The best bushwalks and attractions of Carnarvon National Park

Carnarvon National Park is one Queensland’s Sandstone Wilderness parks, which features flora and fauna found nowhere else in the world, spectacular sandstone gorges, majestic mountain ranges and significant Aboriginal art sites. The park stretches approximately 300km from north-west to south-east, across seven sections which each have different biophysical characteristics:

1. Carnarvon Gorge
2. Mount Moffatt
3. Salvator Rosa
4. Ka Ka Mundi
5. Buckland Tableland
6. Goodliffe
7. Moolayember

The closest major town and airport is Emerald to the north, with Carnarvon Gorge being the easiest-to-access section – and the most popular and busy destination. The Carnarvon Great Walk links the Carnarvon Gorge and Mount Moffatt sections of the Carnarvon National Park via an 87km, 5-6 day bushwalk. It’s possible to cover both the Carnarvon Gorge and Mount Moffatt areas in 3-4 days, including all of the bushwalking trails.

1. Carnarvon Gorge

Carnarvon Gorge is the most popular part of Carnarvon National Park (it has the easiest access and some of the most spectacular features) and can get fairly busy during school holidays, when it’s best to book accommodation well in advance. Carved out by water over millions of years, Carnarvon Gorge is about 30 kilometres in length and and six hundred metres deep at it’s mouth -the main walking trail goes for 10km up the middle of the gorge.

Carnarvon Gorge bushwalks

All of the bushwalking trails get pretty busy, so an early start is recommended to get ahead of the crowds. If you’re undertaking the Main Track, consider starting either very early and doing the side-trips on the way out, or visit them in the late afternoon on the way back – they are much more enjoyable when you have them to yourself. Many people only go as far as the Art Gallery, but if you’re reasonably fit you can do every side-trip (including Boolimba Bluff or Battleship Spur) in one long day.

Bushwalk	Length (return)	Grade	Description	AllTrails Map
Rock Pool (from Rock Pool car park)	0.5km	Easy	Easy walk to beautiful swimming hole
Clematis Ridge	1.2km	Moderate	Off-track walk to small peak with great views
Nature Trail	1.5km	Easy	Pleasant loop around Carnarvon Creek	Map
Rock Pool (from Visitor Centre)	3.6km	Easy	Longer trail to swimming hole	Map
Mickey Creek Gorge	4.2km	Easy/Moderate	Explore two narrow side-gorges	Map
Devils Sign Post	9.5km	Moderate	Off-track walk to spectacular viewpoint	Map
Main Track to Big Bend	19.4km	Easy/Moderate	Pleasant walk along entire gorge
Battleship Spur	30km	Moderate	Continue beyond Big Bend to lookout along Great Walk	Map
Main Track with all side trips	35.5km	Moderate	Long but incredibly scenic & varied walk	Map
– Boolimba Bluff	6.4km	Easy/Moderate	Steep climb; great views from the top	Map
– Moss Garden	7km	Easy	Beautiful shaded gorge and waterfall	Map
– Amphitheatre	8.6km	Easy	Spectacular, narrow gorge accessed by stairway
– Wards Canyon	9.2km	Easy	Shaded gorge sheltering world’s largest fern
– Art Gallery	10.8km	Easy	Some of the best examples of Aboriginal stencil art in Australia
– Cathedral Cave	18.2km	Easy	Massive overhang with panorama of rock art
– Boowinda Gorge	19.4km	Easy/Moderate	Rock-hop through a sculpted side gorge

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Where to Camp in Carnarvon Gorge

Within the Carnarvon Gorge section of Carnarvon National Park there are four camping sites (all require advanced booking):

• Carnarvon Gorge Camping Area is open during the Easter, June-July and September-October Queensland school holidays. It’s near the Visitor Centre and id well-euipped with BBQs, picnic tables and toilets.
• Big Bend Camping Area is located next to Carnarvon Creek under towering sandstone cliffs; it’s at the end of the Main Track and part of the Carnarvon Great Walk. It accommodates up to 10 campers per night, and has one picnic table and self-composting toilets.
• BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Carnarvon Gorge has powered and unpowered sites (as well as cabins), and has toilets, showers, BBQs and a small grocery store. It’s about 6km from the Visitor Centre.
• Sandstone Park Camp Site is just outside Carnarvon National Park; it’s about a 7.1km drive to the Visitor Centre and is open seasonally (March to October).

