COBBOLD GORGE, QLD

Oasis in the Gulf Savannah

Virtually undiscovered until 1992, Cobbold Village in Queensland’s Gulf Savannah region has evolved into a multi-award-winning enterprise attracting more than 6000 visitors annually.

In 1992, a young grazier named Simon Terry and a couple of mates, set off to explore Cobbold Creek in a remote corner of his ‘Howlong’ cattle station in Queensland’s Gulf Savannah region. Simon had spent many a day in the saddle ranging across the property mustering cattle and he knew that the deep spring-fed waterhole at the mouth of the creek was a great spot for picnics and swimming. He had been there many times but had never ventured upstream beyond the natural barrier of the pool’s deep water bounded by sheer rock walls.

Simon and his wife, Gaye, were quick to realise the tourism potential of this unique geological treasure. Within two years of Simon’s discovery, they started running tours for day-trippers out of nearby Georgetown, and then developed a campground with amenities for overnight stays. From this fledgling operation Cobbold Village has evolved into a multi-award-winning enterprise attracting more than 6000 visitors annually. Its success is based on the simple motto ‘Comfort and Convenience’, which it delivers to travellers in abundance.

An outback oasis

Cobbold Village is a truly unique outback destination about halfway between Townsville on the east coast and Karumba on the Gulf. Accessed by the Gulf Development Road (aka Savannah Way) and minor shire roads, 90km south of Georgetown, the Village is a small enclave on Howlong, once part of the 1284sq km Robin Hood Station that’s been in the Terry family since 1964. 

It’s somewhat off the beaten track but being remote doesn’t mean you’re roughing it when you get there. On the contrary, the village provides travellers with a wide range of creature comforts rarely found in such rustic surroundings, such as ensuited drive-through van sites, a licensed bistro and bar, and a sparkling infinity swimming pool, to name a few. Adrenaline junkies can cruise the gorge on a stand-up paddle board, go bush on a mountain bike or view this whole amazing country in a thrilling helicopter flight.

Ancient origins

Cobbold Gorge is a narrow, spring-fed oasis nestled amid 80sq km of rugged sandstone formations with a geological history spanning almost 1700 million years. Their creation began with the deposit of sand and mud on the floor of a shallow sea, at a time when the only life forms on the planet were single-celled algae and bacteria. The accumulated sediments hardened into a 10km-thick plate of rock known as Hampstead Sandstone. Movement in the Earth’s crust lifted and folded this sedimentary sheet, causing a maze of fractures which millennia of torrential wet seasons have etched into narrow ravines and deep gullies. 

Cobbold Creek once followed a relatively wide course through this dissected plateau to join the Robertson River about a mile from the modern-day junction. Then, about 10,000 years ago, further fault movement diverted the creek through the present chasm, sculpting and polishing its spectacular walls to reveal the rock’s prehistoric origins. The former watercourse now lies abandoned as a dry valley. 

A gorgeous experience

The best (and only) way to see this natural marvel is to sign up for a tour led by one of the village’s experienced Savannah Guides. Visitors are transferred by air-conditioned 4WD bus from the village across the sandy bed of the Robertson River to a mustering point near the mouth of Cobbold Creek. Here, they board a custom-made 12-seater boat which, powered by an electric motor, glides silently along the gorge for a 45-minute return trip. The peaceful ambience of the cruise is broken only by the guide’s occasional commentary and the twitter of birds as they flit around the chasm chasing insects. 

Back at the landing pontoon, visitors have the opportunity to sit in quiet reflection among the towering paperbarks beside the creek. The more energetic may head off with the guide on a relatively easy loop walk that takes in the rugged sandstone plateau and crosses a glass bridge which affords a stunning bird’s-eye view of the gorge below. At several stops along the walk, the guide explains features of the landscape’s geology and some of its unique flora and fauna. All up, it’s an awesome experience and an extremely enjoyable way to spend three hours in this remarkable environment.

A different way to see the gorge is a one-hour guided tour on a stand-up paddleboard (SUP), which includes transfers to and from the Village, all equipment and tuition. This small-group option is available to people of all abilities and fitness levels, and with no wind, waves or strong currents, the gorge a perfect place to begin if you’re a novice on a SUP.

The Gulf Savannah

The Terry’s property is one of many remote cattle stations scattered around the Gulf Savannah region, a long arc of low-lying plains covering 186,000sq km inland from the southern margin of the Gulf between the Atherton Tablelands and the Northern Territory border. The plains are crossed by the Gulf Development Road, which is sealed and suitable for caravan touring. Alternate routes on side roads are largely unsealed and recommended for 4WD vehicles and offroad-capable vans and trailers.

