National Park Odyssey

The Woolshed at Jondaryan

I know it isn't a national park but we were driving past so we decided to spend a night at The Woolshed at Jondaryan. There is a day entry fee to look at the museum or you can stay the night and the accommodation cost includes entry. There is a great variety of accomodation from self-contained cottages, rustic cabins, shearers quarters, caravan park and campground.

Imagine staying the night in this cute cottage.

We chose the unpowered campground down the back paddock next to Oakey Creek. It was very relaxing and we didn't mind the long walk to the amenities which are in the caravan park section. Entry for the two of us would have been $20 so our campsite fee of $23.50 meant we were effectively only paying $3.50 to spend as much time as we liked wandering around the grounds looking at the woolshed, a collection of historical buildings and several sheds of old machinery and tools, bargain!

Our campsite next to Oakey Creek

View of Oakey Creek from our campsite.

We shared our campground with a few sheep and three alpacas peacefully grazing nearby.

There were a variety of parrots and a couple of birds of prey about so we didn't miss out on our favourite pastime observing wildlife.

Red-winged Parrot, Nankeen Kestrel, female and male Red-rumped Parrots.

While wandering along the creek bank we heard a loud sucking sound which turned out to be an enormous carp patrolling the creek bank.

The caravan park section has powered sites and amenities with hot showers and laundry facilities. The camp kitchen has an open fire pit which has been designed for use even when there is a fire ban. Just perfect for happy hour and winter nights.

Caravan Park at The Woolshed at Jondaryan

Camp kitchen with indoor fire place.

The Woolshed at Jondaryan is a popular place for weddings. I'm sure all the historical buildings and equipment make for lovely wedding photos. Not to mention the bridal party gets to arrive in a horse drawn dray. There is also a chapel and newly constructed marquee for functions.

Wedding reception set up inside The Woolshed at Jondaryan

Here's a few more photos from our stay:

Pens in The Woolshed

A genuine Furphy!

The Smithy

Clydesdale outside The Woolshed

The Woolshed Cafe

Details for The Woolshed at Jondaryan:

Where: 264 Jondaryan-Evanslea Road, Jondaryan QLD 4403. 178 km, 2 hours 18 minutes, west of Brisbane via Toowoomba. Turn south at Jondaryan town and it is 4 km to the Woolshed.

Information:www.jondaryanwoolshed.com.au 07 4692 2229

Accommodation: Self-contained cottages, rustic cabins, shearers quarters $55 - $155 per night. Caravan Park: $28.50 powered: toilets, hot showers, laundry and camp kitchen with open fire. Campground beside Oakey Creek: fires (if no fire bans) and dogs allowed, unpowered $22.50.
Cautions: Large wedding groups put pressure on the amenities and can be noisy late at night.

Facilities: Caters for weddings. Large Marquee for functions. Chapel.The Woolshed Café Wed – Sunday 8.00 am – 4.00 pm. Damper Hut Monday and Tuesday 9.00 am – 2.00 pm.

Museum Admission:Adults $10, Concession $8.00, Children Ages 5 -15 $5.00, Children under 5 free. Locals within 100 km are free. There are special theme days and historical enactment weekends several times a year.

Domestic Animals: Sheep, Alpaca, Clydesdale horses, working dogs.

Bird List: Black Kite, Nankeen Kestrel, Grey Butcherbird, Cockatiel, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Little Corella, Galah, Pied Cormorant, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Australian Wood Duck, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, White-necked Heron, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Noisy Miner, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Common Myna, Red-winged Parrot, Red-rumped Parrot, Crested Pigeon, Willie Wagtail.

We drove to Crows Nest Falls Campground from The Woolshed at Jondaryan. The campground sites are quite heavily shaded which would normally be no problem for us but when we arrived we discovered that we had a problem with our solar storage so we decided not to camp here and moved on to the next place on our itinerary. We have camped at Crows Nest National Park several times and I have written blogs about it here. There didn't seem to be many changes except that there are now shower bags in the shower cubicles. Unfortunately, the shower bags seem to get stolen from time to time so it is hit and miss as to whether they will be there at any given time.

The photo below shows sites 11 and 10 with the amenities block in the background.

One interesting feature at the campground is that although most sites can be booked online, there are a few sites available for self-register on arrival (except peak times such as school holidays). We have always received Telstra phone reception at the campground so, at quiet times, we have had no problem booking a site on arrival. The campground was deserted when we were there this time.

Registration booth at Crows Nest National Park.

Details for Crows Nest Falls Campground, Crows Nest National Park, QLD:
Where: Off Three Mile Road, Crows Nest. About 160 km, 2 hours, north-west of Brisbane. Sealed roads until a short entrance track.
Fees and Booking: Standard Queensland National Park Fees: $6.15 per adult per night. Some sites are only available online. A few sites are available for self-registration but not during peak times.
Facilities: 13 individual sites, pit toilets, donkey (boil your own) shower, fire rings (BYO wood), non-drinking water, walks, we had Telstra phone reception.
Prohibitions: No generators, no pets. Don't collect wood from the national park.
Caution: The campground is listed as suitable for all rig types but be aware that there are swales (humps) on the entry road that may scrape a low slung vehicle.
Of interest: Scenery, Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies.

View of Lake Cressbrook from our campsite.

We have been to Cressbrook Dam before but we have never camped there. We were keen to camp there because on our previous visit we only had time to partly do one of the walks and we were impressed with the amount of wildlife we saw in such a short time. There used to be a fee to pay to enter the Lake Cressbrook area but that is no longer the case.

There are about 30 bollarded tent camping sites and only 6 sites for caravans and camper trailers. Sites can not be booked and there is a self-registration booth at the entrance to the campground. It is very popular here on weekends and holidays. As well as an amenities block with flushing toilets and hot showers there is a large camp kitchen and a fish cleaning station in the campground.

Pets are not allowed in the Lake Cressbrook area or the campground. One of the reasons for this is the abundant wildlife to be found here. Someone tried to camp with a dog while we were there but the rangers were on to them straight away.

Kangaroos are plentiful around the lake.

The campground is a couple of kilometers away from the public boat ramp and has lake frontage with its own mooring area. Although boating and fishing is allowed on the lake, swimming is prohibited.

