Mt Isa to Borroloola

Via Riversleigh Fossil Fields and Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park

If you need a starting point to find some information about "The Isa", click here. From this site you can find out a lot more about the Mt Isa City Council, easily the largest, by area, in the world.

Leaving Mt Isa, past the impressive Hilton Mine, and travelling 117km west, will bring you to the turnoff for the newly bitumenised Yelvertoft Road (often called the Gregory shortcut road). I would appreciate hearing from anyone who knows where this name came from.

The opening of Century Mine has resulted in considerably improved access into the Riversleigh ­ Lawn Hill area. The road north from the turnoff is now a new sealed road for 58km to the main Burketown - Camooweal Road. Drive 60km further north and its time to decide; 66km on to Gregory then west to Lawn Hill and Riversleigh, or 32km northwest to Riversleigh.

Riversleigh Fossil Fields
This is a pretty informative site, partly based around the impressive interpretive centre in Mt Isa, and contains much more info than it would first appear. If fossils are really your cup of tea, click here for in- depth info or here for a fossil links page. Now, unless you're camping out, plan on reaching Adel's Grove by nightfall (another 50km), bookings essential.

Adel's Grove
This Savannah Guides site will give you a good idea of what's available in the way of accommodation, food, tours etc. This is a good place to base yourself for visiting both Riversleigh and Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park. The professional service provided by the Savannah Guides is invaluable in helping you to appreciate the area.

Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park
This Queensland Holidays site about Boodjamulla National Park (on what used to be Lawn Hill Station) has all the essential information you'll need to plan a stop over in this water wonderland. For lots more information about travelling into this whole region click here. Scrolling through this great site will give you some good ideas, and has plenty of info about the surrounding area (not to mention the rest of Australia ­ consider becoming a member!). For the following two fantastic photos of the park, you have to thank the Anderson family; click here and here.

Century Mine
The mine at Century has had probably the biggest impact on this region since the inland seas dried up! Even though they're now gone, the first word should probably go to Pasminco, seeing they got the show on the road at great cost, so click here! There wouldn't be a mine without golliwogs (geologists) and a big hole, so they better get a look in too, (click here, and after a bit more digging, here)!

Gregory Downs
This Savannah Way site will give you all the facts about this friendly stop and link you to all the Gulf Savannah sites. Click here for a few photos of what to expect and a bit more info to help you plan a stay. Both these sites will allow you to link to a lot more information about getting to and from this region.

Bowthorn Station
If you're traveling by 4WD, a very scenic way to leave the Lawn Hill area going north is via Bowthorn Station. This site is the station's own site and will give you a fist hand look at life in the Gulf Savannah. It has historical details of the stations early days as well as information about accommodation at the station or camping facilities at Kingfisher Camp. This isolated but comfortable camping area sits at one end of a 5 km long waterhole!

You now have the option of pressing on north to the Savannah Way, or backtracking to the Barkly Highway. If you click here you will go to the section of our Travel Guide about getting to Borroloola via Daly Waters and the Carpentaria Highway.