Plan Your Trip
The Savannah Way
Distance
1,500km (one way)
How
Car or Camper
Where
Cairns to Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park
Date
April-October
The Savannah Way is an epic, two-state, one-territory, 3,700km journey across the top of Australia. You can take a section of the drive in Tropical North Queensland between Cairns on the coast and Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park close to the Northern Territory border – a distance of around 1,500km.
Leave the lush rainforest of the coast behind and head to the cool of the tablelands and the dramatic landscapes of the Queensland outback. Walk through ancient geological formations, have a yarn with the locals in tiny country pubs and catch barramundi in the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Carpentaria. You’re in for quite an adventure.
As you make your way across the country, learn from expert Savannah Guides, a network of accredited guides with an in-depth collective knowledge of the natural and cultural assets of the area.
Boodjamulla National Park, Riversleigh World Heritage Area and Miyumba camping area are temporarily closed. Visit Queensland Park Alerts for more information.
Get DirectionsDAY 1
Cairns to Undara
Your journey begins in Cairns, the “capital” of Tropical North Queensland, a buzzing coastal city famous for its picturesque esplanade, lively bars, vibrant food scene and laid-back lifestyle.
Now kiss the coast goodbye and take the climb up into the cool of the Atherton Tablelands. This is the place to swim under a waterfall and sample fresh produce from a farmers’ market. In Mareeba, coffee is king – get your daily caffeine injection at Coffee Works or wander through the plantation at Skybury Coffee.
Pass through Ravenshoe, a historic timber town that’s also the highest locale in the state (920m above sea level), and home to Queensland’s highest pub. Don’t miss two spectacular waterfalls: Millstream Falls, reputedly the widest single-drop waterfall in the country, and Tully Falls where, during the wet season, water cascades almost 300m down sheer rock into the Tully River. Millstream is about five minutes’ drive out of town; Tully Falls about 25km south.
On the way to your final destination, Undara, you’ll pass through Forty Mile Scrub National Park. Despite its less-than-poetic name, the park features ancient volcanic flows, giant bottle trees and plenty of birdlife. Discover them all on a self-guided walk.
STAY
Spend the night in a turn-of-the-century Queensland Rail carriage at Undara Experience, gateway to the Undara Lava Tubes in in the Undara Volcanic National Park. The recently restored railway carriages have been voted the most unique accommodation in Australia at the Australian Tourism Awards and are set along an original teamsters trail.
DAY 2
Undara
Today, you’re staying out of the car and heading underground. The Undara Volcanic National Park is home to one of the world’s longest flows of lava originating from a single volcano, dating back some 190,000 years. The flow has created a vast network of lava tubes and underground caves. There are lovely moments of whimsy here … rainforest grows up through the rock where cave roofs have collapsed. Wallabies hop among the trees, and birds shelter in the canopy. Colonies of insectivorous bats roost in the overhangs.
Access to the lava tubes are by guided tour only with multiple tours daily which must be booked. The Archway Explorer is a great introduction to the caves and, as it follows boardwalks, is suitable for all fitness levels. Those wanting a more physical challenge – think uneven surfaces, clambering over rocks – should consider the Wind Tunnel Explorer.
See more of the Undara Volcanic National Park on one of the walking trails. For a mesmerising sunset over the lava plains and volcanic vents, tackle the 2.5 kilometre Kalkani Crater Walk.
DAY 3
Undara to Mount Surprise
Jump back behind the wheel and start heading west; today you’re bound for Mount Surprise. It’s only a short drive so you can focus on the most exciting part of the day – fossicking for semi-precious gemstones. (A driving tip for those using Google Maps: ignore its advice to go via Conjuboy and instead head back to Highway 1 from Undara).
Mount Surprise is a tiny historic railway town that sits on the edge of a giant lava flow. Prior to your arrival, purchase a Fossicking License online so that you can try your hand at treasure hunting. Head to O’Briens Creek fossicking area (check road conditions in wet weather). The area is known for its topaz, aquamarine and gems from the quartz family, which can be found, if you’re luck is running, in the sand and gravel of the dry creek beds. If you’ve built up a hunger after all that fossicking, try a burger from the BP Roadhouse.
DAY 4
Mt Surprise to Talaroo Hot Springs
Grab your treasures and hit the road to continue west towards Talaroo Hot Springs to see one of outback Queensland’s most unique geological wonders. Be welcomed by the Ewamian people and join an Indigenous guide for the Hot Springs Discovery Tour to learn about the hot springs and the incredible significance they hold for the Ewamian people. Meander on an elevated boardwalk for interrupted views of vents and terraces whilst discovering secrets and stories of this unique landscape. Finish the tour by experiencing the hot springs spiritual and physical healing properties with a soak in the communal pool.
Stay
Opt for glamping in a pre-prepared eco tent, complete with a queen bed and decking area, or go for DIY camping in a powered or unpowered site. Join Ewamian Rangers around the fire for a traditional yarning circle.