We thought the main walk started from the boat ramp area so we walked there from the campground and had a look at the boat ramp. There are excellent facilities here with two children's playgrounds, a beach volleyball court and many sheltered picnic tables. We tried to find a path from the playground area but there are signs prohibiting entry so we returned to the campground; altogether a walk of about 2 km. We were pleased to spot a koala in a tree along the walk.

Lake Cressbrook Boat Ramp

One of the playgrounds in the public area at Lake Cressbrook

Fortunately, we met a couple of rangers in the campground who showed us the entry to the walking track next to the Self-registration booth. This turned out to be in the opposite direction from the boat ramp and is a circuit of about 5.5 km with great views of the lake. About half way around there is even a bush toilet which could be a contender for best "Loo with a View".

How's that for a Loo with a View?

Black-fronted Dotterel

Eastern Osprey

Details for Lake Cressbrook Campground:
Where: 142 km (less than 2 hours) north-west of Brisbane.
Facilities: All sites are unpowered. 30 tent campsites (no camping beside your vehicle due to bollards). 6 caravan or camper trailer sites (the entry to 4 of these sites could be a challenge for some caravans). Fire places (BYO wood), water taps, flush toilets, hot showers, camp kitchen comprising covered area with several tables and gas BBQ's, industrial bins near entrance, fish cleaning station, boat mooring area. Boat ramp and playgrounds about 2 km away.
Fees and Bookings: $8 per adult per night, $32 family of 2 adults and dependents. Self-registration on arrival. No bookings. Maximum stay 14 nights.
Prohibitions: Do not collect firewood. No generators. No pets (strictly enforced). No swimming in lake. No fish cleaning on or around the lake.
Of Interest: Lots of wildlife. Boating permitted. Fishing allowed with a permit.

Wildlife List: Koala, Grey Kangaroo.

Bird List: Whistling Kite, Eastern Osprey, Grey Butcherbird, Galah, Pied Cormorant, Little Pied Cormorant, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Pacific Black Duck, Australasian Wood Duck, Australasian Grebe, Peaceful Dove, Variegated Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, White-faced Heron, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Masked Lapwing, Noisy Miner, Australian Pelican, Pheasant Coucal, Crested Pigeon, Pale-headed Rosella, Grey Shrike-thrush, Welcome Swallow, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Black-fronted Dotterel, Golden Whistler, Rufous Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Beach in front of our campsite at Inskip Point.

Although I have been to the Great Sandy National Park, Rainbow Beach, Inskip Point and Fraser Island, there were still a couple of things I hadn't done in the area. I have long wanted to see The Carlo Sandblow and Lake Poona so in May we spent a couple of nights camping at beautiful Inskip Point Recreation Reserve with the specific aim of ticking these two attractions off our bucket list.

On the drive in from Gympie we stopped at Searys Creek Day Use Area. This is a popular area for swimming in the warmer months but was deserted while we were there. The water in Searys Creek is very clear and reminds me of Eli Creek on Fraser Island. There is a car park with about ten spaces directly off Rainbow Beach Road but it isn't suitable for RVs or long vehicles. There is a toilet block and information sign at the car park and it is only a short Class 2 walk along a boardwalk to the creek and swimming areas. We saw and heard many birds along the boardwalk.

Boardwalk at Searys Creek

A catfish visible in the clear waters of Searys Creek.

Welcome Swallow at Searys Creek

There are several camping areas in the Inskip Point Recreation Area. We choose the M.V. Sarawak Camping Area as it is convenient for walking to the tip of Inskip Point and the birding areas we are interested in. We set up our tent in a campsite with dappled shade facing the beach. Vehicles are not allowed on the beach fronting the campgrounds which makes it a safe place for families. People camping near us pushed their dinghy out by hand and reeled in an enormous tuna.

Our campsite at Inskip Point.

After a quick set up followed by lunch we drove to the car park at the end of Cooloola Drive in Rainbow Beach and walked out to the Carlo Sandblow. This is a pleasant walk past magnificent Scribbly Gums. There are a few steps but the return walk is only about 1.2 km.

Scribbly Gums along the walk to the Carlo Sandblow.

Orange Ringlet

Words fail to describe just how stunning the sheer scale of the sandblow is and I highly recommend putting this easy to see natural wonder on your bucket list.

View of Double Island Point from the Carlo Sandblow.

We decided to take a walk along Rainbow Beach to the Coloured Sands as it was low tide.
We parked in Wide Bay Esplanade near the Surf Club and walked down the stairs to the beach.

Tempting offers at the Rainbow Beach Surf Club.

Walking at low tide turned out to not be the best decision because the Mudlo Rocks become passable by vehicles at low tide and although the 4WD's didn't cause us any problem there was a motor bike ripping backwards and forwards doing donuts in the sand alongside us as we walked. A better strategy for walking might be to go at half tide. We still managed to see a few shore birds.

Rainbow Beach, Mudlo Rocks at low tide, Coloured Sands in the background.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle

Crested Tern and Silver Gull at Rainbow Beach

The Rainbow Beach Holiday Village fronts onto Wide Bay Esplanade opposite Phil Rogers Park which overlooks Rainbow Beach.

Rainbow Beach Holiday Park

Phil Rogers Park

Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

Sunrise at Inskip Point

We woke up to a beautiful sunrise and set off on foot to explore the western side of Inskip Point for quail. Inskip Point used to be an excellent area to spot rare Black-breasted Button-quail but we, and another birder we met, had no luck in finding any. Sadly, we didn't even see a single quail platelet.

The ferry to Fraser Island pulled in after we rounded the point and returned to our campsite for a late breakfast.

Ferries to Fraser Island leave from Inskip Point.

We drove out to the Bymien Day Use Area. Next to the parking area there is a secluded picnic area, an information sign and pit toilets. The walk to Poona Lake starts from here.

Freshwater Road is an unsealed 2WD Road into Bymien Day Use Area.

Bymien Day Use Area

Lace Monitor at Bymien Day Use Area.

First, we walked the Dundathu Circuit which is only 250 m but well worth the detour as it is an attractive piece of lowland rainforest and we saw both Bassian Thrush and Large-billed Scrubwren.

Russet-tailed Thrush

We proceeded along the Poona Lake Walk which is a Class 2, 4.2 km return walk. We met a fellow birder and blogger along the track and exchanged information. Robert writes the blog 9001 BIRDS and was particularly keen to tick the Black-breasted Button-quail box but as we had also dipped out we were not of much help. We enjoyed the walk through a variety of Kauri Pine, Hoop Pine, Strangler Figs and Piccabeen Palms. There were a number of interesting fungi growing alongside the track.

