If Carnarvon Gorge is on your bucket list (and it really should be), now is the perfect time to hire a motorhome in Brisbane and head off on an outback adventure!
Driving in to Carnarvon Gorge National Park
Just a few weeks ago, the long-awaited project to seal the last 15km section of dirt road leading to Carnarvon Gorge was completed (except for the very last 500m driveway into the Visitor Centre…just to keep that authentic National Park feel!)
Carnarvon Gorge, located 730kms north-west of Brisbane, is hidden deep within the 16,000 hectare Carnarvon National Park; an outback oasis amid the arid, dusty surrounds of central Queensland. The towering white sandstone walls, part of the Great Dividing Range, have been sculpted by Carnarvon creek and protect a lush, green place of giant ferns and remnant rainforest, waterfalls, caves and ancient cultural heritage.
The best time to visit Carnarvon Gorge National Park is between April and September, when the both the temperatures and the chance of a heavy downpour are significantly lower.
Mickey’s Creek Carnarvon Gorge
There are a few different campsites located right near Carnarvon Gorge: two National Park campsites (only open at Easter and during the winter and spring school holidays), the first being the shady Carnarvon Gorge camping area with toilets and coin-operated hot showers and the second the Big Bend camping area, accessed by a 10km walk with all your gear. It has a composting toilet but otherwise you need to be fully self-sufficient. Sandstone Park is a sprawling site with magnificent 360° views owned by Bandana Station. Again this is for self-sufficient campers – although there are couple of port-a-loos. Moving up on the creature comfort scale, there’s also the popular and family-friendly Takarakka Bush Resort with powered sites, amenities, a small shop and a large deck where guests are invited to gather in the late afternoon/evenings to socialise and enjoy the free info talks.
Unless you camp in the National Park, it’s a 5km drive to the Visitor Centre and the start of the main gorge walking track, which runs the full length of the gorge to the Big Bend. All along the length of the main track there are side-trails leading off it to the main highlights, including Boolimba Bluff, Moss Garden, the Amphitheatre, Ward’s Canyon, the Art Gallery, Cathedral Cave and Boowanda Gorge.
Crossing Carnarvon Creek
There are also couple of excellent short walks, which you will find along the road leading to the Visitor Centre – Baloon Cave, Mickey’s Creek and the Rock Pool (where you can also access the Nature Trail to the Visitor Centre).
So, if you fancy packing your walking shoes and heading out this way, be sure to look at our campervan hire and check out what vehicles we have on offer. This would be a great tour of the Queensland Outback if you are thinking of picking up a campervan from Brisbane.
If you’d like some info on hiring a campervan get in touch with us and we’ll make sure we find the right vehicles to meet your needs for this trip or any other you are planning on around Australia.
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Tags: Campervan Hire
