Beautiful Boodjamulla

We were off early driving toward Mt Isa with the aim of reaching Cloncurry and then heading north-west to Lawn Hill NP.  Given that Jem’s rash had persisted and we were passing the last hospital of a reasonable size for more than a week, Trace was keen to pay Mt Isa emergency department a visit.  We waited about an hour to get see a doctor and, once again, in the pleasant air conditioned climate of the waiting room, the rash just about disappeared. Feeling a bit of a fraud, Josh explained the story twice, once to a registrar and then to an ED consultants. All were in agreement, the most likely cause was a post viral rash. After a patient wait at the hospital, we rewarded all the kids with Subway and continued toward Cloncurry. Josh had bad heartburn on the way and by the time we reached Cloncurry he was looking pretty crook. He appeared to be succumbing to the dreaded tummy. He struggled through the evening and night, including a couple of projectile vomits. By morning he was well enough to travel on.  

A long day drive and we arrived at Gregory Downs, at which point we promptly decided to continue on to Lawn Hill. It was another 80km along an unsealed road.  An operational zinc mine was located about 30km long and the mining company maintained the road in excellent condition to the mine turn off.  Beyond the mine the road deteriorated and we shuddered along intermittent corrugations, hoping that it would all be worth it. It had been a long and the kids were exhausted.  Adels Grove was located just outside Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill NP) and we had the option of staying in the Grove, which was unpowered but beautifully shaded, or set up in a generator area which was completely unshaded. Given the weather we had thus far experienced in western QLD, the shade of the Grove and its proximity to the creek and swimming hole, we were keener on the Grove. Only problem being that we weren’t sure our van battery would go the distance and we had been having problems with our car fridge which we assumed was due to the end of life of the deep cycle marine battery in the Landcruiser. In the end we decided to chance it in the Grove and we didn’t regret it. 

The Grove was declared a miners lease in 1920, but by 1930 the lease had been purchased by Albert De Lestang, a French botanist, who it is thought, was commissioned by the government of the time to experiment with the growing of tropical trees and fruits.  By 1939 he had in excess of 1,000 different species of trees and shrubs, many of which were imported from Africa, Asia and tropical America. It is said by those locals who knew Albert and had visited him that he had created a most beautiful botanic garden. The Adels part of the property name is taken from his initials. Although many of the of the exotic shrubs and trees, in particular the fruit trees, have succumbed to lack of irrigation, fires and termites, there still remains a lovely shaded area within the original grove.  

We set up within 20 metres of the creek and headed straight for an early evening swim in the spring fed creek. It was luxurious and the perfect start to our 4 night stay at Adels Grove/Lawn Hill.  The first night was a very peaceful one, very quiet apart from the rushing water over some small rapids to the rear of our van. We discovered, however, that the Grove was also home to a substantial population of cane toads and once Trace had told the kids stories of her toad busting exploits from her days working for Qld Parks and Wildlife Sevice, they were keen to annihilate as many toads as possible. 

The first morning was spent in the water hole just near our van site. There was a pontoon made of oil barrels which we lazed around in the sun on along with inner tubes and noodles. 

The kids chose some sticks that they fashioned into toad harpoons with Josh’s assistance. In the afternoon, we drove in to Lawn Hill to check it out. We found the canoe hire spot and another top spot to cool off. Aside from the Grove and the flora on the banks of the creek, the landscape was as dry and sparse. As we swam, we spotted a pair of kingfishers high up in the trees and a few cheeky red tailed cockatoos flew in by the bank to feed on gum nuts.  

Having sussed out the canoes we decided to hire a couple the following morning and take a trip up the Gorge. It was spectacularly lush as we set out, with large gums and pandanus lining the banks, followed by the high gorge walls and then onto some beautiful cascading falls that beckoned us in for a swim. Crystal clear water with archer fish nibbling at our toes, it was the perfect spot to cool off before dragging our canoes 70m along the bank to the upper reaches of the spring fed waterway. On the return leg we had another swim at the falls and we were beginning to appreciate the true magnificence of this place.  Not only were we camped in an idyllic place, but the Gorge was a stunning oasis, up there with some of the best we had come across. 