Poona Lake is picture postcard perfect and was well worth the walk in.

Poona Lake

On our drive back to the campground we stopped at the Drinking Water Depot and Dump Point on Clarkson Drive, just past Zircon Street. This is an excellent free facility provided by the local council for tourists as there is no drinking water available on the Inskip Peninsula.

Drinking water facility

There are no showers at Inskip Point but I enjoyed a swim in the tranquil ocean which wasn't too cold even at this time of year.

In the afternoon we went for a walk in a clockwise direction around Inskip Point. First we crossed the road to the beach on the western side of the point. Here we saw a pair of Beach-stone Curlews. They are listed as vulnerable in Queensland so it is always great to see them. We noticed that there were a lot of crabs on the sandbanks and they were providing an easy meal for a variety of shore birds including the Beach-stone Curlews, Sacred Kingfishers, Eastern Curlews and Bar-tailed Godwits.

The western side of Inskip Peninsula

Beach-stone Curlews

Sacred Kingfisher

At the point we were delighted to see another pair of Beach-stone Curlews.

The second pair of Beach-stone Curlews that we saw.

Mangrove Honeyeaters were common on the peninsula and in our campground.

Mangrove Honeyeater

Details for Camping at Inskip Peninsula Recreation Area:
Where: 252 km, about 3 hours 15 minutes, north of Brisbane. 80 km, 1 hour, north-east of Gympie. Sealed roads until the entrance to the campgrounds. There are five Campgrounds to choose from.
Access: M V Sarawak Camping Area is usually 2WD accessible, S S Dorigo is mostly 4WD with some 2WD near the entrance, Natone, M V Beagle and The Oaks Camping areas are 4WD high clearance areas with no towing.
Facilities: Pit toilets. There are industrial bins near the entrance to each campground.There are no showers. No water in the campgrounds. Free drinking water is available from the Water Station in Clarkson Drive, Rainbow Beach. We had phone reception at M V Sarawak. No boat ramps.
Allowed: Dogs on leash. Fires: bring milled firewood, put fires out with water not sand. Low decibel generators allowed until 9 pm.
Prohibited: Other than dogs, no pets, including birds. No digging your own bush toilets. Portable toilets can be emptied at the Dump Point in Clarkson Road, Rainbow Beach near the Water Station.
Fees and Booking: Standard Queensland National Park Fees: $6.15 per adult. Maximum booking is 30 days. Book online, by phone 13 74 68 or at the Visitor Information Centre on Rainbow Beach Road. This is a very popular camping area. Book well in advance for peak holiday times and expect huge crowds.
Cautions: There are biting sandflies here please wear protective clothing or use insecticide. The pit toilets get overused and some are smelly. Be very particular about camp hygiene such as washing your hands.

Birdlist for the two day trip: White-bellied Sea Eagle, Brahminy Kite, Whistling Kite, Eastern Osprey, Australian Brush Turkey, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pied Cormorant, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Beach Stone-curlew, Eastern Curlew, Torresian Crow, Australasian Grebe, Brown Cuckoo-Dove, Bar-shouldered Dove, Spangled Drongo, Little Egret, Rufous Fantail, Australasian Figbird, Noisy Friarbird, Australasian Gannet, Bar-tailed Godwit, Silver Gull, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Lewin’s Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Mangrove Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Scarlet Honeyeater, Sacred Kingfisher, Magpie-lark, Masked Lapwing, Australian Pelican, Crested Pigeon, Eastern Yellow Robin, Large-billed Scrubwren, Little Shrike-thrush, Grey Shrike-thrush, Welcome Swallow, Crested Tern, Russet-tailed Thrush, Varied Triller, Little Wattlebird, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail, White-breasted Woodswallow.

Coochin Creek Camping Area.

On the southern end of the Sunshine Coast, Coochin Creek campground is the only national park run campground anywhere near the Glasshouse Mountains. It is ideal for fishing and boating but be aware that at times the mosquito and sandfly numbers become overwhelming. We deliberately chose to visit in the middle of winter and on a high wind day so that we could enjoy a wander around the area.

The terraced area for fishing and launching canoes at Coochin Creek Campground.

The unformed boat ramp and boat parking area 1 km from the campground.

There is a formed boat ramp 7 km away on Pumicestone Passage. Both ramps are referred to as Coochin Creek Boat Ramp which could understandably cause confusion.

Coochin Creek Boat Ramp on Pumiscetone Passage,off Roys Road.

While standing at the ramp an Osprey flew overhead with some nesting material.

Not the best photo but we were impressed by the size of the branch this Osprey was carrying.

Pumicestone Passage has long been a favourite of ours for viewing shorebirds by boat but we saw quite a few just standing on the ramp.

Details for Coochin Creek Camping Area:
Where: 78 km, just over an hour, north of Brisbane. On the eastern side of the Bruce Highway. Take the Bells Creek exit to Roys Road and follow signs to the campground.
Access: Conventional vehicles.
Camping Type: 21 numbered sites. Each site designated for a particular type of rig. Limited space for big rigs.
Fees and Booking: Standard Queensland National Park fees: Adults $6.15 per night. Book online or by phone 13 74 68.
Facilities: Composting toilet, fire rings, non-potable water. We had Telstra phone reception.There is a Day Use Area adjoining the campground with tables and gas BBQs. There is a terraced area for fishing and launching kayaks. Small unformed boat ramp 1 km away. No hiking trails.
Prohibitions: No domestic animals. No generators.
Cautions: Mosquitoes and sandflies can be overwhelming.

Picnic area next to the car park at Anstead Bushland Reserve.

While in Brisbane recently we decided to drop into Anstead Bushland Reserve on our way home. There didn't seem to be much information about where to walk but we saw a man returning to the car park with his dog so we decided to head off in the direction that he had come from. We had a pleasant, easy walk around the park of about 2 km. The first surprise of the morning was a group of about 10 Apostlebirds. We only visit Brisbane from time to time and this is the first time we've ever seen Apostlebirds in Brisbane.

Apostlebird

The second surprise, was a lookout over the Brisbane River and Sugars Quarry. There was information here about the history of Sugars Quarry.

Lookout in Anstead Bushland Reserve

It was a very windy day and we didn't see as many birds as we might otherwise have but there were lots of Monarch butterflies about.

Monarch

We finished our short visit with morning tea in the picnic area.

