The road into Lorella Springs is only 31km long and took 45 minutes. It is the worst stretch of road between Darwin and Cape Crawford. Unfortunately that and the amenities tainted the experience for me, considering what you pay to stay there.
Very basic amenities-makeshift corrugated iron showers and toilets, shared by men and women with huge unplugged holes all over them. I was not at all comfortable and chose not to use the shower. The water was only hot if someone had fired up the wood heater. All a little too careless. There were barely any provisions available-shop almost empty, which was not an issue for us but I imagine some struggled. The hot spring near reception area was very warm and I really enjoyed it and the socialising, as it got crowded around 3-5 every day ( prob because people were using it as a substitute for their normal shower because of the poor amenities.) Happy hour was fun. The helicopter 1/2 trip was good. The 4WD tracks were demanding, and to get to some of the highlights of the station, took a reasonable walk after driving there. I felt it all a bit over-rated. We found staff lovely and very helpful. But Outback doesn't have to mean lacking in properly private shower and toilet cubicles, particularly in this day and age. One set of mixed amenities offered only shower curtains for doors. Not on for safety of youth and children. If they put a bit more effort in I would totally rate it as a worthwhile visit.
Located 127 Kilometres from Cape Crawford, Lorella Springs offers basic camp spots with access to showers (water can be warm, if you bring wood and light the boiler) and toilets in camp areas close to the homestead. Further away it's full on bush camping.
Some good walks, but tracks are rough and not exceptionally well marked.
It's worth the trip on the rough, corrugated roads.
We heard about Lorella Springs while chatting with other travelers on the Savannah Way. Our plan was to drop in for a night and visit the Lost City the next day. Well! 5 nights later after exploring Lorella Springs and camping out in the wilderness some nights, camping by the homestead and bathing in the warm springs, we reluctantly dragged ourselves out to see the Lost City (which is amazing).
Staff were welcoming and helpful, food was great, limited supplies and diesel available and a beautiful wilderness full of adventure and wildflowers to explore. Tracks 4WD and not for the feint hearted but fabulous.
Dusty, dirty facilities, no bathroom sinks, no covid sanitation or signage, toilets and showers were not cleaned the entire time that we were there. No rubbish bins available in toilets, an outside tap at a bog hole sufficed for a sink for hundreds of people. Couldn't wash face, hands, teeth without water splashing out of mud. Very unhygienic! Nowhere to hang gear in most showers as facilities have not been maintained at all for what looks like season after season. No hot water unless donkey going, and that's ok, except to keep the donkey going, people needed to BYO firewood, from outside the park. Considering how much firewood was available in the park, a small amount could have been continuously stocked at the toilet block. At $25/person, and even in a remote area, this was not good. The sights were very disappointing. The waterholes were long since fouled up by visitors as the drier conditions set in. We did not swim in them. Nanny's Retreat still ok, but sheer numbers of tourists will rapidly make the condition of this waterhole poor, and it's a shame as humans can do without it, but wildlife cannot! Other sights were also not as claimed and the roads were atrocious in some areas to the point that people should have been warned just how bad they were and perhaps closed off until they could be attended to. The hard sell for Helicopter rides met us on arrival, and we did not appreciate the push to do them before we'd even checked in, along with sights that were not as we found them. Direction signage was poor, misleading and too small. We've done years of 4WD trips and remote area camping, dealt with the roughest of roads and poorest of camping facilities, but this far from met our expectations because it's sold as a highlight of an NT visit. It's grossly overated.
It is beautiful there. And for that alone I would recommend going. However I feel the need to share an unfortunate experience. There are huge privacy issues on the campgrounds. Especially with the hot showers. We were set up close to the wood fire block.
One of the teenage girls in our group had a man pull open the shower curtain ( a flimsy, cheap, ripped one fastened with a square of Velcro) whilst she was in there showering. He Opened it fully and had a good look at her before scampering off. Another one in our group saw someone leering to look at them on the toilet.
I brought the incident up with the cleaners (who were very sympathetic) and then to reception, only to get a response of “Wow, why would anyone want do that? That’s never happened before” I then asked if there were any showers available on the block with doors. And got a gruff “It’s on our to-do list along with a million other things, everything has to come from Darwin you know and it’s a very long way…” (a rather passive aggressive guilt trip for daring to ask). After being told that “it was our choice to shower there” Her advice was to use the colder central shower block instead which has female/male sections. I left bewildered and was later shocked to find out that this lady who unconsciously condoned questionable conditions, was one of the owners. 🥺
There was no apology or care towards our kids feeling violated at all. Just a dismissive “I get it”. And I’m saddened to see that this issue has been brought up in a previous review from 2 years ago. Everyone has a right to personal privacy. We left the following day feeling unheard and obsolete.
Lorella Springs is a beautiful spot with breathtaking scenery. And most of the staff there are more than accommodating. I just feel compelled to warn others of the potential risk that we unfortunately encountered there. This man was a visitor. And I fully accept that the owners have no control over his decision to invade ones personal space. But doors aren’t a huge ask. Even if they’re tin ones. Just something that can be secured. However after the response I got, I don’t see it ever happening. Just something to be wary of when visiting.
