downs before tackling the 80km corrugated road (condition compared similarly to Cape York) and set up camp at Adeles Grove, 10kms from the national park. A privately run campground with beautiful towering tree canopies, it was the perfect water side camp where we spent 4 nights exploring the wide range of activities the park has on offer. Facilities include; general store, fuel pumps, restaurant, bar and Telstra service. 

Top of our list was to canoe the gorge, as we have a tinny (which isn’t allowed in the gorge) we hired a double canoe for 2 hours at $54 dollars! But it was totally worth it. We paddled both the lower and upper gorge which is connected by an overland causeway that you have to drag your canoes over. We swam right at the Upper Gorge, and due to the thermal spring feeding the gorge, the water was a warm 28 degrees. For those wondering, only fresh water crocodiles spotted in these waters but unfortunately we didn’t get to see one.

While Boodjamulla National Park is known for water, make sure to bring your hiking boots and loose yourself in its natural beauty. As we had 3 full days here we planned our days around our hikes. We were very impressed with the diverse range of hikes available around the national park, all within reasonable distance and with different grades of expertise made for a unique experience exploring the gorge from above.

After our hot and dusty walks we would cool down at the beautiful Indarri Waterfalls, two stunning sheltered cascading waterfalls only 1.5kms from the park entrance. We recommend walking in at sunset (as we were the only ones there) and taking a dip and watching the sun go down from atop the gorge!

The best time to visit Boodjamulla National Park is no doubt during the ‘dry’ season (April-September), when the chance of rain is significantly lower. Most of the rain falls during the summer months (November-February) and access to the park is restricted during this time. During winter, the temperature is pleasant but it was still 35 degrees during the day in August!

Boodjamulla is an oasis in a rugged environment, give yourself plenty of time to immerse yourself in this incredible wild place.

Amy & Jordan x