Also known as the Carpentaria Tropical Savanna, the region has two distinct seasons: ‘The Wet’ (December-March), when hot, humid northerly monsoons generate spectacular storms, occasional cyclones and most of the annual rainfall, which can cause extensive flooding; and ‘The Dry’ (April-October), with balmy southeasterly winds delivering sunny days, cool nights and very little rain. In sync with the seasons, Cobbold Village is open from 1 April (or Easter if earlier) to 31 October annually.

Gulf Country is blanketed by one of the largest expanses of native grassland in Australia, with open woodlands of eucalyptus and melaleuca, interspersed with stands of various acacias. Marsupials are the dominant fauna of the savanna biome, and around 20 species have been recorded in the Cobbold Gorge area, including koalas, echidnas, possums, kangaroos and wallabies. More than 100 bird species inhabit the station’s forests and sandstone hills, and congregate in large numbers around the dams, springs and waterholes in the dry season. The savannah environment is home to a rich assemblage of reptiles, such as snakes, skinks, geckos and goannas. A large population of Johnstone River (freshwater) crocodiles lives in the gorge and the creek also supports turtles, fish, yabbies and five species of native frogs.

In 2009, the Terry family established the 4,720ha Cobbold Gorge Nature Refuge to protect a number of rare and vulnerable plant species and to provide important wildlife corridors and catchment linkages with several regional ecosystems. A project also began in 2014 to eradicate pests and weeds in the Refuge.

Hiking and biking

Exploring the savannah environment around Cobbold Village is easy and enjoyable on four walking tracks that provide ample opportunities for sightseeing, birdwatching and photography. Three of the tracks are approved for outback mountain biking, but you’ll need to bring your own bike and helmet.

Dell’s Lookout (2km return) crosses Bond’s Creek and traverses typical savannah bushland, while Diggers Track (2.5km return) takes in some of the scenic grasslands. The Loop (5km return) is a relatively easy longer alternative for spotting woodland wildlife and birds. The more challenging Russell’s Lookout (4.5km return) climbs to a vantage point with panoramic views over Cobbold Village and the nearby sandstone outcrops and escarpments. The track passes Chinamen Hill, named for the small Chinese community that mined for gold in this area in the 1880s.

An eagle’s-eye view

For an aerial perspective, the village operates helicopter flights that reveal the true scale of the gorge and its context within the rugged terrain. The ‘Sandstone Discovery’ (15 minutes) takes in the Hampstead plateau, with its striking parallel fractures and the sinuous Cobbold Gorge, the Robertson River and Agate Creek. The ‘Property Tour’ (30 minutes) combines the Sandstone Discovery with an overview of Howlong Station, the Tin Mine Mountains and Quartz Blow, and the picturesque Kimberly Sue Lake. The ‘Sunset Heli-Picnic’ (60 minutes) lands on a peak above Agate Creek for a wine-and-cheese happy hour as the setting sun casts the surrounding sandstone formations into stark relief. Other charters can be arranged, including a heli-fishing adventure to Fish Hole, gem fossicking at Agate Creek, and an extended charter exploring the many hidden gorges or chasms in the region.

Camping and caravanning

Whether you’re towing a van or a camper trailer, or freewheeling in an RV or motorhome, or simply swagging it, there are plenty of options to satisfy your outdoor lifestyle.

Powered drive-through sites are provided on long terraces with an all-weather pebble base, which makes parking easy and avoids the hassle of dealing with the hitch at the beginning and end of your stay. For an added touch of luxury, some powered sites have private ensuite bathrooms. All have potable water and individual fireplaces. 

Unpowered camping is catered for in a well-shaded bush setting with communal fire pits, while spacious sites are available for self-contained travellers with onboard water and power (solar panels, no generators). All sites are in close proximity to excellent amenities that include flush toilets, hot showers and laundry, and a camp kitchen with a communal fridge, free gas barbecue, gas hotplates and stainless-steel sinks and food preparation surfaces.

The village also has a wide range of alternative accommodation that includes air-conditioned units and cabins with ensuite, refrigerator, television and microwave oven, as well as semi-self-contained huts and rooms with TV, bar fridge and basic kitchenette.

Comfort and convenience

While embracing the outback spirit, the village offers a host of creature comforts that make life here a real pleasure, all of them just a short walk from your site.

McDonalds Deck licensed bar and bistro is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as barista coffee and light snacks during the day. The dining area overlooks an immaculate infinity pool and spa, with outback Queensland’s first swim-up bar (open during the warmer months) and the adjacent freshwater billabong for more active pastimes of aqua golf, kayaking and stand-up paddle-boarding.

Corbett’s Store, at reception, stocks basic groceries and supplies (including ice), and a wide range of clothing, merchandise and souvenirs. For those who need to be connected, even in the bush, limited wi-fi phone and internet service is available at the bar/coffee shop area and the deck in front of reception – or you could enjoy some digital detox.

On a more practical level, there is a dump point and basic mechanical repairs can be arranged through reception. Fuel is not available at the village but can be purchased at Forsayth and Georgetown.