ADELS GROVE / LAWN HILL & DRUM ROLL..........GREGORY!!!!

We left Mt Isa about 8am & set off on our Little much anticipated

camping trip & time for a well earned relax for a

couple of days!

We were about 70 kms out of Mt  Isa & Mark saw a sign reading

This is the top catchment area for

Lake Eyre

Fancy that here we are in the top of Australia in
Gulf Country & Lake Eyre is in
 South Australia & is the lowest point in Australia!
Long Long way for water to travel!
Also we were listening to what we thought was the local radio station
which was actually broadcasting from
Alice Springs!
I spose though we were pretty close to the border!
We have seen so so much Fauna on this trip much more than on the whole of the Cape York Trek!
Cows galore just roaming around the side of the road & on the road
 all so so skinny & scrounging around for a morsel of green grass with their calves close by their side!
I love them!
 They see us coming from a distance & just stand
still in the middle of the road till the last second
then run away as fast as they can to safety
there they stop turn around & stare at us with their
inquisitive interesting faces!

Along with the Cows we saw

Emus, Brolgas, Kangaroos, Spinifex Pigeons,
 Horses, & this strangest bird neither of us
 have never before seen in all our lives not in books or anywhere!
As we drove along I spotted these animals on the road up ahead
at first I thought they were Alpaca's
No
they were birds
as we got closer both Mark & I are wondering what the hell they were
they slowly moved off the road
one looked like it was carrying its baby on its back
but as our vision improved and we got closer we could see that it was
 its tail feathers standing up right
then all of a sudden they took flight & flew off into the far distance!
Their wing span was massive!
Earlier to us seeing these strange creatures
we nearly had a head on with what we thought looked like a Pelican
only we knew it could not possibly be one
way out here in the middle of dessert!
So quickly it ran directly out in front of us
as I looked up I screamed as we just missed hitting it!
Mark reckons we may of ran over its toe!
I was shaking after that little incident for ages!
Anyway to cut a long story short it must have been one of those
Birds!

Husband named them
 Dunno Birds!

Please feel free to correct us if you know their true identity

The country side so rugged
yet at the same time so
 beautiful & interesting with always something to look at!
My eyes see so so far into the distance
 & with the road so dead straight
objects start to look so unreal!
Mirages appear & then with a turn of my head
 I look out stare & see nothing but nothing of dead flat arid land for as far as the eye can see!

Back to Adels Grove & a bit of the history of it!
In 1920
 a French man named Albert de Lestang
bought the property free hold as an experimental Botanical Garden
the name came from his initials minus the tang!
He planted different species of trees & shrubs & supplied Botanical Gardens around the world with the seeds produced by his nursery including the Botanical Gardens in Brisbane which still has samples from seeds sent to them from him.
In the early 50's a fire swept through the grove while
Albert was away ( some say deliberately lit ) destroying everything including his home & suit case containing all his research papers
Albert's last years were spent in Charters Towers Nursing home where he died
aged 75 most probably broken hearted!
Poor Albert!

We arrived at Adels Grove spoke to the managers of this magical piece of paradise & set up
our camp down by the

Lawn Hill Creek!

We had this whole place to ourselves with not another soul in sight!

As we sat absorbing this beauty before us
I suddenly could smell what had become very common to my nostrils
Bats!

Bloody things are everywhere & yep sure enough there they were
hanging upside in 30 odd degree heat snoozing in a nearby bamboo tree!
They are so grose & reek I find them so disgusting
all of a sudden I felt a spray of what I thought was sap or sprinkles of rain drops
  Mark felt the same & then it dawned on me that is not sap or rain that is bats wee!!
Wonder if that is good luck
like when a bird poops on you??

That is the culprit!

We decided to go for a walk along the bank to find a good

fishing spot & somewhere to put our Yabbie trap in.

Now I know some of you may well be laughing at this point & I can See why but one day Husband will reel something in & I will be there as always with the camera on standby 

Waiting Waiting Waiting!

He just piped up & said did you tell them about all the fish I caught in the trap

Well no because they were not edible I said

His reply if you ground them up they would be!

YUCKO!

Next Morning we woke to the most beautiful sounds the bush has to offer!

Brecky time & it's up & at em to explore

 Lawn Hill National Park

We went for a bit of a hike & then came across this oasis in the dessert
the most beautiful gorge with triple cascading water falls!!

The hike down was a bit hairy lots of rocks & steps to try & navigate over

as I was ever so ever on the look out for snakes!

Mark said to me some reptile dude told him if you ever get bitten by this particular deadly species of snake in the rocks, you may as well say good by!

Great at that moment I  picked up a huge big stick & a banging down the rocks I did go!

Once down the bottom we sat & soaked it all in!

This place is just heavenly & so on par with Cape York's Twin Falls

Absolutely spectacular!

Later that arvo back at the camp site Mark decided to take our rubber rafts out in the river for a lazy float around & said to me are you coming in?

Mmmm Dunno about that??

Me being me, ever the big scaredy cat about everything that is harmful & freshwater Croc's

  come into that category!

Later on the owner of Adels Grove ventured down to say hello & have a chat

 great I thought perfect opportunity to quiz him about the Croc's!

He said I have over 150 thousand people come through this place in peak season

which is in winter & never have we had one incident & my 8 & 5 year old daughters swim in there!

Freshies are not aggressive & will keep away from you!

Well if kids are game enough then I suppose

 I will have a go!

Out I dived straight on to the rubber float & paddled over to Husband

This is just so beautiful lazing around & I kind of enjoyed it

until

 it dawned on me that

Salt Water Croc's

 have been sited in fresh water

Oh boy did I paddle as fast as I could & got out of that water

Quick smart!

                             Back on the safety of  the bank I sighed with relief & was happy to

sit on the bank & be the Croc spotter!!

  Next morning we were off to row up the

Lawn Hill Gorge

 We set off bright & early as the temperature was rising quickly & we also thought

there would be more wildlife activity first thing in the morn! 

Paddles in hand & off we went!

So Spectacular & Breathtaking 

is this

 Beautiful Untouched paradise!

We paddled for a while & then just floated as we drank in every sight & sound to behold!

The beauty of this place bought tears to my eyes!

Words cannot describe!

                                                   Day 3 & we decided to head home

 via

 Gregory Downs

We thought we may spend a night there!

Mark & I were thinking this would be a little village we got quite a shock after travelling on dirt road for 90 kms to come to what looked like a ghost town!

The  Gregory Downs Hotel was the first thing to greet us as we turned the bend & hit the town!

 In we went & shared a beer & a chat with the bar girl!

Mark said to her do you get a free beer if your name is Gregory?

No but we did have a guy come through here & his name was

Gregory downs

Sure she say's & is your wife's name

Adel Grove!

Well  after our beer & a bite to eat we were now ready to head

back home & from there leave our lovely

Mt Isa & head home home

for Christmas!

NSW HERE WE COME!

Cheers Till Next time!