Yesterday, I discovered a great little bushwalk to a place called Atkinson’s Lookout.

I started out at 6am from my railway carriage at the Undara lodge, just after being woken up by a couple of feathered alarm clocks (Kookaburras) and began my walk. I was curious to get to a vantage point from which I could see the volcanic landscape looking into the national park. The previous day myself and a group from Mareeba had witnessed the mass of water collecting into the still rising 100 mile swamp, named so because it lies 100 miles west of Cardwell on the east coast. We are told it has not filled with water since 1991.

This normally dry country has come alive.

On my short walk, I saw red tailed black cockatoos in great flocks moving through the valleys at a distance. I was pretty pleased with myself that I could actually identify them, identification of animals being a great boost to the Australian male ego.

I was thinking all a while that if you were indigenous or european 200 years ago, walking through this country as I am, you’d feel like you had reached eden. Paradise on earth and a land of plenty.

Such a contrast this is to the normal dry state out here during winter, and presumably short lived with the length of the wet season. Locals call it the green season.
I can see why.

Marcus Brady

Dean Miller and Taryn Onofaro travelled to Undara Experience in October 2007 and their adventure went to air on Channel 7 last week. Here’s a little of what they had to say about their adventure.

Taryn says of the bushwalks, “Fortunately you don’t have to be super-fit to negotiate the bush walks through Undara. The tracks are graded and the surrounding volcanic countryside is truely breathtaking… ”

“We do recommend you head over to the Undara lodge for a meal at some stage during your stay. The Fettlers Bistro serves lunch and dinner on the deck, 7 days a week. ”

“Sophisticated fare in the aussie outback!”

The pair also went on a tour of the Undara Volcanic National Park with Managing Director and owner, Bram Collins. While inside the lava tubes, they were treated to a spontaneous performance by Soprano’s Tania de Jong and Dominique Oyston who were there to perform Undara’s now famous Opera in the Outback which the film crew attended that evening.

Taryn explains, “Its fantastic, for someone who’s not an opera officiado, its a great introduction”

After 10 years, the Etheridge Shire Councils ongoing program to lay bitumen on sections of the road to connect the Undara Experience with surrounding townships has finally been completed. Visitors will finally be able to feel more comfortable while travelling in any vehicle while they discover Tropical North Queensland’s Gulf Savannah region, and be able to visit this amazing region all year round.

Bram Collins, Managing Director of Undara Experience said, “At this time of year, it’s like stepping into a documentary at Undara, …We’ve been trying for years to get the words “wet season” out of peoples vocabulary because this time of year is truly the green season”. During these months of summer, Undara Experience offers amazing wildlife experiences that is far more active and prolifant than at any other time of year.

These experiences are now accessible by conventional vehicle. Drive Safely and enjoy your next outback adventure. !!

It was most certainly one of the best experiences I had in Australia and was glad that I visited Undara. My partner and I were at the front of the reception at 5.45pm as advised for our Wildlife at Sunset Tour. It took us a good half an hour to get to the lookout (within the Undara Volcanic National Park) but on the way we saw many Kangaroos, some of them very large and he explained the many different species they had around the park. The lookout is one of the most beautiful things that I had ever seen, we could see the Savannah for kilometres and all the volcanoes in the area….After this amazing experience the guide informed us that the micro-bats were waiting for us. Not very far away we drove to the Lava Tube entrance. There were two snakes above us hanging on some branches waiting to hunt and catch their dinner (the micro-bats). Suddently the bats started coming out, by the thousands, everyone was a bit uncomfortable worrying if they were going to be hit by a bat, because they fly fast and they were very close. After a little while you relax and start enjoying the experience. It was fantastic. The whole time you see the snakes moving around and doing their best to catch a micro-bat. Eventually one of them caught one. Poor micro-bat but that is nature !!!

We had alot of fun as the place is amazing and the tours are so well organised. The guide (Tim) presented very well and was professional which for me I felt was very important.

My selling points - Not too touristy, Small group on tours, Good way to experience the outback without going too far, Good restaurant, Different type of accommodation that can suite any budget.

Heloisa do Carmo visited Undara Experience in December 2007