Getting to Carnarvon Gorge

Carnarvon Gorge is between Roma (246km south) and Emerald (238km north), with Emerald being the closest airport that has domestic flights. Unlike the other sections of Carnarvon National Park, there are sealed roads the entire way allowing 2WD access – the only unsealed surface is the carpark! The closest town with fuel and a grocery store is Rolleston (106km or a 1:20min drive).

There’s not much to see around the park: about halfway back to the main highjway is the Rewan Memorial, which commemorates 14 Australian soldiers and five United States military personnel killed in an aircrash near Rolleston during WWII. Their Dakota C-47 broke up in mid-air in a violent storm over Rewan Station south of Springsure, killing all crew and passengers.

Just north of Springsure is the Virgin Rock Viewing Area, which offers a great view of Virgin Rock, an outcrop in Minerva Hills National Park that’s said to resemble the Virgin Mary cradling the baby Jesus. If you’re driving north to Emerald, an only slightly-longer route via Fairbarn Dam passes two picnic areas above the lake. The man-made lake on the Nogoa River was engineered by the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Authority and completed in 1972 for the primary purpose of irrigation. It’s the second-largest dam in Queensland holding 1,301,000 ML when full (or 3x Sydney Harbour) and supplies about 300 irrigators with water for cotton, citrus and other horticulture operations.

2. Mount Moffatt, Carnarvon National Park

Although it’s a relatively remote area, the Mount Moffatt section of Carnarvon National Park has a permanent ranger station, a number of campsites and many signposted natural features and rock art sites.

Bushwalking in Mount Moffatt

While Carnarvon Gorge is all about bushwalking, Mount Moffatt combines a few short walks with lots of driving between attractions.

Bushwalk	Length	Grade	Description	AllTrails Map
Marlong Arch	0.2km return	Easy	Short walk up to natural sandstone art (and Aboriginal rock art)
Cathedral Rock	0.4km return	Easy	A Precipice Sandstone bluff, with hand stencils at the base
Kookaburra Cave	1.5km return	Easy	Pleasant walk to an Aboriginal rock art site at the base of a large rock outcrop	Map
Maranoa Circuit walk	3.5km loop	Easy	A very small part of the Carnarvon Great Walk through open woodland.	Map
Maranoa River circuit track	5.8km loop	Easy	Loop walk that combines two sandstone formations with rock art and burial site	Map
– The Chimneys	1.4km return	Easy	Three pillars of rock that have been formed through weathering
– The Looking Glass	1.9km return	Easy	A wind-eroded cave through the top of a sandstone pillar
– The Tombs Rock Art	4.2km return	Easy	Over 400 stencil motifs on the walls of a sandstone shelter, and a sacred burial site

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Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive

Almost all of the natural attractions and cultural heritage sites are along the 32km Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive, which starts at the entrance to the park.

 0.0km Entrance to Park
 2.0km Sandstone day-use area (start of Maranoa River circuit track & Tombs Rock Art walk)
 7.0km Start of Loop - clockwise direction recommended
10.0km Dargonelly Rock Hole campground
13.2km Marlong Arch bushwalk (0.2km)
17.5km Kookaburra Cave
20.5km Lots Wife
22.0km Turn off to Marlong Plain (4km return)
25.0km Turn-off to High Country Drive (40km return)
27.0km Turn-off to West Branch Camping Area & Maranoa Circuit walk (5.8km loop)
34.0km Ranger Station and Information Hut
36.0km Turn-off to Mt Moffatt / Top Moffatt camping area (30km return)
41.0km End of Loop
46.0km Sandstone day-use area
48.0km Entrance to Park

Not long after you enter Carnarvon National Park you’ll pass the clearly signposted Sandstone Day-use Area. This is the start of a number of short walks, and a longer walk (which I strongly recommend) that combines three short walks into a longer loop.

On the opposite side of the road is the very short walk to Cathedral Rock, a sandstone bluff which has unusual rectangular patterns, and a small Aboriginal rock art site near its base.

About 6km after the start of the loop (and 3km after the Dargonelly Rock Hole campground) is Marlong Arch, a natural sandstone arch that has been formed by weathering of the soft Precipice Sandstone. A short walk goes up the bottom of the arch; continue through the arch to a small Aboriginal rock art site near the base of the adjoining cliffs.

The next stop is the Kookaburra Cave, which features over 40 stencils (one of which resembles a kookaburra) and intricate carvings in the sandstone.

Soon after the Kookaburra Cave is Lots Wife, a giant sandstone pillar named after the biblical character, a disobedient woman who was turned into a pillar of salt for looking back to see the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as she and her family were fleeing.

