While in Mount Isa a couple camping next to us recommended we stop at Undara near Mount Surprise on our way towards Cooktown. So we took their advice. And didn’t regret it.

The Undara Experience is a large bush campground that also caters for non-campers with pioneer cottages and railway carriages plus it has an area of permanent swags. It offers bush walks plus tours to lava tubes formed from a volcano many thousands of years ago. There is an abundance of wildlife, particularly wallabies who aren’t too shy. At night we listened to the kookaburras laughing as we sat at our campfire. They were also noisy early in the morning!

We loved the peace and quiet of the camp. We also took a short bush walk as the tours of the lava tubes were booked out which was a pity. On our way out, however, we did walk up to the Kalkani Crater to have a look.

On the first evening, we had dinner in the large, outdoor dining area which had a high roof and railway carriages on the perimeter. The tables in the centre looked onto the bush which became quite lively at dusk particularly with laughing kookaburras. It was a beautiful environment. We decided to enjoy the ambience of our little camp on the second evening and set a little campfire.

In the morning we joined a few others for breakfast in the bush. This was awesome. The area was well set up with logs to sit on and small tables with cup holders also made from logs. We had Billy tea and toasted our own bread on the fire. There was cereal, fruit and yoghurt as well as a cooked breakfast from the camp ovens. Of course the kookaburras watched our every move hoping for some scraps.

We had a fabulous few days at the Undara Experience. So glad we didn’t miss it!