Gulf Savannah: Undara to Mount Isa
Lava tubes, a crocodile statue, a lonely railway and a Gulf sunset, then outback copper country and Boodjamulla Gorge, along the Savannah Way.
- Distance
- 1,537 km (955 mi)
- Driving
- 16 h 45 min
- Suggested days
- 6
- Stops
- 12
- States
- Queensland
- Updated
- April 30, 2026
At a glance: 6-day road trip of about 1,537 km (955 mi) with 12 stops, from Cairns to Lawn Hill Gorge Campground. About 16 h 45 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Queensland · More road trips from Cairns
Route description
Leave Cairns for the Atherton Tableland and follow the Kennedy Highway south-west, then the Gulf Developmental Road to Undara, around 280 km and a long day. Join a guided tour of the lava tubes, formed about 190,000 years ago, and walk Kalkani Crater alone. Railway-carriage rooms and camping suit an overnight stay. Mount Surprise is the nearest town, so fill your tank and buy supplies beforehand.
Continue west on the Savannah Way and Gulf Developmental Road, about 430 km to Normanton, through Georgetown and Croydon. The road is sealed but often narrow with single-lane stretches, and road trains need room: pull off and give way. Fuel stops are far apart, so top up at every town. Wet-season floods can close sections between about December and April; check road reports.
In Normanton, photograph the statue of Krys, an 8.64 m crocodile reputedly shot in 1957, and see the station of the Gulflander, a 151 km railway to Croydon that runs about weekly. Then drive 70 km north to Karumba for a Gulf of Carpentaria sunset and barramundi country. Do not swim anywhere in the Gulf or tidal rivers; saltwater crocodiles are common. The sealed road is flat and low-lying, prone to flooding.
From Normanton to Mount Isa is about 500 km via Cloncurry on sealed highways. Mount Isa’s lookout shows the 270 m smelter stack of this mining city on Kalkadoon land. For Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) Gorge, 340 km north-west, allow at least two days and go only in the dry season; permits and bookings are essential for camping. Carry food, water and spare fuel, since services are very sparse.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Cairns
Queensland - 2247 km
Mount Surprise
Queensland - 336 km
Undara Lava Tubes
NatureMount Surprise, QueenslandAmong the longest lava tubes on Earth, formed by eruptions about 190,000 years ago in Undara Volcanic National Park. Tube visits are by guided tour only, while Kalkani Crater can be walked alone; the wet season may cut roads.
- 42 km
Undara Experience Railway Carriages
StaysMount Surprise, QueenslandOld railway carriages converted to rooms in savanna woodland beside the lava tubes, an unusual outback base with campfire evenings and wildlife at dusk. Mount Surprise is the nearest town, so arrive with a full tank and supplies.
- 5450 km
Normanton
Queensland - 60 km
Krys the Crocodile
OdditiesNormanton, QueenslandLife-size statue of Krys, a saltwater crocodile of 8.64 m reputedly shot in 1957 on the Norman River and claimed to be the largest ever taken. Normanton’s famous photo stop and a reminder of how big Gulf crocodiles can grow.
- 70 km
The Gulflander
HistoryNormanton, QueenslandAn isolated 151 km line between Normanton and Croydon, built in the 1880s as part of a gold-rush railway and unconnected to the rest of Queensland’s network. A passenger train runs about once a week, so check the timetable.
- 840 km
Karumba Point
ViewsNormanton, QueenslandBeach on the Gulf of Carpentaria known for sunsets over open water and for barramundi fishing nearby, about 70 km from Normanton. It is the only beach in the region reached by sealed road; do not swim, as crocodiles are common.
- 9463 km
Mount Isa
Queensland - 101 km
Mount Isa City Lookout
ViewsMount Isa, QueenslandViewpoint over Mount Isa and the mine, with the 270 m lead smelter stack of 1978 dominating the skyline of this copper, silver, lead and zinc city. A good stop to grasp how the town is built around the mine.
- 11296 km
Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) Gorge
NatureMount Isa, QueenslandSandstone gorge with a spring-fed, permanent creek in Boodjamulla National Park, explored by canoe and walking tracks. The Waanyi people jointly manage the park, about 340 km north-west of Mount Isa; go in the dry season.
- 120 km
Lawn Hill Gorge Campground
CampingMount Isa, QueenslandNational park campground at Lawn Hill Gorge with toilets and showers, a base for canoeing and the gorge walks. Permits are required and bookings are essential in the dry season; supplies and fuel are a very long way off.
Suggested stages and overnight stops
6 days, split by driving time. Campsites from OpenStreetMap: check opening dates before you go.
- Day 1: Cairns → Mount Surprise · 247 km · 2 h 42 min
- Day 2: Mount Surprise → Normanton · 488 km · 5 h 19 minOn the way: Undara Lava Tubes, Undara Experience Railway Carriages.
- Day 3: Normanton → Karumba Point · 41 km · 0 h 27 minOn the way: Krys the Crocodile, The Gulflander.
- Day 4: Karumba Point → Mount Isa · 463 km · 5 h 03 min
- Day 5: Mount Isa → Mount Isa City Lookout · 1 km · 0 h 01 min
- Day 6: Mount Isa City Lookout → Lawn Hill Gorge Campground · 296 km · 3 h 14 minOn the way: Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) Gorge.Overnight at the campsite itself.
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April–May and October. Hot in November–March. July and August are the busiest months: book campsites early.
Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons
FAQs
How long is Gulf Savannah: Undara to Mount Isa?
6-day road trip of about 1,537 km (955 mi) with 12 stops, from Cairns to Lawn Hill Gorge Campground. About 16 h 45 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Gulf Savannah: Undara to Mount Isa?
We suggest 6 days: about 16 h 45 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Gulf Savannah: Undara to Mount Isa start and end?
It starts in Cairns and ends in Lawn Hill Gorge Campground.
Which states does Gulf Savannah: Undara to Mount Isa pass through?
Queensland.
When is the best time for Gulf Savannah: Undara to Mount Isa?
The most pleasant months are usually June–September. Still fine, with some compromises, in April–May and October. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
