Gulf Art Tour - Mount Isa to Darwin
Gulf tour Adels Grove.
Eleven artists met me at Mt Isa for the start of our adventure painting in the Gulf country. There was a great view of the town and the mine at the City Hill lookout, and the view of the mine and its relationship to the town inspired all of us to sketch. At Lake Moondarra 20 kilometres away, was a beautiful quiet place to paint at with lots of bird life. Heading North we travelled through termite nests, crossed the Gregory River, visited Riversleigh Fossil Fields, and arrived at Adel’s Grove, the entrance to Lawn Hill National Park. Surrounded by Pandanus Palms, Paperbark tees, and ferns this place is an oasis in a harsh landscape. Lawn Hill Gorge has cliffs rising on each side of the river and lush undergrowth. You can swim, paddle a canoe or take a cruise up the gorge which we did. We did see one fresh water crocodile basking in the sun, but evidently they don’t eat you! Lunch and painting time was the agenda for the rest of our day. Some climbed to the top of the escarpment, some just sat under the trees- It was such a beautiful place.
We did a sunset tour to Harrys Hill from Adels Grove; it had been raining so we had sun, cloud and rain thrown into the mix. Heading to Burketown we passed through timbered country into spear grass plains. We saw wedge tailed eagles, Brolgas and plenty of Brahman cattle. We painted at Leichhardt Falls, sketched at the Burketown Bore- it looked like a big boil bubbling away, sending hot water into wetlands filled with birds and wallabies.
Travelling over a corrugated track we bounced along through Hells Gate, across the border into the Northern territory through scrub, some amazing hills and saw Cycad palms, and a burnt landscape, a tradition of the aborigines which cattle men use today. We didn’t have much time to stop on this leg of our journey, and took every chance to sketch when we did.
We spent two nights in Borooloola a remote town close to the Gulf where the population is mainly indigenous.
Now the highlight of the tour! We drove to Cape Crawford and the Heartbreak Hotel to take a helicopter ride over the Lost City. It was a breathtaking flight. Below, amazing sandstone formations resembled skyscrapers sitting on a plateau in the landscape.
Later in the afternoon we went to the Carabirini Conservation reserve to paint and found a beautiful waterhole, green and lush, covered in pink waterlilies, contrasting to dry grey banks and twisted tree roots. There were lost city like formations to paint and walk through.
The next day we travelled through a landscape of blue gums, sap green eucalypts, flowering wattle, spear grass and termite mounds. Some looked like buddas sitting in the landscape. Daly Waters Pub was our lunch stop- very touristy with all sorts of things like old T shirts, thongs, caps, car number plates, and even bras decorating the bar.
Mataranka overnight gave us time for a swim in the thermal pool, and the next morning more sketching was done en route to Katherine where we relaxed and prepared for the next leg of our journey. A two hour cruise took us into Katherine Gorge. Lots of photos were taken and some even sketched on the boat. In the early morning the light played on orange cliffs rising from dark green water; add a blue sky and you can imagine the colours. Afterwards, painting in the grounds of the visitors centre at the gorge brought an end to a wonderful day.
Sadly next day was our last! We headed to Darwin. On the way we went painting at Edith Falls. We painted madly, mindful that this was our last opportunity before we hit the big smoke. Along the way we had a show and tell every few days where we sat around before dinner with a glass of wine discussing our art work. Everyone had been so eager to paint at every spot we stopped.
Each day when the bus door opened, out they would spring, paints in hand, and disappear into the landscape. There was some great work done, and even the driver joined in sketching.
It was such fun enjoying the company of like-minded people, and painting time in such wonderful places.
Gulf art tour Eva painting.
Gulf art tour painting at Katherine Gorge restaurant.