Bird List: Apostlebird, Pied Butcherbird, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Australian Wood Duck, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Lewin’s Honeyeater, White-throated Honeyeater, Straw-necked Ibis, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Noisy Miner, Crested Pigeon, Eastern Yellow Robin, Grey Shrike-thrush, Weebill, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Details for Anstead Bushland Reserve:
Where: Hawkesbury Road, Anstead, Brisbane.
No camping.
Free access.
Facilities: Car Park, toilets, gas BBQ's, picnic shelters and picnic tables, walking tracks, lookout, information board. Dogs allowed on leash. Horses allowed on some tracks.

Tinchi Tamba Wetlands

While in Brisbane we dropped into Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve. Love that name! At Deep Water Bend on the Pine River there is a boat ramp, fishing pontoon, toilets, picnic shelters with tables and BBQ's.

First we did the Island Circuit; a pleasant, easy, 1.8 km walk through mangroves and casaurinas with views over the Pine River.

Brisbane City Council Information Sign.

Boardwalk on the Island Track

A patch of samphire surrounded by marine couch.

There were a number of butterflies about. Mostly Common Crow, Yellow Albatross and Large Grass Yellows. Many of the Sheoaks (casuarinas) we passed were smothered by Monkey Vine which is a parasitic weed however, it is also a host plant for the Common Crow butterfly.

Yellow Albatross, male and Large Grass Yellow.

It was a windy day but we still managed to see a few birds on the walk.

Grey Fantail and Striated Pardalote

Scaly-breasted Lorikeet and Rufous Whistler

After the Island Track we walked to the Bird Hide which overlooks Bald Hills Creek. This is an easy walk of about 1 km return.

Bird Hide at Tinchi Tamba Wetlands

The middle of winter isn't prime time for shorebirds and the tide was out so we weren't surprised that we could only see a couple of birds in the distance.

View from the bird hide.

Bird List: Brahminy Kite, Little Pied Cormorant, Little Egret, Intermediate Egret, Grey Fantail, Noisy Friarbird, White-faced Heron, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Australian White Ibis, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet, Noisy Miner, Striated Pardalote, Silver Gull, Grey Shrike-thrush, Royal Spoonbill, Welcome Swallow, Caspian Tern, Rufous Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Judd's Lagoon

Judd's Lagoon is a lovely free campground on the way to Roma. There is one pit toilet, a couple of picnic tables and bags of firewood are available for $6.

On Forestry Road, as we approached Judd's Lagoon, we spotted a pair of Australian Bustards. One was standing right in the middle of the road. It was an impressive sight; standing tall on lanky legs to a height of about one meter. By the time we pulled the van over, the pair had retreated to the long grass of an adjoining paddock.

Australian Bustard

As we turned into Mongool Road we noticed a huge flock of small birds perched on dead trees stacked up in a paddock. After setting up camp, we walked back to where we had seen the mystery birds to see what they were. At first, we thought they had gone but thankfully they had just crossed the road and were now perched all over the small trees on the side of the road. We were delighted to discover that they were Plum-headed Finches. We estimate that there were at least 500 of them.

Plum-headed Finch, male.

Some of the Plum-headed Finches flying about.

The trees were teaming with Plum-headed Finches

We also saw a lone female Zebra Finch.

Zebra Finch, female.

Another bird that was of interest to us on our short walk was a White-plumed Honeyeater.

White-plumed Honeyeater

As might be expected, there were a number of water birds at the lagoon.

White-necked Heron

There are a couple of mixed breed "ducks" that hang around the campground begging for scraps.

Details for Judd’s Lagoon:

Where: 420 km, 5 hours, west of Brisbane. Or 60 km east of Roma. 5 km from the eastern side of Yuleba, turn off the Warrego Highway onto Forestry Road and the camping area is another 3.5 km on Mongool Road.

Access: From the turnoff on the Warrego Highway is a narrow, sealed road. The entry is unsealed for about 500 m. There are a couple of boggy areas in the campground to avoid.

Facilities: Pit toilet with sensor light, fire places, bins, tables, phone reception. Pets allowed. Firewood for sale for $6 a bag. No water.

Activities: Fishing, kayaking, birdwatching.

Camping: Tents and all rig types.

Free: 7 night limit. No bookings. Run by Maranoa Council.

Birdlist: Australian Bustard, Black Kite, Grey Butcherbird, Cockatiel, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Galah, Little Pied Cormorant, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Torresian Crow, Intermediate Egret, Grey Fantail, Zebra Finch, Plum-headed Finch (approx. 500), White-necked Heron, White-plumed Honeyeater, Australian White Ibis, Jacky Winter, Laughing Kookaburra, Australian Magpie, Masked Lapwing, Noisy Miner, Crested Pigeon, Rufous Whistler, Willie Wagtail, a couple of mixed breed ducks. Heard: Tawny Frogmouth.

Carnarvon Creek, Carnarvon Gorge.

The Carnarvon Gorge Camping Area is only open in the Queensland school holidays during Easter, winter and spring. We booked a site in January for the July school holidays and are glad that we did. The campground is very pleasant and most of the walks can be accessed without driving to the trail-heads. I will cover the walks in separate posts. We were also glad that there were camp hosts at the campground. As we approached the campground we were rather aggressively passed by a camper trailer who then pulled into the campground in front of us. As they didn't have a permit they were turned away, however, without hosts on site I'm pretty sure we would have found our booked site taken as there were hopeful people arriving all the time without permits.

View in front of our campsite.

We remembered to bring $1 coins and were able to enjoy hot showers in the main amenities block.

The second amenities block has pit toilets.

The most common birds in the campground were Pied Currawongs, Laughing Kookaburras and Rainbow Lorikeets.

Laughing Kookaburra

Pied Currawong

Macrozamia palms are a feature in the campground and surrounding gorge area. Zamia are well known as being toxic to cows and dogs so we were surprised to see an Eastern Grey Kangaroo eating the ripe cones which had fallen to the ground. The same kangaroo came back every afternoon to nibble at the bright orange fruit without any apparent side affects.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo eating the ripe cones from a Macrozamia moorei

We were able to sit at the back of our camp site in the afternoons and watch wildlife to our hearts content.

View from the back of our camp site.