A short 4WD trail off the Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive (about 2km each way) goes to the edge of the Marlong Plain. These natural grasslands, which are surrounded by sandstone ridges, consist predominantly of Queensland bluegrass (Dichanthium sericeum) and support the threatened native thistle (Stemmacantha australis).

The turn-off to the High Country Drive (20km each way) is at about the half-way point of the loop. This 4WD trail takes you to:

• Kenniff Lookout – a view through the trees of Mount Rugged, said to have been used as a lookout by the Kenniff brothers, two notorious bushrangers
• Kenniff Incineration Site – evidence suggests that the bodies of Doyle and Dahlke were cremated by the Kenniff brothers on a large rock in the creek bed near this spot.
• Rotary Shelter Shed – a camping spot with a flat site and great views.
• Mahogany Forest – cool moist conditions supporting a majestic forest of tall, stately stringybark trees on the Consuelo Tableland.
• Head of Carnarvon Creek – to the east, water travels down Carnarvon Gorge into the Dawson and Fitzroy rivers and to the south-east, water travels via the Maranoa River into the mighty Murray-Darling catchment.

Next is the West Branch Camping Area (2km off the Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive), which is the starting point for the Maranoa Circuit walk.

If you’re doing the Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive anti-clockwise, there’s a long section with no signposted attractions between the campground and the Sandstone day-use area near the park exit. You’ll pass the Ranger Station, which also has a small Information Hut. Off-track walking is permitted in Carnarvon National Park, so you can explore some of the sandstone cliffs and shelters that see from the road.

Where to Camp in Mount Moffatt

Mount Moffatt has two camping areas along the Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive, each with a limited number of campsites (Camping fees apply and advance reservations recommended, especially during school holidays).

• Dargonelly Rock Hole is near the start of the Mount Moffatt Circuit Drive; the large campground has some nice rock pools, but by late September they were fairly stagnant. There are two drop toilets and untreated water available from a small tank.

• West Branch Camping Area is on the edge of west branch of the Maranoa River – but the rock pools will only have water at the start of the Dry Season. Two drop toilets and untreated water available from a small tank. A wide shelter at the end of the campground has some Aboriginal rock art.

• Rotary Shelter Shed halfway along the High Country Drive, which has a picnic shelter and a hybrid toilet. 30km from the park entrance
• Top Moffatt Camping Area is at the end of the road out to Mount Moffatt, along the East Branch of the Maranoa River. It has a pit toilet. 28km from the park entrance

Getting to Mount Moffat

The entrance to the Mount Moffatt section of Carnarvon National Park is section is about 220km north of Mitchell, and 460km (5:30min drive) from Emerald, which is the closest airport. Add another 35km for the Mount Moffatt Drive and 40km for the High Country Drive. The last 80km is unsealed and a 4WD is highly recommended, as there are some eroded and very sandy sections.

There’s not much to see along the drive, but you’ll cross the Great Dividing Range, and about 10km before entering the national park there’s a small shelter and the burnt-out remains of an old slab hut (with a shaded picnic shelter next to it).

How long do you need to see Mount Moffatt?

You can cover all of the Mount Moffatt area in one day (which is what I did), but given the relatively long drive from the nearest town, camping for one or two nights allows a bit more time to explore the 4WD side-tracks off the main loop.

3. Salvator Rosa, Carnarvon National Park

One of the more remote sections of Carnarvon National Park, this section of the park protects the area discovered by explorer Sir Thomas (Major) Mitchell on his 1846 expedition, when he named it after the painter Salvator Rosa. It’s more of a 4WD than a hiking destination, offering dramatic landscapes and crystal clear spring-fed creeks (around four million litres of water flows daily into Louisa Creek from Major Mitchell and Belinda Springs).

Bushwalking trails

There are three, short trails in this section of the park – and opportunities for longer, off-track bushwalks for experienced and self-reliant walkers.

Bushwalk	Length	Grade	Description
Homoranthus Hill	0.3km return	Easy	Lookout with a 360-degree view of the park
Hadrians Wall Loop	1km circuit	Easy	Short walk to Hadrians Wall, a natural rock formation
Spyglass Peak circuit	2km circuit	Easy	Continues past Hadrians Wall to base of large sandstone outcrop

Camping

A bush camping area is located along the broad sand bank of the Nogoa River (2.4km from park entrance).

