The day started slowly as we had booked the gorge cruise for midday so planned to get to Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) national park at about 10 to do a walk before the boat ride. The national park area was given back to the government by the Lawn Hill Cattle Station owners and is truly a beautiful part of the country – tranquil and garden of Eden-like!

A 10 km drive in from Adel’s Grove saw us at the national park carpark – we decided to do the Duwadarri Lookout walk that took us up to a vantage point overlooking all the gorge area. We walked beside the creek flowing through the gorge – Trev was working the camera after lessons from Rosie!!-  and then in over some grassland to the hill we had to ascend for the lookout.

The view on the way up was spectacular and the climb up although steep was easily managed.

The gorge was impressive viewed from above – red cliffs falling into aqua clear water lined with lilies and pandanus…

We returned back to the cruise dock and boarded the solar-powered boat for the trip up to the first set of falls. The gorge is in 3 sections – we were cruising the middle section – the lower section flows out to Adel’s grove.

The water is very high in calcium and as the water evaporates a skin of calcite forms and binds with other minerals in the water to form a light rock called tufa – as it sinks it hardens and builds up – the falls were mostly made of this rock and continue to grow with deposits over time.

The Lawn Hill creek that flows through the gorge is fed by an artesian spring at an unbelievable rate of 1.4 million litres per hour from beneath the surface at the top of the gorge. The water is clear and aqua in colour due to the high mineral content.

The gorge is home to an abundant number of species of birds as well as snakes, crocodiles (freshwater), turtles, fish and frogs.

Waterlilies in flower proliferated along the gorge and the contrast of azure sky and red cliffs mirrored in the still clear water of the creek was absolutely beautiful!

We reached the Indarri Falls and heard the sound of rushing water before we could see them. The falls run over the calcium deposits of tufa and along most of the falls pandanus, reeds and melaleucas were growing. For the past 9 years the wet season had not been so big and the plants had been able to grow without being washed away with a large addition of surface water to the creek. Apparently all it will take is one big wet season and the rock of the falls will once more be exposed as the foliage is swept away by the torrents. Around the corner a rocky section of the falls was still visible and the area there was great for swimming. As we were on the guided tour there was no time for a swim but tomorrow we will be canoeing up so it will be swim time then I am sure!!

After returning from Indarri Falls we drove back to Adel’s Grove – on the way we came upon 3 overseas tourists in a 4WD that had seen better days – they had sheared off a ball joint and would be going nowhere fast – made all our “issues” seem very minor. Dave drove them back to the ranger station so they could get assistance – fortunately for them they had broken down in a not too remote place!!

The afternoon was spent swimming in the creek, happy hour and listening to the next instalment of Daniel – chapter 7.