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Pretty-face Wallabies

Australian King Parrots

Details for Carnarvon Gorge Camping Area:
Where: 243 km north of Roma and 240 km south of Emerald.
Access: Most of the road into the campground has now been sealed. The road is subject to flooding and can be closed in wet weather.
When: This campground is only open three times a year in the Easter, winter and spring Queensland school holidays.
Bookings and Fees: Bookings available up to 12 months in advance. Book online or by phone before arriving as the campground gets booked out. (Camp hosts and rangers do not make bookings for you.) Five night maximum stay. Standard Queensland National Park Fees. $6.15 per adult. Please cancel your booking if you aren't going to turn up so that others get the chance to camp.
Sites: Numbered, defined, flat grass sites. Most sites are shady.
Type of Rig: Tent camping beside your vehicle and camper trailers. No caravans.
Facilities: Main amenities block has flush toilets, showers ($1 coin for hot water). Second amenities block has pit toilets. Picnic tables. Scattered taps (boil water before use). No WiFi or phone reception in the campground. No bins. Access to most walks without driving.
Prohibitions: No fires. No pets. No drones. No generators. Some smoking restrictions.
Of Interest: Outstanding destination of natural and cultural environment. Aboriginal sacred places, art and history. Rare fauna. Wildlife.
Supplies: No fuel. Some basic supplies at Takaraka. Fresh food and vege truck at Takaraka on Mondays (check for latest information).
Cautions: Advisable to book up to a year in advance. Remember $1 coins for hot showers. Read the shower instructions carefully or you will end up loosing your coin and getting a cold shower. Many of the walks require crossing creeks. Many of the walks have numerous steps and some have ladders. Nearest hospital with full time doctor is 111 km away in Injune. Last stops for fuel are Injune and Rolleston.
Day Use Area: Tables, electric BBQ's, non-potable water taps, toilets.
Information Centre: Open 8 am to 4.30 pm. Displays and information boards. Brochures for Carnarvon Gorge are available (no other brochures for surrounding national parks). The desk was not staffed on any of my frequent visits to the centre. Free WiFi available in the vicinity during opening hours. Inside power point. No phone reception. Public phone box outside.
Parking: Free. There are parking areas for all the walks. The main parking area has a designated area for caravans.
Other places to camp: Sandstone Park (allows dogs), Takaraka Bush Resort.
Accommodation: Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge and Takaraka Bush Resort.

Wildlife (seen by us over 4 days): Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus parryi), Pretty-faced Wallaby (Macropus parryi), Swamp Wallaby (Wallabia bicolor), Kreffts River Turtle (Emydura krefftii), Saw-shelled Turtle (Elseya latisternum). Dragonflies.

Bird List: Pacific Wood Duck, Little Pied Cormorant, Dusky Moorhen, Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian King Parrot, Pale-headed Rosella, Fan-tailed Cuckoo, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Bee-eater, White-throated Treecreeper, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Striated Pardalote, White-browed Scrubwren, Weebill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Brown Honeyeater, Lewin's Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Rufous Whistler, Grey Fantail, Willie Wagtail, Australian Magpie, Pied Currawong, Australian Raven, White-winged Chough, Apostlebird, Red-browed Finch, Silvereye, Welcome Swallow. Emu were seen on the drive in and the drive out of Carnarvon Gorge.

A section of the Art Gallery, Carnarvon Gorge.

I have been recovering from an injured shoulder and broken ankle so we decided not to attempt to walk to the end of the gorge which, including side trips, is about 22 km return. Instead we choose the popular option of walking to the Art Gallery and returning from there with side trips to Wards Canyon, the Amphitheater and the Moss Garden. I have been doing intensive physio for three months with the goal of being able to come to Carnarvon National Park and complete this walk. My biggest concerns were the creek crossings, due to my ankle, and the ladders to the Amphitheater, due to my shoulder which still has very restricted movement.

Carnarvon Gorge via Moss Garden, Art Gallery, Wards Canyon and the Amphitheater. Class 3, 14 km return. Approximately 5 hours.

We set out early after a wet night and walked into the gorge while the sheer sandstone cliffs were shrouded in mist. The conditions were pleasant for walking but the glare and mist weren't so good for photography.

A misty morning in Carnarvon Gorge.

There are lots of creek crossings on this walk and each side trip seems to have its own creek crossing to negotiate. The first creek crossing is the easiest but to my relief I found them all manageable. I did take a hiking pole as a precaution.

Water crossing in the mist at Carnarvon Gorge.

It seemed like we had the gorge to ourselves although we could see the prints of one person walking in front of us. A rather large dog/dingo had also been out for an early morning stroll. Sadly, there was quite extensive damage along the gorge caused by feral pigs.

I don't have small feet and neither does this dog/dingo.

Moss Garden.
When we arrived at the sign for the turn off to the Moss Garden we changed our plan and decided to go to the Moss Garden first. We could see that the only person in front of us had continued on so we figured that it was our only chance to see one of the attractions with no one else about. I was pretty sure we wouldn't make it to the Art Gallery before we got passed from behind by faster moving hikers. Our new plan worked perfectly and as anticipated we were later passed by a group of people before arriving at the Art Gallery.

Moss Garden

Art Gallery.
The Art Gallery is a special place and we spent some time there taking in the rock paintings. The artwork is very well preserved and a platform allows for easy and up close viewing. We were mortified to see that people had scratched their names into the rock and even over some of the art! A practice that seems to have been particularly prevalent in the 1950's. Cameras, and hopefully better cultural awareness, help to prevent vandalism at the site today.

Entry to the Art Gallery

Platforms allow easy viewing of the Art Gallery.

A section of the Art Gallery.

Wards Canyon.
Wards Canyon was the surprise of the day. There are quite a few steps on the way up to a waterfall and many people seem to turn around here and return to the main gorge track. However, we highly recommend continuing along the canyon as far as possible to see the amazing red covered rocks in the creek and the world's largest fern, the King Fern.

Wards Canyon.

End of Wards Canyon. King Ferns ( Angiopteris evecta), left.

Amphitheater.
Before arriving I wasn't sure if I would be able to go to the Amphitheater because the entry is described as having "ladders" and depending on the design I thought I might have difficulty getting down them. I turns out the ladders are more like steep stairs and have good hand rails so I had no problem going up. Going down again was more of a challenge and I had a little queue of people waiting below for me to finish my slow but sure descent.

That doesn't look too hard.

Inside the Amphitheater looking back to the entrance.

Inside the Amphitheater.

Looking up through the natural skylight.

