Travel west from Central Queensland's east coast, through the Gulf of Carpentaria and north into Kakadu National Park. Experience the timelessness of a land with a history of over 40,000 years of human habitation, marvel at the rock formations, explore ancient Aboriginal art sights, and travel further north through Arnhem Land to Gurig National Park.
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This Australian 4WD Adventure Tour of the Gulf Country and Kakadu National Park begins in central Queensland at Hughendon. The track follows the old bullock trail that linked Cairns to Hughendon when it was a major outback Queensland centre.
Stopping for photography and a swim is worthwhile in the spectacular Porcupine Gorge, with its sandstone formations glowing in the warmth of the unrelenting Australian sun.
The 4x4 tour heads west through Einasleigh to the old gold mining town of Georgetown, which today is known for the gemstones it produces.
Our 4WD trek leads us through the 1890 gold rush centre of Croydon and then follows the route of the Gulflander railway which links Normanton in the Gulf of Carpentaria to Central North Queensland Australia.
The extensive wetlands of the Gulf of Carpentaria host a great variety of Australian native birds including the jabiru and brolga. An excursion to Queensland's only gulf port Karumba, which is the centre of the Queensland prawning industry is a fascinating 4WD trek.
On returning to Normanton the tour makes it's way to the oldest settlement in the Gulf of Carpentaria Burketown, via Leichhardt Falls. A trip this far into Australia's Gulf Country wouldn't be the same without a visit to the magnificent Gorges of Lawn Hill National Park Queensland.
Lawn Hill National Park offers the bushwalkers a wide variety of hikes.and the emerald green water surrounded by lush tropical vegetation is a welcome respite for swimming and relaxing. The sheer burnt orange red cliffs that plummet 100's of feet into the gorges offer spectacular views, and provides opportunities for the photographer.
Equally as fascinating is the 4wd trip to neighboring Bowthorn Homestead, home of the Australian author Kerry McGuiness.
Have smoko and a chat with Kerry in her welcoming kitchen, and travel to the family's campground Kingfisher Camp on the Nickolson River where Redclaw (a small Australian freshwater crayfish) can be found in abundance.
The 4WD tour experience continues on, out of the low scrub region onto the Savannah Way through Hell's Gate towards the Northern Territory / Queensland border encountering stretches of bulldust in the dry season.
On the Northern Territory / Queensland border a 4WD detour for fishing is undertaken to the coastal campground on the Gulf out of Woologorang. Then on to Borroloola a small town on the Australian Narwinbi Aboriginal Land.
The next stop on our 4WD tour is Cape Crawford, for a good home cooked meal if you want a break from camp cooking as well as bush showers.
Next stop is Billengarrah in the Northern Territory Gulf of Carpentaria area. 4Wd tracks then wind north through ever changing rock escarpments to Nalhah River station Northern Territory and the nearby Hidden City which is believed to have rock formations dating back over a billion years.
The tour continues on to Roper River Bar in from Port Roper on the western shore of the Northern Territory coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Here the rock bar divides the tidal from the fresh water of the Roper river.
The road from here to Matarankain Northern Territory takes us though the land made famous by the Australian author Mrs. Aeneas Gunn in her book entitled "We of the Never Never".
The well formed Roper Highway is travelled to reach the thermal pools at Mataranka, and a soothing dip is heaven for tired limbs in the natural springs.
4WD is given a break here as the trek heads north along the Stuart Highway, which dissects the Nothern Territory of Australia from North to South, to Katherine and the beautiful geographical system of sandstone gorges separated by rapids zig zagging along the Katherine River.
From here again we head north along the Stuart Highway passing through Pine Creek and enter Kakadu National Park by the south entrance.
All the well known 4WD tourism sites are visited from Jim Jim, Twin Falls, Yellow Waters, Nourlanglie Australian Aboriginal Rock Art and through to Jabiru the Crocodile Hotel, Ubirri, the border store and East Alligator River. All are classic landmarks of the Top End of Australia and not to be missed on a 4WD tour.
4Wd is engaged to cross the crocodile infested waterway of the East Alligator River into Arnhem Land and experience the unique land of long ago untouched and basking in glorious colour. Our destination is Cobourg Peninsula where the fishing is quite unsurpassed.
The 4x4 Australian Top End adventure tour returns from Cobourg on the same route and head to Batchelor south of Darwin (the capital city of the Northern Territory Australia), via the Bark Hut at Annaburroo and into Litchfield National Park NT.
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Arnhem Land Aboriginal Reserve - Northern Territory Australia.
Deaf Adder Gorge in the Kakadu National Park Australia.
The Jim Jim River pool downstream from Jim Jim falls and Twin Falls.
Frill Necked Lizard - Australian native wildlife.
Cobourg Peninsula and Cobourg Marine Park Australia.
Cobourg Wharf - Cobourg National Park Northern Territory.
Victoria Settlement, failed British attempt to settle northern Australia.
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