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LORELLA SPRINGS - CUSTOMISED TOUR

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So why did we start a business taking people touring?

Meet Anthony and Bec. They had 2 weeks off work and their only requirement was to go “somewhere they’ve never been before”. As a truck driver, Ant doesn’t mind long days behind the wheel, as long as there is a cold beer at the end of the day. With a pretty decent 4WD set up, we knew this was an opportunity to get somewhere really special – Lorella Springs in the Northern Territory. A million acre property right on the Gulf of Carpentaria – with hot springs, swimming holes and plenty of 4WD tracks – what more could you ask for?

So we set about planning. First stop was Barcaldine and a visit to the Tree of Knowledge where the Labour Party and Union Movement was founded so we could say we included something educational along the way. A cold beer at the Shakespeare Hotel right across the road was very welcome after such a big day behind the wheel.

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We stayed the next night at the Walkabout Creek Hotel at McKinlay where part of the movie Crocodile Dundee was filmed and still includes plenty of memorabilia, props and even a car from the movie. One of our favourite parts of Australia is the quirky Roadhouses and we included plenty of these throughout the trip.

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Then came one of the biggest surprises of the tour – Lawn Hill National Park. If you haven’t been here I definitely recommend putting it on your bucket list. Spectacular walks, canoes for hire where you can paddle down the untouched and peaceful gorge and the most amazing swimming – this is definitely a place we want to come back to.

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Two nights here felt like a week it was so relaxing and there was so much to do. A quick drive down to Adel’s Grove for a hot meal, fuel restock and a quick bit of wifi to check on the outside world was also a pleasant surprise. Sadly some of Adel’s Grove was damaged by fire since we were there so if you’re heading up this way, it might be worth a phonecall to confirm what facilities are currently available.

Then it was onto the Savannah Way and a long and dusty drive across the border to Lorella Springs. This place is paradise to a weary traveller. Multiple hot springs (all at different temperatures) dot this million acre property and we filled 4 days here easily. We spent one night camping at the very private Pandanus Ridge Hot Springs and I’m sure the memory of floating in 37 degree hot springs, looking up at the stars in the middle of winter will be one of Bec and Ant’s treasured memories.

I soon sensed that remote camping wasn’t quite Bec’s thing so we spent the other 3 nights camped at the Homestead enjoying the luxury of flushing toilets and hot showers (not to mention daily happy hours) and doing day trips to explore the property. Ant got to wet a line in the Gulf of Carpentaria, and see some salties in the wild, something to cross off his bucket list.

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Sadly after 4 days it was time to say goodbye to this oasis called Lorella Springs and begin our journey home. Another 5 dusty hours on the road and we were back onto the bitumen. We arrived at Barkly Homestead just in time for happy hour and a Broncos game. We reminisced about our trip so far over some amazing meals with a soundtrack of sensational live music. After such long days on the road we took our time getting back to cold, wintery Brisbane and included a couple of nights exploring Mount Isa and taking in the highly rated Hard Times Mine Tour and the Underground Hospital.

We finished the tour at Charters Towers so Ant and Bec could visit some old friends in Townsville on the way home, while we drove straight through to Brisbane, content in the knowledge we’d taken Bec and Ant on the trip of a lifetime!

Want to customise one of our tours? Get in touch below and let us know where you want to go and leave the planning and organising to us!

Alice