Lawn Hill trip

[Benkid Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Benkid]

Hi guys, were heading out to Lawn Hill in July and was just wondering if anyone has been up there. What to expect, road conditions etc

Cheers

[A10 Member Find all posts View Profile Close A10]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

I'll be there in July as well so am also interested in any comments.

[stephenvsl Member Find all posts View Profile Close stephenvsl]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

We'll be there early August so update us after you've been . Meanwhile, Adele's Grove looks like the place to stay http://www.adelsgrove.com.au/. I'll be calling them just before we arrive to check the road conditions (we'll be coming in from the North via Kingfisher camp). July/August is peak time and the road will change over the season depending on the amount of trafic, weather, when the graders go through, etc.

From the Adele's Grove website:
"All roads in this immediate area are either dirt or gravel and conditions can change rapidly week by week depending upon weather and/or traffic density. Between May and October these roads are generally suitable for conventional vehicles towing small vans but care needs to be exercised since there will still be the odd rough patch."

[Snowy FNQ Member Find all posts View Profile Close Snowy FNQ]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

You'll love it, a top spot, we were there in 2006. You camp amongst the palms on the creek flood bank, just magnificent (unless you have a generator), they will re-charge your fridge batteries for you. Canoe up the gorge (you can hire them) it's excellent. Swimmings great, plenty of wildlife to see, we saw a Sea Eagle (yes out there) catch a turtle and a few grunters. We stayed two nights there before heading up to Booraloola via Hells Gate and Lawn Hill Station. There is also King Fisher Camp up that way if you like your fishing. Throughly recommended a little piece of paradise.

[doubleshot Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close doubleshot]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

we were there in 03 stayed at adelsgrove , we had the best time, they tell me kingfisher camp is the best but there is nothing wrong with adelsgrove, Ben dark and the getaway crew were there :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Clarky01 Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Clarky01]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

Make sure you hire a canoe as soon as they open because you can get some awsome pictures of the sun hitting the canyon.

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

We were there this time last year.
The drive up via Riversleigh Station is interesting. There's a couple of river crossings but nothing that should be a problem ( but if there's been rains, make a phone call to Qld Parks prior ). You can also stop in at the fossil site.
We stayed at Adele's Grove because the Parks camping area was closed for renovations. Adele's is about 10km out of the Park. The Parks camp is in the Park right next to the gorge, so no driving needed, but you MUST book a site in advance via the Qld Nat Parks website.
If you stay at Adeles Grove, and if you don't need power, ask to stay down in the Grove itself, right by the river. You can have a campfire down there and it's only 10 metres from the swimming hole.

[ecka Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close ecka]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

I was there in September 2009. Magnificent! I came in from the Bourke & Wills Roadhouse, sealed to Gregory Downs. After Gregory Downs, the unsealed road was very dusty as it lead to the Zinifex Century Mine, but very wide and quite well graded. Once past the turnoff to Zinifex, someone had forgotten to maintain the road – it became corrugated with large gibbers and stones littering the surface. I left Adel’s Grove along a dirt road with rocks, shale, and gravel on the surface via Riversleigh Site D, Gregory River , Riversleigh station, and hit the sealed road 150km later for the run to the Barkly Highway.
The lady at the visitor centre in Croydon told me that many people had difficulty getting through to Queensland Parks on the 1300 number. Some were then told that Lawn Hill was full when it was not.
As pointed out by others, camping in the Grove is preferable; but no generators and the canopy creates problems for solar. The camping area in Lawn Hill is solar friendly but generators are prohibited.
Take care of your tyres as I punctured a tyre between Adels' Grove and Lawn Hill and another one on the run into Mt Isa.
Enjoy.

[rlarf Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close rlarf]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

Great destination, you will love it and keep wanting to come back. We live in Mt Isa and regularly travel to Gregory River for camping and have been to Lawn Hill/Adele's Grove. Its worth the trip. The last couple of wets absolutely destroyed the roads up here and there has been a fair bit of work done on repairing and laying to down sections of bitumen. A call to Adele's would give you a better idea of what the road conditions are. Depending on your tyres it is worth considering carrying a second spare, as the road can be quite bad with sharp gibbers and we have in the past also blown two tyres on the way home. There are a couple of things to keep in mind and sorry in advance if I am stating the obvious.

From Hughenden west a lot of the road is unfenced and there will probably be cattle on or around the road. Roos are bad at dusk and particularly in the channel country before and after Cloncurry (if you are coming that way). There is limited phone coverage from Hughenden west with a black zone from just out side Hughenden to Mt Isa with varying levels coverage in the actual townships of Julia Creek and Cloncurry. There is no coverage at all from Mt Isa west on the leg to Adele's. There also isn't that much traffic on this leg and if you need help it could be a few hours before someone comes past. A UHF is a very valuable addition. Road trains are not allowed to get off the road for you, so be prepared to pull off or go bush if you happen across one suddenly on a single lane. They usually run 4 trailers long and flick stones pretty badly. The servo at Cloncurry closes at 10pm and there is no 24hr fuel at Mt Isa incase your thinking of driving through.You can get fuel at Gregory Downs and Adele's.

Lastly its absolutely freezing at the moment, beautiful 20 degree (average) days and 5-10 over night with a bit of breeze. A trip at this time will be wonderful!!! you will keep coming back trust me.
Re

[Benkid Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Benkid]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

Thanks everyone for the infomation on the area. It sounds great and can't wait to look around :mrgreen:
With the UHF, is there any repeater/duplex channels... if so what are they.
Cheers.

[rlarf Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close rlarf]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

With the UHF, is there any repeater/duplex channels... if so what are they.
Cheers.

Not sure exactly, it makes sense that there would be a repeater around but we have never needed to use the UHF on that trip but it is good insurance to have if you need it. Sometimes landscape around Mt Isa results in line of site only. You should be able find a repeater map on the web.

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

try here rlaf
http://www.tropinet.com/uhf-repeaters/search.html

[rlarf Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close rlarf]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

Cheers samo

[A10 Member Find all posts View Profile Close A10]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

We are all ready to head off from Brisbane on Friday to Darwin via Lawn Hill - our first long trip with the Prado and our first visit to Lawn Hill.
We even have a PP sticker on the back window now.

[Benkid Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Benkid]

Re: Lawn Hill trip

Have fun!
The road were in really good condition, we ran out Geolanders at around 36-38 psi (because we had alot of weight in the tralier)
Lawn Hill and Adels Grove were awesome, even though the canoe hireat Lawn Hill will cost you a bit it is well worth talking them out and having a look (great photos)
Make sure you do the walks around Lawn Hill because they are really special, Adels Grove is quite civilized for a place in the bush (hot showers :lol: )
But overall it was a great trip and great fun...except the 13 hours straight trip back to Townsville.