After our morning out canoeing and swimming all were fairly tired, but as night fell the kids were still keen to go out and spear some cane toads, so off we went. Our first night hunting toads and our combined tally reached eight. 

Trace and I were keen to walk up the Gorge the following day, and despite vigorous protestations from Jem, a walk was embarked upon. We had left our start a little late as it was already getting quite hot and once we had completed the first 500m we were beginning to climb and were fairly exposed. As usual, once they got going, they walked well. Up onto the walls of the gorge to reveal some excellent views from above. Of course, what helped keep the kids going was the reward of a swim at the end of the walk and we were cooked by the time we reached the spot we had swam the day before. It was once again spectacular and we had the place to ourselves.

A bit more swimming, Jem practiced his snorkeling and Rubes and Josh even had a fish - Rubes caught a flathead gobi. A long weekend was approaching and the Grove started to fill up, it was time to move on, but we’d enjoyed our time at Lawn Hill immensely and we’ll remember it for a long time to come. 

En Route East to the Sunshine State

After a night with Jem and Oscar vomiting, rather than pressing on with our journey, we had a rest day in Alice.  We washed everything down in the caravan, Glen 20 spray all over and a lot of boiled rice, everyone was finally on the improve. 

Next drama for the Raths was a nasty post viral rash that managed to cover poor Jem from head to toe every part of poor Jem's body. As we drove out of the caravan park the next morning on our way to Tennant Creek the rash was clearing slowly.  As the day got hotter though, the rash became more angry and inflamed and incredibly itchy despite oral anti-histamine, topical cream and also oral steroids. It was disappearing and reappearing quite rapidly, but he seemed perfectly well otherwise. Trace was getting pretty worried about its cause, Josh, as usual, was accused of being blase and disinterested - he had reasonably confidently diagnosed this as a post viral rash.

A quick stop at Wycliff Well, the UFO capital of Australia and we were back on the road towards our night stop. 

As we pulled into Tennant Creek, Trace thought that given our remoteness over the ensuing days of travel, it would be wise to take Jem to Tennant Creek emergency department. The next nearest hospital was Mt Isa, nearly 1000 km to the east. Jem was keen on a trip to hospital, it seemed a novelty. After a phone call to the hospital to confirm they indeed had a 24-hour emergency department, we fronted up at a very new facility.  The triage nurse looked familiar to Josh, but a prior meeting as highly unlikely. In the cool air conditioning of the hospital the rash seemed to be settling and after some questioning from the nurse, it was far less red and inflamed. Enquiry was made as to whether the rumours we had heard about a gastroenteritis outbreak at the place we were staying in Uluru could be confirmed and the nurse admitted she wasn’t sure as she had just returned from NSW.  A bit more chatting and as it turns out the nurse was someone had met before, a nurse who had worked for quite some time at both Royal North Shore as well as Hornsby Hospital.  What are the chances of that. 



Anyhow, Jem’s rash. Well after all this banter, the rash had really settled down and, although still present, we agreed that the current regime of treatment should continue and left without seeing a doctor. Jem had his temperature taken and we were on our way home, thankfully without waiting for long. 


Traveling eastward was hot and dry and as we approached the border we noted the endless fencing on either side of the road. This was cattle country in a big way, even though the landscape seemed far from suited to sustaining cattle.  The almost continuous fencing line was to be a feature throughout western Queensland and the Gulf savannah - very different to anywhere else we had been in the outback. Jem was for some reason very excited about our crossing into Queensland. It was good that he had something to be excited about, because in the heat his rash had returned just about all over him and the itch was starting to bother him. About 150km out of Tennant Creek Trace was once again worried about the rash, cursing me for not having had an emergency doctor look at him in Tennant Creek, doubting the dermatological/infectious disease diagnostic capability of her anaesthetist husband, and seriously considering whether we should turn back given that the next hospital was probably Mt Isa, some 800 km east.  Eventually, Jem fell asleep and unfortunately fell asleep before the crossing into Queensland arrived. It was September 30. 

