NT - Wycliffe Well

This is a BIG 4 park on the Stuart Hwy south of Tennant Creek and Devils Marbles. Apparently there have been UFO sightings in the area so the park has embraced it with UFO paintings on the walls of many of the buildings and fences. There are also statues of super heroes around the grounds. An interesting mix - UFO’s and super heroes! There are emus, donkeys and a few bird avery’s to view while you walk around the park. Many beautiful parrots fly around freely.
There is an indoor pool which is refreshing to say the least.
The restaurant has a Chinese chef making some lovely dishes as well as western food. A small shop caters for some basic food items, fuel and alcohol.
We stayed here for two nights catching up on washing and general cleaning and maintenance.

Wycliffe Well Holiday Park
Stuart Hwy, Wycliffe Well, NT 0862
Ph: 08 8964 1966
www.wycliffe.com.au

NT - Barkly Homestead

Barkly Homestead is 261 klms west of Camooweal on the Barkly Hwy and our first taste of the Northern Territory hospitality. This is a roadhouse and a camping ground. We decided to spend the night here as they had a swimming pool and some grass sites for $24.00 per powered site.
We had a lovely spot beside a pepper tree and close to one of the several amenities blocks. Everything was old but clean.
The bonus for me was $12.00 roast beef and vegetable dinner for campers. Count us in. It was delicious, roast beef, mashed potatoes, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and gravy. Why would you cook? The restaurant and bar was packed. It always amazes me, out here in the middle of nowhere. Where do all the people come from?
Great stay.

Qld - Camooweal

As you leave Camooweal heading west, turn onto the gravel road as soon as you have crossed the bridge for a beautiful free camp.
There are many parking places along the water holes. When we were there in September the water was starting to dry up but the water lilies were beginning to bloom. We had a beautiful spot right by the water and watched the brolgas and other bird life come and go all afternoon and also again in the morning.
There are no facilities so you do need to be self sufficient.
This is not on the hema maps, we heard about this from other travelers.

Qld _ Mt Isa

There are numerous caravan parks at Mt Isa. We chose this one purely on the size of the swimming pool. While there, each day was in the high 30’s so we knew we would be spending a reasonable amount of time in it.
The Mt Isa Caravan Park is the second park on your right as you enter the town from Cloncurry. The facilities are clean and you need a key for all everything. Even the dump station and laundry are locked. Most sites have shade and there are a few grassed sites.
The park is $25.00 per night for a powered site and across the road from the IGA which made food shopping very handy.

Mount Isa Caravan Park
112 Marian St, Mt Isa, Qld.4825
Phone: 07 4743 3252
www.mtisacaravanpark.com.au

Qld - Fountain Springs Rest area

We left the beautiful free camp beside the river at Gregory Downs and headed south to Mt Isa. We had lunch at Bourke and Wills roadhouse, stopped for an afternoon coffee at Cloncurry and spent the night at Fountain Springs Rest area. This free camp beside the road has toilets, barbeque a covered seating area and is halfway between Cloncurry and Mt Isa.
We had a fun night here meeting lots of other campers and sitting outside watching the stars.
Today we travelled 390 klms
Hema site # 304

Qld - Lawn Hill National Park

We stayed at the National Park camp ground at Lawn Hill. The sites are all on dirt or rocks with a few trees and bushes for shade. The trees are quite small at the moment so we hope in a few years they will have grown and there will be more shade. While we were here in August the temperature was between 35 - 37 degrees every day so every bit of shade was crucial.
The amenities block is new with cold showers and toilets. Lovely and clean.
When you book here make sure that you call the National Parks direct. Adels Grove always seem to tell people that the park is full when there are still sites available. I think they want you to stay at their camp area.
Some of the road into Adels Grove is corrugated and rather rough so we were glad that we decided to leave our van behind. There are no vans permitted at Lawn Hill.
The National Park is $10.00 per night and Adels Grove is $28.00 for an unpowered site.
Adels Grove is shady, has a restaurant, small shop, but it is 10 kilometes to the park.
If we go back I would definitely stay at Lawn Hill again as you can just walk a few steps and you can be swimming.

Telephone: 131304
or book online at www.qld.gov.au/camping

Qld _ Gregory Downs

As you leave the pub at Gregory Downs and head towards Lawn Hill, turn left onto the dirt track as soon as you cross the bridge.
You can camp anywhere along the river and it is magic. You must be self sufficient as there are no facilities.
We sat on the river bank watching the birds and fish, swam and floated down the river. We camped here for two nights and really didn’t want to leave.
Another little bit of heaven.

Qld - Normanton

As you drive through the main street turn left at the “Purple Pub”. You can’t miss it.
The park had some slabs and a little grass as well as a few cabins. The showers, toilets and laundry facilities were good.
The best part about this park was its’ beautiful 25 metre swimming pool and hot spa. The spa was too hot for me to enjoy it though.
The price was good at $25.00 per night for a powered site. We made day trips to Karumba from here as the parks at Karumba were packed in like sardines.


Normanton Tourist Park
14 Brown St,
Normanton, 4890

Qld - Leichhardt Lagoon

This lovely camping area is just 24 klms SE of Normanton on the Gulflander Highway.
It is part of a small station and the owners allow people to camp beside the lagoon.
You register at the "caretakers" when you arrive and the cost is $7:00 per person per night.
On saturday nights the station owners prepare a three course meal for $5.00 each( $3:00 if you stay more than one night). The night we were there, we had tomato soup and delicious home made damper, beef stroganoff and desert. There was also a country music singer and his guitar. It was a wonderful night.
There are apparently 75 different types of birds in the lagoon at different times of the year so we spent hours just sitting, watching and trying to photograph the birds. I certainly take my hat off to the bird photographers. They must have the patience of a saint.
The Norman river is just across the highway where they say the fishing is good. The caretakers run a fishing competetion for those travellers who decide to stay a while.
There is toilets and showers. This entire area was flooded in summer of 2009.
Even though it is just out of Normanton it is well worth the stop.

Leichhardt Lagoon
Gulflander Highway
Hema Map # 253