Location
Carnarvon Gorge National Park
What it is?
Carnarvon Gorge is a spectacular sandstone canyon in Queensland’s Carnarvon National Park, roughly 600 km northwest of Brisbane in the Central Highlands. Carnarvon Creek has carved sheer, golden cliffs up to 200 metres high, while cool side gorges shelter ferns, mosses and ancient cycads. Popular walks lead to the Moss Garden, Amphitheatre and Ward’s Canyon, and the Art Gallery displays thousands of Aboriginal stencils and engravings of deep cultural importance to the Bidjara, Karingbal and Gayiri peoples. Platypus, wallabies, gliders and abundant birdlife live along the creek. Visitors can camp in the park or stay at nearby lodges.
Carnarvon Gorge has an off season
- Weather & Temperatures: Day temperatures regularly exceed 35°C to 45°C, with high humidity and occasional heavy downpours or flash flooding.Â
- Crowds & Scenery: You get peace, quiet, fewer hikers, lush green foliage after summer rains, and active summer-migrant wildlife.Â
- Swimming: The Rock Pool is open and serves as a refreshing spot to cool down. Note that it is the only designated swimming area in the national park.Â
- Carnarvon Great Walk: Closed from early October (after the King’s Birthday long weekend) through the end of February due to extreme heat.Â
- Park Camping Area: The main national park visitor-area camping is closed during summer (open only during Easter, June–July, and September–October school holidays). You must stay at private commercial properties nearby, such as BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Carnarvon Gorge or Sandstone Park. (The remote Big Bend bush camping site on the 19.4 km return trail remains open year-round for experienced hikers).
What it offers?
Carnarvon Gorge offers a rich mix of scenery, culture and wildlife in the heart of Queensland’s Carnarvon National Park. The main walking track follows Carnarvon Creek beneath sheer sandstone cliffs, with side tracks leading to highlights like the Moss Garden, a fern-draped grotto fed by dripping springs, and the Amphitheatre, a cool chamber reached by a narrow stairway. Ward’s Canyon shelters rare king ferns, while the Art Gallery displays thousands of Aboriginal stencils, engravings and paintings of deep cultural importance to the Bidjara, Karingbal and Gayiri peoples.
Wildlife is a drawcard too. Patient visitors may spot platypus in the creek, wallabies and gliders at dusk, and a wide variety of birds throughout the day. Walkers can choose short strolls or full-day hikes, and the park provides a camping area, while nearby lodges and campgrounds offer extra accommodation. It is a place to slow down, explore and reconnect with nature.
Wheelchair Access?
May require assistance at the various restaurants and accommodation facilities.Â
Not suitable for the hiking tracks.
What we did?
Work commitments meant we could only escape for the weekend, so we booked a cabin at the Big 4 Carnarvon Gorge, right near the waterhole. If you’re keen to splurge, the cabins next to the entrance looked lovely when I had a sticky-beak.
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Michael wasn’t up for a big hike, so I headed off to Wards Canyon (9.2 km, 3 to 4 hours) on my own, only to find the side track had been closed for ages. Lesson learned: check track conditions and closures before you lace up your boots!
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The next day, Michael joined me for two shorter walks: the Rock Pool (600 m, 30 min, grade 3) and the Nature Trail (1.5 km, 1 hr, grade 3). The Nature Trail was a pleasant stroll, though nothing particularly special. The Rock Pool, on the other hand, was a winner. We’d been told to walk past the first pool, and that tip was gold. Around the corner, the swimming spot was so much nicer and easier to get into. Keep going just a little further and you’ll know you’ve found it.
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Afterwards, we wandered through the Big 4 and campground, where there’s a great lookout up behind the safari tents. I also parked myself at the waterhole for a while, hoping for a platypus. No luck, but I’ll keep dreaming!
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If you love a full-day hike, this place is for you. Plenty of people tackled the Boowinda Gorge walk (18.4 km, 6 hours, grade 4) and beyond into the grade 5 area, but I was more than happy with my 4-hour effort. It was still far too hot for six hours on the trail, and that was in March!
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A couple of handy tips: the cafes and restaurants aren’t open year-round, so check what’s available if you’re visiting in the off-season. There’s also no petrol at Carnarvon Gorge, so fill up beforehand or bring a jerry can.
Highlight?
I would have to say the Rock Pool, well, the bit just on a bit from the official Rock Pool. It was cool, inviting, swimmable and relaxing.Â
Would I do it again?
If I were in the area and wanted to undertake a full day of hiking, maybe, but probably not. One trip to this location is enough for me.Â
What do you need?
As a couple: Pre-downloaded maps on your phone (reception is patchy); water bottles and adequate water for the planned hikes; stainless steel coffee cup; healthy snacks for the trails; wide-brimmed hat; sunscreen; bug spray; good sturdy shoes; swimmers and towels; umbrella for sun/rain; jacket; picnic and picnic blanket.
With Kids: water; snacks; wide-brimmed hat; sunscreen; bug spray; good sturdy shoes.
With Pets: Pets are not allowed in national parks. They were, however, allowed to stay at the Sandstone Park Camping Area. You cannot leave your pets unattended at the site; you will need to arrange for a pet sitter if you want to do any of the hikes.Â
Yearly Events
There are no specific annual events at Carnarvon Gorge