TRAVEL
RIVERSLEIGH WORLD
HERITAGE SITE, QLDCLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT Water lilies are common in the waterways around
Riversleigh; set up within stone's throw of Lawn Hill Creek at Adels Grovewaters covering an area of 17,000 square
kilometres north of Mount Isa.
The determination includes pastoral
properties, reserves, unallocated state land,
the Boodjamulla National Park and the
Riversleigh World Heritage site.BOUND FOR RIVERSLEIGH
Getting to Riversleigh is an adventure in
itself. The journey is best undertaken in
the cooler months of the dry season (May
to September), rather than the wet season
(October to April) when tropical monsoons
bring heavy rain and widespread flooding
that render most roads impassable.
But during winter, it is a delight to
traverse the parched red savannah plains
that contrast starkly with clear, flowing
creeks and rivers fringed by pandanus and
paperbarks.
The Savannah Way provides access from
the north via Hells Gate and Doomadgee
along various unsealed roads that cross
cattle stations and Elizabeth Creek on the
way to Adels Grove, a privately-run camping
area, and the national park.Site D is 156km north of the Barkly
Highway. Only the first 56km of this route
is sealed, beyond which the rough track
crosses the O’Shannassey and Gregory
Rivers and is unsuitable for conventional
vehicles and caravans.
Riversleigh can also be reached from
Gregory Downs, about 100km to the east.
This route is mostly unsealed and, although
a 4WD vehicle is recommended, it is the only
route suitable for conventional vehicles and
offroad caravans.
Your time and effort in getting to
Riversleigh deserves a stay of several days, at
least, and will be well rewarded by activities
in Site D and around the national park.
There are several camping and
accommodation options in the region.
Miyumba bush camp is a small area
adjacent to the Gregory River, 4km south of
Site D, with a limited number of sites suitable
for tents, motorhomes, trailers and caravans,
but no facilities apart from a composting
toilet. Campers need to be totally self-
sufficient and armed with a nationalpark
camping permit.The Lawn Hill Gorge campground is 55km
north of Site D on the banks of Lawn Hill
Creek within the national park.
The campground has 20 sites suitable
for self-sufficient campers in caravans,
motorhomes or camper trailers, with
facilities that include toilets and cold
showers. Pre-booked camping permits are
required and fees apply.
Camping and a range of other
accommodation is also available at Adels
Grove, 10km north of Lawn Hill Gorge, with
excellent facilities, fuel and a limited range
of supplies.
The Riversleigh region is visually
spectacular, a landscape of implacable
harshness imbued with extraordinary
beauty and timeless antiquity.
The arid savannah stands in stark contrast
to the life-giving rivers that ebb and flow
with the seasons but never run dry. Each
crossing that brings you closer to Riversleigh
is like a physical and spiritual renewal.
It is one of my all-time favourite
destinationsinoutbackQueensland.You
shouldmakeit oneofyours.“The Riversleigh region is visually
spectacular, a landscape of implacable
harshness imbued with extraordinary
beauty and timeless antiquity”
106 caravanworld.com.au