Around Australia in 6 months: Week 3 - Undara to Gregory Downs including Cobbald Gorge and Karumba.

After leaving Undara we headed west again on the Savannah Way with our next location unknown.

About 20-30km west of Mt Surprise we decided to take an alternate route taking in a couple of Gorges and eventually meeting up with the highway at Georgetown . We drove through a cattle station for 45k passing through several dry rivers and mountain ranges before popping out onto bitumen at 'Einasleigh'

Einasleigh consists of a pub beside 'Copperfield Gorge' and nothing else!

Lunch stop beside a dried up river bed near Forsyth.

Just past Forsyth we turned off to 'Cobbold Gorge' which looked pretty nice. We weren't sure if you could camp there or not or whether there was much there at all but we would soon find out.

To our surprise there was a camping ground with full amenities, bar, and a pool more suited to Bali.

The next day we booked onto a $75, 2 hour tour through the Gorge. As it's private property, this is the only way to see the Gorge. The first part of the tour was a 1 hour walk to the top of the Gorge.

Then down into the Gorge.

Onto the boat for a 1 hour cruise up the Gorge. After speaking to some other campers that morning, I made sure to get seats up the front of the boat, otherwise all my photos would have the back of other people's heads in them. Great advice!

As the Gorge is only around 10,000 years old it is still really narrow which is quite different to many other gorges.

Our guide "Scruffy"

We saw 2 freshies including the one below which was 2 metres from the boat. Just as we passed him he launched into the water towards us while at the same time barking at us. Scruffy said he had never heard one bark like that. We got a quick scare and then a laugh. Lol

The dry 'Norman River' also on the property.

We got back to camp around 1pm and after a quick lunch we headed off again. We made it to Georgetown where we needed to fill the water tanks. I grabbed the hose and then the tap adapter (or not). Kristy did you grab the adapter in Cairns when you washed the car???? Uummmm oops :-(

Bloody hell!

Anyway we continued west to Croydon where we found a shop that sold adapters and ended up camped in town for the night.

Not much to see in Croydon. Just a one pub town where all the bar staff and shop staff were poms. What the ???

Just out of town is Lake Belmore which is pretty small but I'm sure the locals love it in summer. It's also stocked with Barra!

The next day we set off for Karumba passing through Normanton and stocking up on food.

The Big Barra above and the famous Purple pub below. Normantons only attractions apart from plenty of "locals" hanging around.

Another 70k north west to Karumba and we hit Grey Nomad central. Every available camping ground was packed like sardines with caravans and motor homes. After an hour of searching we found one park with 1 site only available. Right beside the road and starring straight into the side of a huge caravan. Mmmmm paradise ? Not quite.

Regardless, it was great to see the ocean again after the dry featureless drive across the Gulf Savannah.

Apart from the copious amount of Grey Nomads (no offence to the cool ones we have met around the place), the other thing Karumba isn't short of is 4x4's and tinnies!

This photo is half the cars at just one of the several boat ramps.

So what's the chance of catching a Barra off the bank beside the ramp?? Dinner at the pub tonight!

Kristy's first lesson at fishing with a bait caster. She did pretty good without too many bird nests, though you could of easily mistaken her for a ballerina lol.

Fisherwoman!!!

So after 3 days of frustrating fishing and a pretty crap camp site we came to the conclusion that Karumba is a boys trip, with a tinnie (just don't forget to book). I won't mention the State of Origin score. Not quite the Kawana Pub at the tavern either. Lol

Apart from a bit of a frustrating time, we did manage to relax for three days and watch a few of those famous sunsets over the beach.

With high hopes of finding some Barra we headed west for Burketown and the 'Escott Barramundi Lodge'.

Not a single wet causeway in sight. Only 200mm of rain this year.

150kms of dirt roads and we hit the 'Leichhardt River' / 'Leichhardt Falls'.

Just a few water holes and no falls to be seen.

After a quick walk and a few flicks of the rod we continued a further 70kms on bitumen to Burketown.

The Burketown Bore above.

15kms out of town is the bush camp called 'Escott Barrimindi Lodge'......... Apparently.

After searching for a while and finding the road that should have led to the station, there were no signs or anything at all indicating we were heading in the right direction. After a quick call to the Burke shire council they informed Kristy that it had been shut for 6 years and nothing remained apart from white ants (and probably a river full of fish) :-(

Left with no other options we decided to continue towards out next destination 'Lawn Hill' which was 200kms away. We checked our trusty camps 7 book and there seemed to be a free camp somewhere called 'Gregory Downs' which was 100kms from Burketown. That will do for tonight after feeling gutted about Escott.

Well didn't a frustrating day turn into a good one. Gregory Downs is beside the spring fed Gregory River and has free camping on the banks ( to the dislike of the pub which is 200m away and has a dry grassy field for $10/person a night)

Pretty popular spot though.

We managed to find a spot right beside the river which was perfect for the rooftop tent (can't fit a van in there ;-) )

The photos don't do this place justice. The water is crystal clear and drinkable straight out of the river. You can float down stream for 300m past all the campers as the current is moving so fast you can hardly stand up. This was the perfect end to a frustrating few days and we ended up staying for 2 nights.