Meet the Challenge - High Adventure in the Outback Northern Territory Gulf Country

Looking for a real challenge next holiday break? Then head north to the Outback Northern Territory's Gulf country where you can test a whole host of boundaries, both physical and mental. There you will find primeval wilderness, magical thermal springs, rivers that have never been fished, wild animals, rare and endangered birds, exotic plants as well as miles of pristine sandy beach terrain where you can fish, camp and commune with nature.For those with the spirit and the inclination to test themselves out in the tropical wilderness there are three very special properties in this still-largely-unknown, north-east corner of the Northern Territory. You will be welcomed in genuine outback fashion to share their private slice of outback wilderness and while you may feel you have arrived in the Land That Time Forgot, the region isn't that hard to get to (see map and fact file) and it's definitely worth the journey.Wollogorang Station, Pungalina Station and Lorella Springs Station, each the size of a small European country, offer visitors a different, unique and ultimately life-changing experience.What they have in common is access to natural luxuries that money can't buy in a million-star location - that's the Outback night sky, not the Ritz - with only the occasional adventurous visitor. You can experience real Survivor-style adventure, camp out in the bush and learn new skills for living off the land. Accommodation options vary in style from a newly-established luxury safari camp with all the trimmings to airconditioned cabins and just-you-and-nature-style basic camping on the beach.Wollogorang, which means "happy running water" in the local Aboriginal language, caters for visitors arriving in their own vehicles and allows access and camping at their 80km beach. You really have to work hard not to catch a the classic big one here. The longest-established of the three stations, one visitor has been coming back regularly to Wollogorang for 22 years. Many arrive at the homestead in regular two-wheel-drive vehicles, but you need a 4x4 to get to the beach.Wollogorang is a 1.73 million-acre cattle station on the Northern Territory/Queensland border with 40,000 head of Brahman, bred for the live export market. The old station homestead is right on the Carpentaria Highway and has been renamed the Gulf Wilderness Lodge and remodelled into a up-to-date licensed roadhouse with meals, fuel, camping and caravan sites as well as high-quality airconditioned cabins which accommodate 4 - 5 guests. You can approach, like the early settlers, from Queensland in the east or via Borroloola to the north west.Pungalina Station has geared facilities at its world-class wilderness for the soft-pillow, eco-explorer with fly-in, fly-out safari tours and accommodation at their well-equipped base camp. There are Aboriginal guides, from the local Garrwa language group who now live at the nearby Mungoorbarda (Robinson River) Community, and will share their knowledge about local Indigenous culture, traditional skills and collecting bush tucker.Birdlife abounds on the many lily-covered billabongs and lagoons. As well as sea eagles' nests and the tall, black-necked stork known as a Jabiru, you're likely to spot some rare species like mistletoe birds, pied (torresian) imperial pigeons, purple swamp hens, purple-crowned and red-backed fairy wrens or the crimson or long-tailed finch. Bushwalking and canoeing through unchartered territory are features of a stay at Pungalina and recently the resident guide discovered some caves with many ancient fossilized animal bones which were identified by a visiting palaeontologist who is planning to return and set up an official dig.Lorella Springs Station is a brand-new destination just opening up to visitors for the first time and is not for the faint hearted. The focus is on an "Australian Survivor" experience on a mostly-unexplored station. For those wanting to put the challenge back into corporate challenges, they have put together a nine-day package for keen companies to send their staff for team building and get-to-know-yourself training. You live off the land as much as possible, chase bulls, spot crocs and catch yabbies (like little lobsters) for dinner, and get the chance to eat witchetty grubs, although the owners won't let you starve!As this is very much an untamed environment you never know from one day to the next what you might come across but the owners, who grew up there, are on hand to guide you. Every night you'll be sitting around an open campfire to hear stories that will make your hair curl, and you can share your own heart racing experiences with others.If you're a totally self-contained traveller you can just turn up, as there is always someone at the station. The facilities are very basic at the moment and you must bring in everything you need - and take away all your rubbish. A fishing camp has been set up at Rosie Creek with basic facilities including pit toilets, water tank and shower, however there is no power at the camp. There will be a caravan park by April 2003, which will have unpowered sites only.By May 2003, they expect to be ready to start fly-in, fly-out nine-day tours and shorter tailor-made tours for self-drive traveller. The full-on experience is not restricted to corporate bookings. Just give them a ring if you're keen to test yourself in the wilderness, it makes Crocodile Dundee look like an insurance salesman.And while you're in that neck of the woods, don't miss the chance to find the Lost City a gigantic eerie natural phenomenon that features 25-metre-high sandstone pillars, which at 1.4 billion years old are twice the age of Uluru/Ayers Rock. The only way in is by helicopter from Cape Crawford and Cape Crawford Tourism, who have exclusive landing rights, will take you there. They also have exclusive access to Poppy's Pool which is on the Aboriginal-owned cattle station Bauhinia Downs where you can canoe and swim through a small gorge to a wonderful spring fed waterfall. You can either self drive to Poppy's Pool with a mud map supplied by Cape Crawford Tourism or you can be fully escorted.Take the plunge and make this year the year for undertaking a life changing journey into the tropical wilderness of the Outback Northern Territory's Gulf country. You'll never never know if you never never give it a go!!How to get thereWollogorang Station is on The Carpentaria Highway, which joins the Stuart Highway at Daly Waters. It is bitumen as far as Borroloola. Wollogorang is 3-hour drive from there on 270 kms of good dirt road.Contact: Paul ZlotkowskiTel: 08 8975 9944Website: www.gulf-savannah.com.au/regions/wollogorang.aspLorella Springs Station is a four-hour drive from Daly Waters on the Stuart Highway. It is bitumen to Cape Crawford and then good dirt road into the station.Contact: Rhett and Shanie WalkerTel: 08 8975 9917website: www.lorellasprings.comPungalina Station is primarily a fly-in, fly-out location and has an all-weather airstrip. You can get there by road but it's a rocky two-hour, 67-kms, dirt-road drive from the Carpentaria Highway and you must phone first.Contact: Dr Richard BassedTel: 0402 025712Owen DaviesTel: 08 8975 8951website: www.pungalinasafaris.com
When to goThe coolest time to visit is between April and September.The summer (Dec - Mar) is considered the prettiest with lush green foliage, clear, full-flowing waterways and even greater numbers of colourful, rare birds in the surrounding wetlands. Access is possible throughout the year, although certain areas may be temporarily impassable following prolonged periods of rain.NB: You should always ring first if you are thinking of travelling in the summer and take local advice on weather conditions.Contacts and Further InformationKatherine Region Tourism Association: Tel: 08 89722650Website: www.krta.com.auCape Crawford Tourism: Tel: 08 8975 9611
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