Our first overnight in the Sunshine State was spent in sleepy Camooweal.  The kids had been promised a pool at the caravan park in Camooweal, so were a little disappointed when we pulled up with no pool in sight. Thankfully we had fronted up at the wrong caravan park. The one with the pool, we were informed with regret by the proprietor, was down the road and across the street. Hallelujah, we found the only pool between Tennant Creek and Mt Isa. A little dusty, but a hugely welcome relief from our hot drive. Once again the kids couldn't wait to get their gear off and jump in. Jem’s rash enjoyed a cool off in the pool and after a few beers, we headed of the the pub out the front which did dinner and, apparently, had a reasonable cook. Thankfully they had a TV that worked so the kids could watch X Factor.  Although a mother with a young baby looked at us worryingly as we sat down for dinner with a child that looked as if he had an infectious dose of measles, it was a pleasant night with the locals. 

Not much to Camooweal - a hotel with post office attached, two caravan parks, fuel station, a general store and cattle stations as far as the eye could see. 

Intrepid walkers in Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon)

After a slightly hair-raising drive with Trace overtaking a driver doing 60 in a 100 km zone, someone pulling out next to her at the same time and the caravan swaying back and forth behind us, we finally arrived safely at Kings Canyon. Closer inspection of the van, the inside to be precise, revealed a kitchen and dining area covered in flour, coffee, sugar, salt, cous cous, bread crumbs and more - the result of our highway altercation. 

The resort was in a beautiful location with the canyon walls in the backdrop over 100 metres high. Again, the colours in the afternoon of the rock were magnificent. In fact the backdrop was used in the movie Priscilla and some of the cast were flown in by helicopter to land on the very top of the canyon.

In the afternoon we went into the canyon and did a short walk called the Kings Creek Walk which was only a 2km walk but traced the bottom of the gorge through the dry creek bed and finishing at a viewing platform. Part of the Gorge is a sacred Aboriginal site so visitors are discouraged to walk any further or stray from the path.

After a good night sleep we were ready for our early morning start of 7am to begin the Kings Canyon Rim Walk This is by far the most impressive walk in Kings Canyon. It takes you around the rim of the canyons sandstone walls, which formed when small cracks over time eroded to create the spectacular Canyons we have today.

To begin the walk we climbed what locals call Heartbreak Hill or Heart-attack Hill. Hoping neither of these things would occur we managed to get up in fairly good time. The kids as usual showing their parents how it is done. Even little Jem was a star!

Throughout the walk there were some amazing vantage points to look out and over the white and red sandstone cliffs of the canyon, also allowing you to look down the cliffs edges. The sheer height of these cliffs is 270metres, to put this in perspective; it is almost the same height as Australia’s tallest high-rise in Melbourne city, Eureka Towers.

Sandstone domes can be found throughout the Canyon and look like bee-hives in appearance as well as the impressive weathered formations that resemble the remains of an Aztec city, earning them the name the Lost City.

The Kings Canyon Walk takes you 270 metres down into the chasm, between the sandstone cliffs into a true oasis. Here, a natural spring waterhole surrounded by local and exotic plants and trees such as gums, bonsai looking trees and enormous prehistoric ferns create a truly unique landscape.

Once on the top of the Canyon, the walking was not hard and the kids just loved the sense of satisfaction they had after almost walking 7.5km in the day. Jem christened the top with a bush bog and Rubes unfortunately was starting to exhibit the signs of some bug coming on. A faster descent through sandstone domes reminiscent of the Bungles brought us back to the beginning of the track and a great feeling of accomplishment by all. What a great walk and day.

Ice-creams were definitely called for on the way home before Rubes started an afternoon of severe vomiting and stomach pain. She was even brave enough to get an injection from Daddy! This was going to be the start of another gastro bug for the Rath family. And, although it wasn’t funny at the time we have made up numerous songs to go along with the numerous vomiting episodes we have had on our travels. We were advised that afternoon that apparently a toilet block at Uluru had been closed due to an outbreak of some gastro virus. No wonder, those disgusting teenagers and their hygiene!

