Lorella Springs Station NT

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Wow – what a big week it has been in football. The Bombers beat the Cats (take that Fallon) & then the Tigers (or so I’m told as, we haven’t been in internet range for the most part) & I don’t care about the rest.

Tonight we are at Lorella Springs (Station) in the NT. I can not recommend it highly enough if you are on your way from QLD to NT. We were going to skip this place as it is 35km off the highway (if you can call a dirt road with creek crossings a highway), but thought we’d go in for a bit of lunch. We decided to stay the night & in the end we are staying two!

This place is awesome. It is over one million acres & has the best stuff around. The camp ground, bar & fire pits are cool. The thermal springs (like a bath) are less than 50m from our tents, the 4WD tracks are numerous & the local history is crazy. Check out www.lorellasprings.com.au.

Yesterday we cruised on in at around 2pm & set up. We met some of the long term residents, caught up with a few travellers that are doing oddly the same route as us & basically sat in the springs, had a few drinks & enjoyed our camp fire. Today was a cracker as far as I reckon. Phil, Nath & I got up a bit before 7am & went to a few of the billabongs for a fish. We did no good but saw heaps of fish & the odd crocodile. After we got back the rest were ready to go & we spent the morning driving some tracks & ended up at a waterfall that had a natural waterslide due to the flow. It was great & the kids loved it. To make it even more spectacular there was burring off happening around the property & all of the grasses around the three pools were alight to the waterline making for some awesome scenery. After that we went to the Musterer’s Cave. There were a few bats & an awesome outlook from the mouth. Before we headed back to camp we went to the Emerald Springs. An awesome change as these had a sandy bottom & were a bit cooler. Just what us Tassie’s needed.

Before we headed here we spent another night at Lawn Hill & then one up the road at Adel’s Grove. The last full day at Lawn Hill was spent doing a few walks, seeing some awesome sights & relaxing over, you guessed it, a couple of brews. Adel’s Grove consisted mainly of swimming in the water hole, collecting firewood, washing stuff & spending the last few hours with Di & Tony. It was sad to see them go & it was awesome they could spend a couple of weeks with us. Generous, kind & fun people in every way.

The drive to Robinson River Crossing (a free camp that we stayed at) on to Borroloola & then to Lorella Spring was an eye opener. A fantastic trip in 4WD country but wrecked & vandalised cars everywhere. A bit of rubbish too, which is disappointing in such a beautiful part of our country. Nevertheless we had a good drive. Cracked both my headlights & blew both halogen globes but that happens in a place like this.

Off to the Roper Bar tomorrow for a one night stop & then on to Katherine to see Phil’s sister Ang & her fella Dutch.

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