Longreach Waterhole NT.

We've just spent 3 days at the Longreach Waterhole, 12kms west of Elliot in the NT.

I reckon it's in the top 3 free/low cost campsites we've been to in the 4 years we've been travelling.

It's free. Toilets at the entrance but no other facilities at all.
There are plenty of campsites along 3 kms ( maybe ) of the waters edge.
Plenty of open spaces, and plenty of shade.
Campfires are allowed and there is still plenty of wood around.
The waterhole is nowhere near full at the moment but there is still plenty of water.
OK for swimming too.
Got a few very small yabbies but only a couple big enough to eat.
No fish, but there are plenty there going by the incredible bird life.
50+ pelicans, lots of darters, ducks, wild geese, egrets, spoonbills, ibis, moorhens, kites, and many others.
The odd jabiru and some brolgas flew in every day.
Some brilliant sunsets too.

Just a very, very special place to spend some time.
We would have stayed longer but we didn't take a lot of supplies with us and the store in Elliot is very ordinary.
In fact, the whole town is extremely ordinary.

So if you are going to stop in there take plenty of food etc. with you.

The track in from the Stuart Hwy. is all dirt. ( 11 kms )
Sandy in places and a couple of rough spots, but OK for all types of vehicles. Just take it slowly.

Cheers, Brian

Thanx for the great description Sands,

We often travel the Stuart Highway and can see the glint of the water when heading north, prior to Elliot.

Once year we took the track left just north of the township to camp there and somehow found ourselves meandering through the residential streets instead of the waterhole. The bemused looks of the locals as we towed and discovered cul-de-sac after cul-de-sac and no lake was something we still laugh about today. I dubbed Smed 'Russell Coight' as we got out of there.

For those not familiar with Russell Coight here is a link:



Cheers,
Sharon

G'day Sharon.

The turn-off is a track about 50 metres past the turn into the saleyards and dip.
Just north of Elliot.

The water you can see south of the town is probably Lake Woods, which is a big wetland area. Water flowing through the waterhole eventually ends up there during the wet season.