Getting to Salvator Rosa

The Salvator Rosa section is 168km from Springsure and 135km from Tambo via Mount Playfair Road, and 230km (3 hours) from Emerald Airport. 4WD access only.

4. Ka Ka Mundi, Carnarvon National Park

Before it was gazetted as a national park in 1974 (primarily to preserve bonewood, softwood and brigalow scrub) Ka Ka Mundi was grazed for over a century and old cattle yards remain near some of the springs. There are no formal bushwalking trails, but there are bush camping areas at Bunbuncundoo Springs.

Getting to Ka Ka Mundi

Ka Ka Mundi is 130km (two hours) drive south-west of Springsure and 200km (2:45min) from Emerald Airport. 4WD access only.

5. Buckland Tableland

There are no formal bushwalking trails or camping sites in this section, which is accessed via Springsure.

6. Goodliffe, Carnarvon National Park

This is the most remote section of Carnarvon National Park, which is traversed by the Tambo Wilderness Way. There are no formal trails or camping in this section.

7. Moolayember

The Moolayember section of Carnarvon National Park is the most recent addition to the park, and has no walking trails or campsites.

When to visit Carnarvon National Park?

The best time to visit Carnarvon National park is between April and October, after the Wet Season:

• April/May – arguably the best months, as the creeks will be flowing and park will be at its greenest! This is definitely the best period to do the Carnarvon Great Walk, with water far more readiily available.
• June/July/August – the creeks may still be flowing, and it’s a good time for the longer bushwalks as it’s cooler. But the days will be short and the nights fairly cold.
• September/October – generally still pleasant for walking, but all the smaller creeks and waterholes will be dry. I’d avoid the Carnarvon Great Walk during this time. There’s a greater chance of park or road closures due to bushfires.
• November-March – you can still visit during the the wet season, but some accommodation providers will be closed, it’s hot and humid… and there’s a risk some creek crossings will be impassable.

A brief history of Carnarvon National Park

Carnarvon National Park was the traditional home of the Garingbal (also spelt Karingbal) and Bidjara people, with evidence of occupation dating back at least 19,500 years. It’s uncertain whether Carnarvon Gorge – which was carved out by the rainbow serpent Mundagurra as he travelled through the creek system – was permanently inhabited, due to either the gorge being considered sacred and/or lack of food resources.

The first European explorer to visit was Ludwig Leichhardt, during an expedition to Port Essington in 1844 and two years later Thomas Mitchell passed to the west of Carnarvon Gorge. Mitchell named the Carnarvon Range, possibly after Henry Herbert (3rd Earl of Carnarvon). Permanent water and good pastureland attracted settlers to the area from the 1850s, initiating a period of bloody conflict between settlers and the Aboriginal people.

The national park was first gazetted as a 26,304 hectare (65,000 acre) reserve in 1932 to protect Carnarvon Gorge for its outstanding scenic values, its indigenous and European cultural heritage and its geological significance. Several pastoral areas have been added to the park since then, which has increased its size to 298,000 hectares (almost 750,000 acres) today.

Accommodation near Carnarvon National Park

Most sections of Carnarvon National Park have one (or more) campgrounds – which are described above. As all sections of the park are relatively remote, accommodation options are farly limited.

If you’re visiting Carnarvon Gorge, there are two options which are both within Carnarvon National Park and offer non-camping options:

• BIG4 Breeze Holiday Park – Carnarvon Gorge has a range of cabins, cottages and luxury tents (as well as powered and unpowered sites) and is a few minutes drive from the Visitor Centre. There is a grocery store but no cafe or restaurant.
• Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge offers luxury cabins in a parkland setting, and is on the main road not far from the first bushwalking trail to the Rock Pool. It is also self-catering (although this may change) but they offer pre-prepared BBQ packs and lunch packs.

Injune is the closest town with accommodation to the Mount Moffatt section of Carnarvon National Park, and it is quite feasible to do a day-trip from here that takes in all the main features and bushwalks of Mount Moffatt. (I stayed at Injune Haven, who were very accommodating of my late arrival and early departure!).

Booking.com

The other sections (especially Ka Ka Mundi and Salvator Rosa) are best explored from Springsure, which has a motel and a tavern with rooms.

More information & resources

• Queensland Parks maps [PDF] – Carnarvon Gorge / Mount Moffatt / Salvator Rosa / Ka Ka Mundi
• Queensland Parks (QPWS) – Carnarvon Great Walk
• Queensland Parks (QPWS) – Campsite bookings