Lorella Springs Station NT

Mataranka to Lorella Springs

 

 Monday 11th to Tuesday 12th August

Good Advice in Roper Bar

Heading out from Mataranka before most campers were awake put us on the road with plenty of time to enjoy the lengthy drive to Lorella Springs. Our first stop was Roper Bar which heralded the end of the bitumen and the beginning of the dirt road component of the Savannah Way. Visiting the shop at Roper Bar proved to be an experience in its own right; it’s like a Tardis starting with the usual groceries then morphing into a hardware department before finally transforming into a clothing boutique!! When we asked the lady about fishing she in the Roper River she said fish from the sandbank, enquiring about crocs she confirmed that they have some large salties lurking but her advice on how to spot when your on the menu was gold!.

 

‘If you smell… excuse me boys’ she stated in a matter-of-fact tone looking from Jacob to Logan,
'sh*t then you know he’s watching you. That’s cause he’s just vented and the smell of sh*t will come from nowhere, then you know he’s near you.’

 

Well advice like that couldn’t be ignored so I was on smell alert while the boys fished, and woe-betide anyone who trumped!! Needless to say we didn’t smell sh*t and nobody caught a thing!

 

Fishing at Roper Bar

Limmen National Park

Our journey continued on fairly corrugated roads through passed Tomatoe Isalnd (which Simon was keen to avoid!) and into Limmen NP. We saw lots of grass fires and could feel the heat through our windows as we drove by. More fishing at lunch time on Town River in Limmen, where we spotted crocs sunning themselves on the banks, but no bad smells and no more luck with catching anything. We arrived hot and tired at Lorella just in time for happy hour at their rustic bar! After a couple of coldies we set up camp, enjoying the relaxed ‘camp anywhere’ attitude.

 

Controlled burning very close to the road

 

Lorella Spring Station

Having checked out the facilities I found the toilets were very basic but flushing, the showers unisex and open air, (with nothing but a flimsy curtain blowing in the breeze for privacy). The notice ‘light a fire under the donkey boiler for a hot shower’ was not  a joke but genuine instructions!!

 

We had a mixed bag exploring Lorella, as the lack of guidance from staff the previous evening led us to dry waterholes and stagnant pools. Our highlight was nudie hot springs, a large natural hot pool where clothing is optional! Unfortunately we were too far into the dry season to see Lorella at its best, and we decided to leave a day early, promising ourselves a return trip when the water is flowing again. Lorella has a great atmosphere, but you need a swag, a couple of weeks and $$$ to fully appreciate the vast wilderness it encompasses.

 

 

The bar - jerry can bar stools

The showers with freaky guardian!