Optional Detour – Einasleigh
Make a 77km detour from Mt Surprise to Einasleigh to add another geological wonder to your list. Copperfield Gorge is situated alongside the township of Einasleigh and is the perfect place for a dip. Head to the other iconic watering hole, the Einasleigh Hotel to whet your whistle. This colourful pub is a bit of an outback icon and has been pulling pints for over 100 years.
DAY 5
Talaroo Hot Springs to Cobbold Gorge
Hit the highway to to Cobbold Gorge, Queensland’s “youngest” gorge, at about 10,000 years old. A guided tour is the only way you can explore this spectacular formation: daily tours, led by an extremely knowledgeable Savannah Guide, include both a walking component and a cruise through the gorge, where rugged sandstone walls soar up to 30m on either side. Active travellers can explore the gorge under their own steam on a stand-up paddleboard. Or take it all in from above with a scenic helicopter flight.
Stay
Cobbold Village, home to an infinity pool with a swim-up bar (you’ll appreciate it after an active day at the gorge), has motel-style rooms and self-contained cabins, as well as a camping/caravanning area. Cook your own dinner on the barbecues or try some lip-smacking Gulf fish in the restaurant.
DAY 6
Cobbold Gorge to Georgetown
Head to Georgetown, which was was established when gold was found around the Etheridge River in 1869, and is full of charming heritage buildings and surrounded by spectacular outback scenery. Visit the TerrEstrial centre to see the impressive Ted Elliott Mineral Collection more than 4,500 pieces and considered one of the largest private collections in Australia. The 6km-long Georgetown River Walk – which follows both the Etheridge River and Sandy Creek – offers more insight to the township and its history.
DAY 7
Georgetown to Karumba
You’re heading for the coast today – the northern Queensland coast, that is. First though, visit the historic gold-rush town of Croydon, one of the most beautiful towns in the Gulf Savannah, which dates back to 1885. Croydon is home to a collection of historic buildings, including the courthouse, police station, jail and town hall. Visit the True Blue Visitor Information Centre‘s outdoor heritage displays, vintage vehicles, a Miner’s Hut and a lovely garden with some unusual sculptures and unique seating. Situated less than 4kms from town is Lake Belmore, the largest body of fresh water in the region, popular for swimming, fishing, skiing, canoeing or enjoying a picnic lunch at the recreational facilities.
Tonight, you’ll arrive in Karumba, a small town on the edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria, where anglers from around Australia and the world come to fish for the barramundi. Tasting wild-caught barramundi and local prawns is highly recommended, as is a cold beverage at the Sunset Tavern where you can, yes, watch the sun set spectacularly over the Gulf.
Optional Detour – Normanton
Drive 60 minutes south-east to Normanton, an inland river port that is home to the legendary Gulflander train driven by a local Savannah Guide. Originally built to run between Normanton and the goldfields of Croydon, the train still runs today, from Normanton to Croydon on a Wednesday; doing the return run the next day (you can leave the car in Normanton and overnight in Croydon, or catch the coach back on the same day). The “nowhere to nowhere” journey – the line was never connected to the state network – travels for just 94 miles one-way … and yes, miles … it’s the only piece of track in the state still not measured in kilometres.
DAY 8
Karumba to Burketown
The remote Savannahland outpost of Burketown is made up of little more than a pub, a school, a couple of shops and the council office, but it’s famous for two things – as the “Barramundi Fishing Capital of the World” (the barramundi pie from the bakery is legendary) and the site of a spectacular annual cloud formation known as the Morning Glory (September to November). The town is named after one half of Australia’s most famous pair of explorers, Burke and Wills, who passed through here in 1861.
Yagurli Tours offers an Indigenous perspective on Burketown. Run by the Gangalidda and Garawa peoples, tours include a fishing charter, a cruise along the Albert River at sunset and a stargazing experience, where a Gangalidda elder explains the significance of the night sky.
DAY 9
Burketown to Gregory
Make way to Gregory, another isolated frontier town, set on the tranquil Gregory River (great for a canoe). Spend the night here at the Gregory Downs Hotel, originally a stop on the stagecoach run to Burketown, where publican Jo will make you feel especially welcome.
DAY 10
Gregory to Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park
Today, you’re on the final stretch. Head out on the Gregory-Lawn Hill Road to Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park, one of Queensland’s most beautiful reserves. Lawn Hill Gorge carves a vibrant ribbon of green through the surrounding plains, a rich emerald oasis surrounded by sandstone peaks and fringing rainforest. The area is a sacred place to the Indigenous Waanyi people, who believe the Rainbow Serpent (Boodjamulla) formed the gorge.
The Riversleigh World Heritage Site, one of the world’s richest fossil sites, sits within the park. Immerse yourself in 25 million years of history on the Riversleigh Fossil Trail, an 800m walk that passes the fossilised bones of towering flightless birds and the remains of the Earth’s largest freshwater crocodile.
STAY
Stay just a stone’s throw away from one of the Gulf Savannah’s most beautiful nature wonders at Lawn Hill Gorge camping area, which is located 4km into the national park. Alternatively, get your prehistoric fix by camping at the Miyumba camping area, located 3.5km from the Riversleigh Fossil site.
We suggest researching and booking prior to your visit.
Head off the beaten track
Find out more for your Savannah Way adventure
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