Sat 26th July – Day 77: Lawn Hill National Park

Another day dawns, clear and blue, we make pancakes and bacon and eggs for breakfast – the full fry-up, then suitably fortified we head for the river bank and Adels Grove Canoes - $20/hour for a 2 person canoe is very steep but hey we haven’t really got a choice and there is no way I’m not going through those canyons.
Wetsuits donned, food and water packed we set out up the middle gorge and are wowed by the brilliantly clear water, numerous colourful fish, freshwater crocs lazing on logs in the sun and the sheer red cliffs of the gorge, which ends at a ½m waterfall that spills over the Tuba formations (calcium deposits) and cascades all around us.
Near the waterfalls we come across a man-made platform which allows you to drag your canoe up and over the falls and into the upper gorge on the other side. At the end of this gorge the river condenses into a series of small spring fed streams which all converge at the mouth – here we tie up the canoes and delight in sitting in the clear water and allowing ourselves to be transported down the streams and into the main pool. The kids use their goggles to watch the fish dart in and out of the water lilies and all seems right with the world.
Our return journey ends all too quickly and we are surprised to see we have been gone 3 hours! Lunch fills our bellies and we spend the next 2 hours nearly comatose, while we all relax in the heat of the afternoon.
We do as late afternoon walk (4.5km return) to an aboriginal cave with some rock art by the Waanyi people called ‘wild dog dreaming’, then continue on towards the lower gorge. Here a freshwater croc was sleepily slouched in the shallows soaking up the last of the afternoon sun. Chloe overcame her fear and went very close – the croc didn’t even open his eyes.
A final swim back at camp using blow up tyre tubes as floatation aids (borrowed for a donation to the RFDS – Royal Flying Doctor Service), has us all refreshed. Pete tops off a great day by pulling out the trusty Coleman hot water system so hot showers can be had by all – a fitting end to an excellent day.
Lawn Hill National Park ($19.60/night)