As we had gone to the Moss Garden on our way in, it was a simple task to walk back to the campground. We took six hours to do the five hour walk which is pretty normal for us as we like to take our time and tend to look around more than the average hiker. We also returned feeling fairly fresh which is more than can be said for some of the returning walkers. We saw a number of children on the track with their families and they all seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves despite the length of the walk.

If you are feeling inspired the Carnarvon Great Walk is a Class 3/4/5 walk, 87 km, done over 6/7 days.

Baloon Cave:
From the Baloon Cave Car Park: Class 2, 1 km return walk. The formed path is suitable for strollers and may be suitable for wheelchairs with assistance. Evidence of stone axe making and stencil art can be seen at Baloon Cave.

Close up of Baloon Cave

Stencil art at Baloon Cave.

Swamp Wallaby, Baloon Cave Walk.

Micky Creek Gorge and Warrumbah Gorge Walk:
Class 3 Walk. From the Micky Creek Car Park 3 km return plus an additional 400 m return to the end of the formed path into Warrumbah Gorge. The walks can be extended by exploring past the formed walks at Micky Creek and Warrumbah Gorge.

Mickey Creek

The branch to Warrumbah Gorge

Looking up in Warrumbah Gorge.

Rock Pool

One of the things we liked about the Carnarvon Gorge Camping Area was the easy access to walking trails. The rear of the campground has access to both the Rock Pool Walk and the Nature Trail.

Rock Pool Walk: Class 3 walk. Less than 4 km return from the campground or 600 m return from the Rock Pool Car Park. There are picnic tables and toilets between the car park and the rock pool. As we were camping in the camp ground we chose to do the longer walk. Rather than just offer access to the only area that swimming is allowed at Carnarvon Gorge this is a very pleasant walk in it's own right. The vegetation is distinctive and the wildlife is abundant.

Carnarvon Fan Palms

Ripe cone of a Macrozamia moorei

Swamp Wallaby

One of the ears of this Eastern Grey Kangaroo was torn almost in half.

Pretty-face (Whiptail) Wallaby

Striated Pardalote and Red-browed Finch.

An idyllic spot for a swim at the Rook Pool.

The Nature Trail: Class 3, 1.5 km loop walk.
Starting at either the Visitor Information Centre or the campground this is a pleasant walk exploring Carnarvon Creek.

Carnarvon Creek

Someone had been producing a little ochre, creek-side. Red, orange and yellow ochre pigments are found at Carnarvon.

Scarlet Percher

Sun basking Turtles in Carnarvon Creek. Kreffts Turtle, left and Saw-shelled Turtle, right.

Parked up at Blackbutt Showgrounds.

Blackbutt is a great place to take a break while on a road trip. The Blackbutt Wood-Fired Bakery is deservedly famous for its pies and other goodies. Two doors down, Les Muller Park park is a convenient spot to consume your bakery purchases as it has picnic facilities, a playground, amenities and a Visitor Information Centre.

Blackbutt is situated on the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail (BVRT). On our latest road trip we decided to stay at the Blackbutt Showgrounds so that we could walk a section of the BVRT. The showgrounds has great amenities with clean hot showers. We loved the quirky way they have used up a variety of tiles in the amenities block. Jacky Winters were numerous about the grounds.

The self-registry station makes paying easy. Inside the amenities block.

Jacky Winter

Former World number one tennis player, Roy Emerson was born in Blackbutt. The Roy Emerson Museum and the entry to the rail trail are conveniently located just before the entry to the showgrounds. Grey-crowned Babblers were about; inspecting the newly planted gardens.

Statue of Roy Emerson.

Grey-headed Babbler.

Historic railway station: Blackbutt on one side and Nukku on the other.

Blackbutt to Nukku Road section of the BVRT: approximately 8 km return. This section is also part of the Ogilvie Trail which is a loop of 12 km. We picked up a brochure from the Information Centre in Blackbutt and set off on foot shortly after setting up our van. The rail trail is also suitable for horse riding and cycling. The great thing about rail trails is that they are mostly flat and any rises tend to be gradual. The first part of the walk runs parallel to the D'Aguilar Highway but is pleasantly shady and is home to a great variety of small woodland birds.

Double-barred Finch.

Superb Fairy-wren and Red-backed Fairy-wren

The walk opened up into farmland and we progressed through several gates before returning the way we had come.

Stock Control gates on the BVRT

Horses watching us go by.

We only had time to walk one small section of the rail trail but we will definitely come back to the area to walk or ride on more sections of the trail.

Bird List: Grey-crowned Babbler, Nankeen Kestrel, Galah, Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike, Torresian Crow, Australian Wood Duck, Superb Fairy-wren, Variegated Fairy-wren, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Double-barred Finch, Red-browed Finch, Lewin's Honeyeater, Jacky Winter, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Masked Lapwing, Noisy Miner, Crested Pigeon, Welcome Swallow, Yellow Thornbill, Buff-rumped Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Thornbill, Weebill, Eastern Whipbird, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Tolderodden Conservation Park

On the first leg of our road trip to Blackdown Tablelands National Park we dropped into Tolderodden Conservation Park. We had intended staying the night here as camping is allowed but it was so early in the day that we ended up having a picnic lunch before moving on. There were plenty of picnic tables and trees provided much needed dappled shade on such a hot day.

We did the walk which is only 700 m return.

Being early spring, there were lots of butterflies and dragonflies about.

Clearwing Swallowtail, male.

The main birds in the campground were Cuckoo-shrikes.

Wildlife: Several types of dragonfly.

Butterflies: Clearwing Swallowtail, Yellow Albatross, Common Crow.

Bird List: Whistling Kite, Cuckoo-shrike, Peaceful Dove, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Rainbow Bee-eater.

Details for Tolderodden Conservation Park:

Where: Just over 400 km north-west of Brisbane, less than 5 hours’ drive. 6 km from Eidsvold on the Eidsvold-Theodore Road.

Access: just off a sealed road.

Facilities: Disabled toilet, tables, picnic shelter, wood BBQ (BYO wood), short walk, combined camping and day use area. Generators permitted. No bins.

Prohibited: Pets. Collecting wood.

Fees and Bookings: Book online before arrival as there is very limited phone reception and no self registration available. Normal National Park QLD fees. $6.30 per person per night.

Mount Scoria

On our road trip to Blackdown Tablelands National Park we visited Mount Scoria Conservation Park. No camping is allowed at Mount Scoria so we camped at Lawgi Hall which is only about 22 km away via Thangool.

