Hundreds of campers flee remote caravan park blaze
The fire destroyed the caravan park's main reception building. Photo: Facebook/ABC
Owners of a popular recreation park in Queensland’s Gulf Country say it’s still open for business, despite a midnight fire that destroyed its reception and restaurant.
About 500 campers were woken about 1am on Tuesday morning when the fire ripped through Adels Grove Camping Park in remote far western Queensland.
The blaze destroyed the building that houses the park’s main reception, restaurant, bar, shop and kitchen.
The Queensland Ambulance Service said it treated one person for a minor ember burn. There were no other injuries.
Resort manager Michelle Low Mow told the ABC she was alerted to the blaze at 12.45am, when she woke to find the resort’s main building alight.
“We are totally devastated, we’ve been here 19 years and we’ve never seen anything like this,” she said.
The park, which is near the Queensland-Northern Territory border, was not evacuated, despite the blaze. Management said on Tuesday that many campers had opted to stay and continue their holiday despite the temporary loss of some services.
Fire crews, police and paramedics from Doomadgee and Burketown were called in to assist.
Adels Grove Camping Park is an eco-sensitive park on Lawn Hill Creek about 250 kilometres north-west of Mount Isa. It is 10 kilometres downstream from Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park in the Gulf Of Carpentaria.
The national park provided the backdrop for Tourism Australia’s 2018 Crocodile Dundee Super Bowl advertisement. Stars Chris Hemsworth and US comedian Danny McBride – and a 90-strong crew – stayed at Adels Grove Camping Park during filming.
“Many will have woken to the news that we experienced a fire overnight in the main building here at Adels Grove,” a park spokesman posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
“Everybody is safe and unharmed and we appreciate everyone’s well wishes.”
Many will have woken to the news that we experienced a fire overnight in the main building here at #AdelsGrove. Please note everybody is safe & unharmed & we appreciate everyones well wishes. While we asses the damage we appreciate your patience & will provide more news ASAP
— Adels Grove (@AdelsGroveQLD) July 8, 2019
There are more than 61 rooms and glamping tents at the caravan park, as well as 235 camp and caravan sites.
The owners are working with authorities to pinpoint the cause of Tuesday morning’s blaze.
-with AAP
