Description
Carnarvon Gorge Section
Carved out over millions of years by a creek running through sandstone, this rugged national park features dramatic scenery and numerous Aboriginal rock paintings and carvings. Carnarvon Gorge is an amazing oasis, with river oaks, flooded gums, cabbage palms, moss gardens, deep pools and platypuses in the creek. Standing on the valley floor, the sheer 200m rock walls towering above are simply humbling.
For most people, Carnarvon Gorge is the Carnarvon National Park, because the other sections – including Mt Moffatt, Ka Ka Mundi and Salvator Rosa – are quite inaccessible.
Coming form Rolleston the road is bitumen for 70km and unsealed for 25km. Form Roma via Injune and Wyseby homestead, the road is good bitumen for about 215km then unsealed and fairly rough for the last 30km. After heavy rain, both these roads can become impassable.
The entrance road leads to an information centre and scenic picnic ground with a lot of wallabies in the late afternoon. The main walking track also starts here, following Carnarvon Creek through the gorge, with detours to various points of interest. These include the Moss Garden (3.6km form Information Centre), Ward’s Canyon (4.8km), the Art Gallery (5.6km) and Cathedral Cave (9.3km). All Walking tracks together are about 35km; bit can easily divide in several day walks. Allow at least a whole day for a visit. Basic groceries and ice are available at Takarakka Bush Resort. But make sure, to fill up neither petrol in Injune or Rolleston, so there is nor petrol available at Carnarvon Gorge.
You cannot drive from Carnarvon Gorge to other sections of the park, although you can reach beautiful Mt Moffatt via a 160km unsealed road from Injune (4WD necessary).
It’s best to book several weeks ahead, especially in winter from April to October, when it gets a quite popular destination. Takarakka Bush Resort is a pictures bush oasis has an open camping area and a ring of simply furnished, elevated canvas cabins (BYO linen) with private verandas. Bookings are required. Big Bend Camping Ground is an isolated camping ground 10km walk up the gorge. Mt Moffatt Camping Ground where campers need self-sufficient and have a 4WD.
Rock Pool
The Rock Pool has been carved from the bed of Carnarvon Creek by the turbulent water of past floods. Rest in the shade of fig and casuarina trees and watch for platypus and turtles. This is the only place in Carnarvon Gorge designated for swimming.
Boolimba Bluff
Boolimba Bluff towers 200m above Carnarvon Creek. Discover what lies above the cliff line and gaze out to distant ranges. This is the only formed lookout track from the gorge. Early morning is the best time for this walk. (3.2km one-way from visitor area).
Moss Garden
Water drips constantly from the sandstone walls of the Moss Garden, supporting a lush carpet of mosses, ferns and liverworth. Beneth tree ferns straining for sunlight, a small waterfall tumbles over a rock ledge into an icy pool. (3.5km one-way from visitor area).
Ward’s Canyon
Rare king ferns flourish in a tiny pocket of remnant rainforest in this small, beautiful side-gorge. A short, steep track winds aroung a small waterfall. (4.6km one-way from visitor area).
Art Gallery
Over two thousand engravings, ochre stencils and freehand paintings adorn the 26m long sandstone walls of this significant Aboriginal site. (5.4km one-way from visitor area).
Cathedral Cave
This massiv winderoded overhang shelered Aboriginal people for thousands of years. A panorama of rock imagery across its walls reflects the rich cultural life of those who gathered here. (9.1km one-way from visitor area).
Boowinda Gorge
Rock-hop into this sculpted side-gorge, 80m upstream of Cathedral Cave. The first kilometre of this boulder-strewn gorge is the most spectacular. (9.2km one-way from visitor area).
Big Bend
A natural pool in Carnarvon Creek lies in an elbow of the gorge beneath looming sandstone walls. This area is great as a longer day trip, or as somewhere to camp and explore the upper gorge. (permits required for camping, 9.7km one-way from visitor area).
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