In the unspoilt Outback

Press, 19 December 1989, Page 35

In the unspoilt Outback

Lawn Hill Park

Stories and pictures by Kate Wilton and Brian Farrow, of Christchurch.

Lawn Hill, Australia’s newest national park, seems like an unbelievable oasis after crossing the endless dry plains of the Northern Territory and north-west Queensland. But the greatest rewards in travel are seldom obtained without adversity, and Lawn Hill is no exception. We know of no easy access to this jewel of the Outback — and we tried most of them. Round the Gulf of Carpentaria, to Burketown, the road is impassable without four-wheel drive; through Camooweal — a horrendous road that stripped a tyre and forced a retreat of 250 km to Mt Isa; and finally via Cloncurry we succeeded, but not without hitting a big ’roo and running out of petrol at the crocodile inhabited Gregory River.

The last 100 km was tough with speed sometimes down to skm an hour. Perhaps this is a good thing. The Aboriginal people have cared for this Shangri La for thousands of years, and I am sure privileged campers, who tackle this tough road, will show a similar respect. We were welcomed by towering red sandstone cliffs forming a natural amphitheatre leading into a narrow, river-carpeted canyon. The water was an unbelievable blue, the bush prolific. The birds, of many varieties, have naturally adopted the park, as have wallabies, opossum, and the odd python (not venomous). Kangaroos and emus have not yet ventured into the gorge confines — their mistake. The next few days were spent photographing the bush, bird-life, and wild

water-lilies, as we kayaked up the crocodile waters, dwarfed by the vertical canyon walls. The kayak trip ended at a beautiful waterfall, a natural spa and swimming hole, fortunately free of crocs. The Lawn Hill crocodiles are the more timid fresh-water variety, but we at no stage on this trip considered hanging around to check their preferences. Lawn Hill has been habited by the Aboriginal people for at least 17,000 years and maybe for up to 35,000 years. We would expect that due to its remote location it will retain its unspoilt beauty. Camping is limited to 100 people a night and it

is advisable to book in advance with the ranger Minor supplies are available from Adels Grove, six kilometres away, but major items — petrol, food, gas, grog, and firewood — are the visitors’ responsibility in this unforgiving country. Lawn Hill would be second only to Kakadu of the many highlights we explored during an 11week outback camping trip. For the statistically minded the trip began in Surfers, and finished in Brisbane, via Broken Hill, Adelaide, Darwin, and Cairns, covering 15,500 kilometres. Petrol cost $1175 in all (the cheapest being in Surfers at 47 cents a litre; dearest in Ayers Rock at 81 cents).