Carnarvon National Park

Carnarvon National Park is a protected area in central Queensland best known for Carnarvon Gorge, a major sandstone gorge system with steep cliffs, sheltered creeklines and pockets of rainforest. The gorge and its cliff features are the park’s primary attractions.

The park offers a network of marked walking tracks through the gorge with a variety of natural features - sandstone amphitheatres, rock shelters with Aboriginal paintings, moss-covered creeklines and permanent waterholes. Visitors use formed trails and campsites to explore these features.

The park contains a number of named features that are commonly visited, including the gorge itself (about 30 kilometres in extent), the Amphitheatre, the Art Gallery rock shelter with Aboriginal art, the Moss Garden and the Garden of Eden waterhole. These combine geological interest with long-standing Indigenous cultural significance.

Carnarvon National Park lies inland in central Queensland on the western side of the Great Dividing Range; it is accessed by road from regional service towns and has an on-site visitor centre that provides route and safety information.

• Best time to visit: Best visited in the dry season April to September when walking trails are driest and creek crossings are lower.
• Walking and visitor information: Marked walking tracks range from short returns to multi-day routes through the gorge; a visitor centre at the park provides track information and safety advice.

What to See #

• Carnarvon Gorge: Carnarvon Gorge - the park's central feature, a sandstone gorge stretching for roughly 30 kilometres with steep cliffs and sheltered watercourses.
• The Amphitheatre: The Amphitheatre - a large cliff-formed amphitheatre at the upper end of the gorge that is a popular walking destination and viewpoint.
• Art Gallery: Art Gallery rock shelter - contains numerous Aboriginal rock paintings and is accessible via a marked walking track from the gorge floor.
• Moss Garden and Garden of Eden: Moss Garden and Garden of Eden - shaded creekside pockets with lush vegetation and rock pools within the gorge.