Things settled down for Rubes after a few hours and eventually she felt a whole lot better. Thankfully our drive the next day was good for everyone as it was going to be a long and hot one back to Alice for an overnight stay before heading north again.

Pulling into the Big 4 at Alice was welcome relief as we knew it was going to be a nice place to rest for the night. We were mistaken. 

Another Spew at Uluru

Uluru was about 460km from Alice so we were in for a long day of driving and the days were certainly getting hotter. We both expected as we have many times that the landscape would be showing more signs of desert and isolation but again we were mistaken. There were still plenty of trees and apparently over 40,000 camels in the hills but so far we were yet to see any.

We passed some remote cattle stations and a few petrol stations but otherwise there was not much else around. The soil was certainly becoming redder and Trace was keen to bag some of the sand for her collection of “special artefacts” that she has collected throughout our trip. Although they’ve taken up a lot of our space in the caravan, she assured us that we’d look back at them in our house and remember the very special places that we’ve been.

As we drove and the kids watched another movie in the back, we could see in the distance what looked like a very large rock. Neither of us knew exactly whether it was Uluru but it sure looked like it. As we came closer it was obvious that it wasn’t Uluru but Mt Connor, another very large rock but possibly without as much cultural significance as Uluru.

Most people, I think, are unaware that the Yulara village and accommodation you stay in at Uluru is actually about 10km from the rock itself. It has been very well set up for tourists to visit and although the camping area was not the cleanest of places, as we were to find out, the hotels, apartments and restaurants all looked quite nice.

Uluru is considered a sacred site by native Aborigines called the Anangu tribe and they are the traditional land owners. Uluru is estimated to be around 600 million years old and when you walk around the base of this massive sandstone monolith you can certainly feel the spirits of ancestors past.

It stands approximately 348 metres above sea level at the tallest point and in-fact the majority of its mass is actually underground. Although it is not illegal to climb Uluru, out of respect for the traditional owners we chose not to as do a lot of people these days.

The actual base walk around Uluru is about 10km, one which Ruby and Jem weren’t too keen to do, so we settled for some shorter walks which past some waterholes, rock art and sacred sites. Josh and Oscar deciding they would come back at a later date to ride around the base.

Following our walk, we settled in for the afternoon, cranked up the air-conditioning and went for a swim. Unfortunately the camping area was full of school groups and the facilities were crowded with young self-conscious teenagers, including the very small pool. 

This massive rock is truly an amazing sight and as we watched the sunset with our children, drinking a beer and eating some nibbles we once again had to pinch ourselves as to how lucky we have been this year to experience all that we have. And, besides the German tourists who were smoking and standing directly in front of our chairs that we had strategically placed at the front of the viewing platform, the night was magical.

After a dinner of Indian food, Jem was sick for some reason and we were up most of the night caring for him. Only later did we discover that Yulara campground had a gastro outbreak. As usual, being the trooper he is, the next day he was ready to go again for the walk around the the Olgas.

Our next day took us out to Kata Tjuta - the Olgas, 25km east of Uluru. The 36 large dome-like formations are composed of conglomerate, a sedimentary rock consisting of cobbles and boulders and cemented by sandstone. As you walk through the gorge forming rocks you can see how they have been glued together with the sandstone to form these imposing structures.

The day was very hot and after a late start in the morning the kids only felt like attempting the Walpa Gorge walk. Although it was beautiful, it was fairly short so it would have been nice to explore a bit more but with Jem recovering from his night of illness and the heat building we gave the Valley of the Winds a miss. A stop at the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area on the way home provided a beautiful landscape of the Olgas in all their glory and Uluru in the distance.

That afternoon, Josh and Oscar took their bikes back to Uluru and rode the 10km base walk. They both thoroughly enjoyed it, the changing colours, the serenity and the lack of people. Our next day would bring another 305km drive to Kings Canyon.