We walked the short track around one side of the mountain to an area with seats and views of the basalt columns that fall down the side of the mountain like pick-up-sticks. National Parks QLD discourages climbing to the summit as descending in the loose scree could lead to injuries.

Basalt columns at Mount Scoria.

We saw lots of Chequered Swallowtails fluttering amongst the dry grass.

Chequered Swallowtail

We enjoyed breakfast in the day use area before we continued on with our journey.

Day Use Area, Mount Scoria.

Bird list for Mount Scoria Conservation Park (We were there for about an hour):Australian Brush Turkey, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Currawong, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Double-barred Finch, White-faced Heron, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Noisy Miner, Pale-headed Rosella, Golden Whistler, Willie Wagtail.

Details for Mount Scoria Conservation Park:

Where: 543 km, 6 hours 20 minutes, north of Brisbane. Or about 2 hours drive south of Rockhampton.

Access: Sealed road if coming from Thangool. There is a turning circle but limited space to pull up if towing.

Facilities: Sheltered picnic tables, toilets, gas BBQs. Short walk.

Prohibitions: No camping. No pets. No open fires. Do not collect wood from the park. No firearms. Do not strike the basalt columns.

Cautions: Climbing to the summit is not advised due to slippery scree slopes.

Camping at Lawgi Hall:

We really appreciated being able to camp in the grounds of Lawgi Hall. I believe that the hall committee allows people to stay so that they can use the donations for the upkeep of the hall. It was a refreshing sight to see such a lovely country hall in excellent condition.

Lawgi Hall, south of Thangool

Camping at Lawgi Hall.

It's always fun to see a bit of Aussie humour on our road trips.

"RIP Here lies the last toilet roll thief", at Lawgi Hall.

There were lots of Yellow-throated Miners and Little Friarbirds in the grounds of Lawgi Hall.

Yellow-throated Miner

Large leaved Bottletree Brachychiton australis: flower and seeds (with a few Harlequin beetles).

Details for Lawgi Hall:
Where: Just off the Burnett Hwy, on the Lawgi Connection Road. About 17 km south of Thangool, QLD.
Access: suitable for tents and all rig types.
Camping: allowed for up to 72 hours. No booking. Flat, grassy, open area.
Facilities: Small outdoor amenities block with solar showers and flush toilets. Bins. TV and phone reception. Pets allowed.
Fees: Donation pillar outside amenities block.

Mimosa Creek near Munall Camping Area, Blackdown Tablelands National Park, QLD.

Blackdown Tablelands is on a plateau high above the surrounding countryside. The drive in is windy, narrow and steep. After reaching the park entry it is eight kilometers of unsealed road to the campground. There is a sign just after the turn-off from the highway that clearly states the road is not suitable for caravans.

"Road is unsuitable for caravans."

The first thing we noticed about the campground was that sections of the figure eight driveway are covered in slats. We arrived during a very dry season but the slats indicate that at times it can get very wet in the campground.

Slats on the road near a compost toilet block.

As there is no phone reception at the campground we booked before arriving. As the sites are numbered it is necessary to choose a site number and it can be hard to know which one to choose but there is a map of the campground online that is helpful. We also read all the comments on WikiCamps before making our decision. Some sites are tent only and some are multi-use. When we arrived there was someone set up on the site we had booked. They also had a booking and when they showed me their booking email I was able to show them which number they had booked and they moved.

Our site was huge and had its own driveway with one section for camping and another section with a fireplace and log seating.

Site 11, Munall Camping Area.

There are Kookaburras and large numbers of Pied Currawongs in the campground. Every time we prepared food we were mobbed by about twenty Currawongs intent on pinching food. They are quite brazen and one even entered our service body and tried to steal some cake we had stored in our drop down kitchen.

Laughing Kookaburra.

We met a fellow camper from James Cook University who was studying macropods. She had set out small live mammal traps but the traps were destroyed when Currawongs removed the pins holding them together. Although we found Blackdown Tablelands National Park to be an excellent birding location we were disappointed in the lack of animal sightings. However, we could hear frogs near every waterway, even during the day. Beautiful Mimosa Creek was only a few meters walk from our campsite and was the source of a delightful frog chorus every evening.

Pied Currawongs

There are four walks in Blackdown Tablelands National Park. Two walks lead from the campground. It is necessary to drive to the trail-heads of the other two walks. There is also a popular 4WD track in the park. We did all the walks and I will cover them in separate blog posts.

Wildlife List: Eastern Grey Kangaroos, Lace Monitor, frogs (possibly Scarlet Sided Pobblebonks and Stripped Marsh Frogs).
Birds: Wedge-tailed Eagle, Grey Butcherbird, Sulphur-crested Coackatoo, White-bellied Cuckoo-shrike, Pied Currawong, Torresian Crow, Australian Raven, Red-backed Fairy-wren, Grey Fantail, Leaden Flycatcher, Noisy Friarbird, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Yellow-faced Honeyeater, Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, White-cheeked Honeyeater, Laughing Kookaburra, Rainbow Lorikeet, Australian Magpie, Magpie-lark, Noisy Miner, Australian King Parrot, Eastern Yellow Robin, Pale-headed Rosella, Rainbow Bee-eater, Little Shrike-thrush, Weebill, Rufous Whistler. We saw Emu along Charlevue Road. We heard Tawny Frogmouth and Southern Boobook.

Details for Munall Camping Area, Blackdown Tablelands National Park:

Where: 190 km west of Rockhampton, QLD.

Access: Not suitable for big rigs. Not suitable for towing anything bigger than a small camper trailer. The sign on Charlevue Road states that the road into the national park is "unsuitable for caravans". The sealed section of road is winding and climbs very steeply. The unsealed section past the entry shelter is windy; corrugated when we visited in September 2017 and slippery when wet. Nearest fuel is at Dingo.

Campsites: 8 km past the entry shelter. 16 numbered dirt sites. Some are multi-use and some are tent only. Tip: Site 6 is listed as a multi-use site but it is not level and didn't seem suitable for most rigs.

Booking and Fees: No self registration. Book online or by phone before arriving. Gets booked out at times. Standard National Park QLD camping fees. $6.30 pp. Family rates.

