Boodjamulla National Park, which was previously called Lawn Hill National Park, is located in the Shire of Burke, Queensland, Australia. The Riversleigh World Heritage Area, a World Heritage Site, is within the park.

The park is on the traditional land of the Waanyi people (part of which was once part of Injilarija land). In the 1870s, European settlers arrived and began raising cattle. Several small properties were combined to form Lawn Hill Station, one of Queensland's largest cattle stations. In 1984, part of the station's land was given to the government as Crown land for public use, with an additional grant in 1992. The Waanyi people received native title in 2010.

The land includes sandstone ranges, with creeks and rivers flowing through it. A major attraction is Lawn Hill Gorge. The park is home to many native animals and is recognized as an Important Bird Area.

After severe flooding in March 2023, the park was closed to visitors. It is expected to reopen in stages beginning in July 2025.

History

The Waanyi people have lived in the gorge area for at least 17,000 years and refer to this place as Boodjamulla, or Rainbow Serpent country. Lawn Hill Gorge is sacred to the Waanyi people. Evidence such as midden heaps, camp sites, grinding stones, and rock art shows the importance of this area. Today, the Waanyi people help manage the park. Part of the land around Lawn Hill was occupied by the Injilarija people until they became extinct around 1880, and the Waanyi people then took over their land.

The park has a long history of cattle farming. Until December 1984, it was part of Lawn Hill Station, which was once one of Queensland's largest cattle properties. The station was created from several land leases granted in the 1870s. For a time, it was managed by Jack Watson and Frank Hann, who were known for their cruelty and for hunting and killing Aboriginal people in the area. During a shootout at Lawn Hill in 1889, Aboriginal outlaw Joe Flick killed a Native Police officer and injured Frank Hann.

Sebastião Ferreira Maia, who owned the station from 1976, returned 122 square kilometers (47 square miles) of land to the state in 1984, with the condition that it be managed for the public's benefit. In 1992, an additional 1,350 square kilometers (520 square miles) was given to the government to expand the park's boundaries. The Riversleigh and Musselbrook sections were combined into the park in 1992.

The national park was officially declared on August 8, 1994, under the Nature Conservation Act 1992. It was later changed by regulations in 1999 and 2003. In 1994, the Waanyi people made a native title claim, which was approved in 2010, giving them legal rights to the land.

The park was previously called Lawn Hill National Park. On June 7, 2022, a new management plan named Boodjamulla National Park was released, establishing joint management between the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Waanyi people. After severe flooding in March 2023, the park was closed to visitors and is expected to reopen in stages starting in July 2025.

Geography

The park is located in the Gulf Country region of northwestern Queensland. It is about 340 kilometers (210 miles) northwest of Mount Isa or 1,837 kilometers (1,141 miles) northwest of Brisbane, within the Shire of Burke in Queensland.

The main features of the park include sandstone mountain ranges with deep gorges and a limestone plateau covered with important fossil fields. Other features are clear green water, thick vegetation, and opportunities for canoeing. Around the park are many areas set aside for mineral exploration and mining.

Description

The Riversleigh Fossil Fields Section of the park is a World Heritage Site and holds many fossil remains. Animal bones that are 25 million years old are found in the sediments.

The park includes several permanent creeks, waterholes, gorges, and sandstone ranges. Boodjamulla's ancient sandstones and limestones have been slowly removed over millions of years, creating rugged escarpments, gorges, and rock outcrops. The park has four main habitats: riverine, alluvial flats, rocky hills, and clay plains.

Lawn Hill Gorge, the main attraction in the park, cuts through the sandstone plateau of the Constance Range, which is located on the eastern edge of the Barkly Tableland. The gorge was formed by Lawn Hill Creek, which flows year-round and is fed by many freshwater springs from the limestone plateau to the west. The gorge is a rich oasis with cabbage palms and other tropical vegetation.

The Gregory River and O'Shanassy Rivers, which flow all year, are also located in the park. The park includes 20 km (12 mi) of walking tracks.

Environment

On the sandstone hills, plants such as spinifex, acacias, eucalypts, and grevilleas grow. Western bloodwoods and mitchell grass are found on the river plains. Along creek and river banks, paperbarks, river red gums, figs, ferns, pandanus, and cabbage palms are common. In the creeks, aquatic plants like waterlilies, ferns, mosses, sedges, and bulrushes grow.

Freshwater crocodiles live in the gorge, but they rarely harm people because they avoid humans. They might become aggressive if disturbed during mating or when protecting their young.

The park is home to the most easterly population of the nocturnal rock ringtail possum. Other animals in the park include the rock-haunting ringtail possum, agile wallaby, olive python, catfish, wallaroo, dingo, and echidna. In the creeks, archerfish, endangered red-bellied short-necked turtles, northern snapping turtles, and many fish species live.

Fishing is not allowed in the national park, except in Gregory River within the Riversleigh section. Lawn Hill and nearby areas are also home to feral pigs, which damage land near creek systems.

The park is classified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area. It has more than 140 bird species, including the buff-sided robin, great bowerbird, red-collared lorikeet, crimson finch, zebra finch, kestrel, spinifex pigeon, barking owl, brolga, budgerigars, and wedge-tailed eagle. The park supports many Carpentarian grasswrens and small numbers of painted honeyeaters. The rare purple-crowned fairy-wren is the park’s emblem.

Management

Since June 7, 2022, the park has been jointly managed by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and the Waanyi people. At that time, there were five or six Indigenous rangers, and the number is expected to increase.

Access

The park is located 100 kilometers west of Gregory. Visitors from Mount Isa travel north along the Barkly Highway. The easiest route to the park is through the Burke & Wills Roadhouse. The road to the park is not paved and may be too difficult to drive on after rain. The wet season runs from October to March. Because the park is far from cities, visitors should bring extra fuel, food, and water.

Camping is allowed in two areas: Lawn Hill Gorge and Miyumba bush camp near the Gregory River. The Lawn Hill Gorge site has toilets and showers. This site allows only one vehicle per campsite and is not suitable for caravans or vehicles longer than 4 meters. Permits are required, and visitors must book in advance from Easter to October.