We left Heartbreak Hotel early next day for the short drive, approx 130k to Lorella Springs Station. A reasonably rough track, we stopped to help a car with a wrecked tyre, but they were all good and a little further someone else was stopped with a broken leaf spring. But we still got to Lorella around 11am, just in time for a beer! Lorella Springs is an extremely remote million acre cattle station, now providing adventure tourism. The owner, Rhett rushed out to greet us with great enthusiasim when we reached the end of his 30km driveway. Nev and Leanne were trailing behind us a bit, probably Leannes photography stops! so we had a beer with Rhett at his bar while we waited.
Rhett has owned Lorella for nearly 20 years, and such is the scale and ruggedness of the property, he has only ever seen 20% of it! It has been featured in a few 4wd magazines, and the day we were leaving Rhett was taking his backhoe and a couple of 4wd's to push a track through to a billabong that has only ever been seen from helicopter.One of the 4wd mags tried this and managed 11k in a day and ran out of spare tyres, and had to be rescued! He expected it to take a week!!
There are a series of hot springs and billabongs on the property that stretch for almost 100k to the Gulf of Carpenteria. One is right in the campsite.
Because the cruiser was injured we couldn't explore much, but there are thousands of k's of 4wd tracks through the property and you can drive right up to the Gulf and camp. Untill recently nobody had ever been there. This is from his website.
Much of Lorella and its coastline is untouched and approx 80 km or more from the homestead campsite and can only be reached by EXTREME 4WD Driving by HIGHLY PREPARED and EXPERIENCED DRIVERS
However, we did explore one of the billabongs by row boat.
We saw 4 crocodiles on this billabong, all freshwater which are considered harmless. This was the smallest and he let us get pretty close.
It just isn't camping without a fire, even when the days reach 38c! Jo did an awesome lamb stew and damper on this one.
The bull chaser. Every station has one.
I checked the cv joints but they wouldn't fit the 200! I think an old girl like this may be a better bet than our precious 200 series.
We climbed to the top of this rocky hill where you can see to the horizon. Everything we could see is Lorella Springs, and we could only see a third of it! The station is bigger than some european countries. This is one of the most amazing places I have ever been and I am real keen to get back there. I am already planning next May, or as soon as the roads are passable after the wet. If you needed to disappear this is the place. The only way in during the wet is by helicopter and we mat a lady there who has volunteered to stay and caretake during this wet. Just imagine how many slabs of beer you would have to cart in!
2 comments:
Don'tcha just love Lorella Springs Station? What a great spot! And what a great country we all live in - so much contrast, so much change over the years. From high rise city penthouses and boutique high class wineries to superb coastal getaways and wonderfully remote natural bush oasis!
By the way, any thoughts about bringing some of those crocs back and putting them on the list of must have fashion accessories in the shop? Sell a heap over the net!
Good to talk to you last night You are certainaly seeing the great outdoors all looks very interesting but as you know give me surberbia and the bright lights Have a good trip to Darwin i think should be worth alook have a great food market there i believe but dont swim off the beach thers munchies in there look forward to the next episode Love mum
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