Facilities: 2 amenities blocks with composting toilets, individual fire rings with log seats (BYO wood). No water. No phone reception at campground, some available at Yaddamen Dhina Lookout. Emergency phone at entrance shelter 8 km from campground. Walks. Nearby 4WD loop.

Prohibitions: No pets. No generators.

Tip: If you have a caravan or large camper trailer it is possible to camp at Dingo or Bluff and do a day trip to the national park.

Mimosa Creek in the afternoon.

The Goon Goon Dhina trail-head is located between campsites 12 and 13. The Mook Mook walk starts opposite the campground entrance. However, it is possible to join the two walks together by walking alongside Mimosa Creek and through the campground.

Mook Mook: 2.4 km return, moderate grade.
Cross Mimosa Creek and past interesting rock formations to a lookout. We were lucky to see the Blackdown Tablelands Fan Palms in flower.

Close up of a Blackdown Tablelands Fan Palm, Livistona fulva, in flower.

Rugged landscape on the Mook Mook walk.

Approaching the Lookout, Mook Mook.

Excellent views from the edge of an escarpment.

Goon Goon Dhina circuit, 2.5 km, moderate grade. There are excellent information signs along the walk.

Remnants of an old fence.

This walk follows Mimosa Creek upstream and we heard many frogs, possibly Scarlet Sided Pobblebonks, even during the daytime.

Crossing Memosa Creek

The walk is wanders past many interesting rock formations and a Ghungalu art site.

Gungalu art site, Mook Mook.

Detail of at the Ghungalu art site.

We enjoyed this walk a lot and as an added bonus we saw lots of birds.

White-eared Honeyeaters.

View from Yaddamen Dhina Lookout

Yaddamen Dhina Lookout, or Horseshoe Lookout is an easy 200m return walk. We visited this lookout in the afternoon and we loved it so much that we returned and had breakfast in the Day Use Area the day we left Blackdown Tablelands so that we could go to the lookout again.

Yaddamen Dhina Day Use Area has tables, BBQs, an amenities block and is the only place in the national park that has taps (non-potable water). There is an emergency phone at the entry shelter across the road. Both the Lookout and Goodela Walk leave from here. It is a further 8 km from here on an unsealed road to Munall Camping Area.

Breakfast at the Yaddamen Dhina Day Use Area

Goodela Walk: 3.6 km return, moderate grade. The Goodela walk also leaves from the Day Use car park. The walk along the escarpment in a eucalyptus forest offers similar views to those that can be seen from the Yaddamen Dhina Lookout.

Goodela Walk

Gudda Gumoo, Rainbow Falls Walk: 3.6 km return, moderate, to the lookout or 4 km return, difficult, into the gorge to see the falls.

The trail-head for the Gudda Gumoo or Rainbow Falls Walk is about 8 km past Munall Campground by unsealed road. At the trail-head there is a car park and bush toilet but no picnic area. The walk descends gently to the lookout, however, there is no view of the falls. To see the falls, it is necessary to descend to the base of the falls. The last section descends steeply via 240 steps.

View from the lookout on the Gudda Gumoo walk.

240 steps down to Rainbow Falls.

Rainbow Falls

We enjoyed the walk and saw many birds along the trail.

Yellow-tufted Honeyeater.

Views from the Isla Gorge Campground.

After leaving Blackdown Tablelands National Park we drove to Isla Gorge National Park. As we climbed the range towards the turn off we saw a sign stating that there had been 8 caravan accidents in the last 5 years. Little wonder, we thought, when we saw the turnoff. There is no turning lane and the turn is very sharp as the entrance road effectively doubles back and runs parallel to the highway.

I took this photo (facing south) on the way out to show how sharp the turn off is when coming from the north.

The views from the car park, lookout, Day Use Area and one end of the campground are absolutely stunning.

Welcome shade was found in the picnic shelter which has an amazing view.

Prime spot with a view in the Isla Gorge Camping Area.

We had planned to camp here, however, we changed our mind because it was very hot in the middle of the day and the dusty and rocky surface was not inviting for tent camping. I'm sure the sunrises and sunsets are mind blowing though.

The main camping area.

There are a couple of short unformed walking tracks to explore. We saw Wedge-tailed Eagles soaring over the sandstone gorge.

Walking track along a ridge; views all around.

View to the south.

Details for Isla Gorge Camping Area:
Where: 524 km north-west of Brisbane. Turn off from the Leichhardt Hwy is approximately 60 km north-east of Taroom or from the north it is 39 km south-west of Theodore, QLD. Please note the caution below.
Access: 1.3 km of unsealed road from the turnoff. Can be reached by all rigs in dry weather.
Bookings and Fees: Self-registration on arrival or book online prior to arrival.
Facilities: Day Use Area with covered picnic shelter, tap (non-potable water), lookout and parking. Composting toilets shared by campground. Fire rings (BYO wood). No phone reception. BYO water. Class 4 walking track to natural lookout.
Sites: Undefined sites. Dirt and gravel with rocky hard surface.
Prohibited: Generators. Pets.
What's Special: Amazing views.
Caution: Coming from the north the turn off from the highway is very sharp (practically a U turn) and there is no turning lane. Extreme caution required.

The Woolshed at Jondaryan, QLD.

Crows Nest Falls Campground, Crows Nest National Park, QLD.

Lake Cressbrook, QLD.

Inskip Point Recreation Area, QLD. Part 1: Searys Creek and Rainbow Beach.

Inskip Point, QLD. Part 2:

Coochin Creek Camping Area, Beerwah State Forest, Sunshine Coast QLD.

Anstead Bushland Reserve, Brisbane, QLD.

Tinchi Tamba Wetlands Reserve, Bald Hills, Brisbane QLD.

Judd's Lagoon, Yuleba, QLD.

Carnarvon Gorge Camping Area, Carnarvon National Park, QLD.

Carnarvon Gorge Walk, Carnarvon National Park, QLD.

Baloon Cave, Micky Creek Gorge and Warrumbah Gorge Walks, Carnarvon National Park, QLD.

Rock Pool Walk and Nature Trail, Carnarvon National Park, QLD.

Blackbutt and the Brisbane Valley Rail Trail, QLD.

Tolderodden Conservation Park, QLD.

Mount Scoria Conservation Park, Thangool, QLD.

Blackdown Tablelands National Park, QLD.

Blackdown Tableland National Park: Mook Mook and Goon Goon Dhina Walks.

More Walks at Blackdown Tablelands National Park, QLD.

Isla Gorge National Park, QLD.