Adels Grove is located in Lawn Hill National Park, a tropical outback oasis. Lawn Hill Gorge is definitely the main feature of the National Park. This simply stunning natural feature has deep, permanent fresh water, surrounded by towering vertical cliffs and bordered by pandanus. Activities available in the gorge and at Adels Grove include swimming, canoeing, fishing, walking and bird watching. Facilities and services include a bar and restaurant, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, two campgrounds, tented and room accommodation and packages including bed and breakfast. The roads around Adels Grove are either dirt or gravel and the condition can be seriously affected by weather, particularly heavy rains in summer. Between May and October conventional vehicles are fine, but 4WDs are recommended at all other times of the year. It is best to check the road conditions before heading out.
The magnificent Cobbold Gorge is 6km long, connected by a series of waterholes and rock falls and bordered by spectacular 30m cliffs on either side. Tours are provided by the Terry Family, who welcome you to their Robin Hood Station, a massive 1,284sqkm property that runs 10,000 head of Braham cattle. Bordered by the Newcastle Ranges on the eastern boundary and sandstone escarpments in the west, this location really does introduce you to the outback lifestyle of Tropical North Queensland. Cobbold Gorge tours depart daily at 10am between 1st April and 31st October. They last three hours and include walks, a boat cruise and visit to the grave of pioneer John Corbett. An alternative tour is the four hour exploration of Robin Hood Cattle Station with a Fishing Experience. Cobbold Gorge is a 5 ½ hour drive west of Cairns: accommodation is available at Robin Hood Station.
The Mareeba Tropical Savannas and Wetlands provide a unique outback experience, just over an hour from Cairns. The 5,000 acre savanna reserve was developed by the Mareeba Wetland Foundation, a community-based membership organisation. Its lagoons, channels and wetlands are a sanctuary for much of tropical Australia’s savanna and wetland wildlife and cultural heritage.
The wetlands offers unique accommodation options, in the form of African-style safari tents. The tariff for staying at wetlands’ Jabiru Safari Lodge is inclusive of accommodation, meals, daily wildlife safari tours, canoeing and membership in the Wildlife Conservancy of Tropical Queensland. Clancy’s Lagoon is the heart of the attraction and has an interpretive centre and covered deck. There are a range of activities you can enjoy including wildlife safaris, walking trails, boat tours, kayaking and bird-watching. Day visitors are also welcome.
Tropical North Queensland is renowned for its World Heritage listed assets, the reef and the rainforest, but there is another site which is not as well known, the Riversleigh Fossil site. Located 250km north-west of Mount Isa, Riversleigh covers an area of approximately 80sqkm and is one of the world’s richest Oligo-Miocene mammal record sites, providing exceptional examples of middle to late Tertiary mammal assemblages. Riversleigh’s extensive fossil deposits are encased in hard limestone and provide a record of mammal evolution spanning 20 million years including marsupial moles, feather-tailed possums and marsupial lions. It is a long drive to get here, but Riversleigh has the tick of approval from Sir David Attenborough, so it is well worth a visit.
The Gulf Savannah was once a bustling, booming landscape. There was gold fever, a gemstone rush and it was a wealth of mineral richness and resources. Today, most of the mines and miners have moved on, but Terrestrial in Georgetown provides a snapshot of what drew men, women and families into the Gulf Savannah. Located on Low Street, Terrestrial houses the Ted Elliott Mineral Collection, which consists of over 4,500 specimens including ammonite fossils, agate, quartz crystals and prehnite specimens. The attraction and collection is housed in a large shed structure, which came from the now-closed Kidston Gold Mines. The courtyard is pebbled and they are worth noting, as the pebbles have been known to contain semi-precious gems, such as topaz. If you like rocks, this is the attraction for you.
Although not strictly a self drive attraction, the Savannahlander Railway journey is one of the great Tropical North Queensland outback tourism experiences. The four day adventure commences at the Cairns Railway Station, at Cairns Central Shopping Centre, on Wednesday mornings at 6.30am. Slipping through the suburbs, the Savannahlander makes it way up the Kuranda Range, using the same track as the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway. However, unlike its cousin, the Savannahlander continues its journey west, past Kuranda and tracking out to the outback, where lush rainforest and rich agricultural fields make way for rugged outback terrain. The first day concludes at Almaden, where you can enjoy lunch and transfer to the Chillago caves. The next day takes you to Mt Surprise, Einasleigh and Cobbold Gorge, before you conclude your outback journey and turn around for the two day trip back to Cairns.
Without a doubt, Undara is Tropical North Queensland’s quintessential outback tourism experience. It’s a place where you can explore ancient limestone caves, enjoy country hospitality, stay in refurbished railway carriages and admire local wildlife. It also features truly special events throughout the year including ‘Opera in the Outback’ and ‘Outback Country Rock and Blues’, bringing culture to the country. So what is the Undara Experience? Firstly, it is home to the Undara Lava Tubes, which were created approximately 190,000 years ago with a large volcanic eruption. There are several tubes, each with its own unique geology and ecology. The longest one extends over 160km, although only segments of it are open to the public. Accommodation varies from restored railway carriages to the swags tent village, stockman quarters, safari shelter and outback caravan park and camp ground.
