Central West Queensland National Parks Journey Guide
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Queensland National Parks Central West Queensland National Parks Contents Welcome to Central West Queensland national parks Parks at a glance (facilities and activities) ..................................2 Welcome .....................................................................................3 Be adventurous! Map of Central West Queensland ................................................4 Journey Choose your escape ....................................................................5 off the beaten track over dusty Savour roads or desert dunes into Experience the Outback ..............................................................6 sunlit plains extended, wildflowers Queensland’s dry, but far from lifeless, heart. Discover a land of boom and bust ...............................................8 blossoming after rain and the freedom of sleeping out under a blanket of A Idalia National Park ...................................................................10 never-ending stars. Welford National Park ...............................................................12 Follow Lochern National Park ...............................................................14 the footsteps of superbly adapted arid-zone creatures and long-departed Forest Den National Park ...........................................................15 dinosaurs. Traverse ancient Aboriginal Bladensburg National Park ........................................................16 trading routes and the tracks of hardy explorers and resilient stockmen. Combo Waterhole Conservation Park ........................................18 Lark Quarry Conservation Park..................................................19 E Diamantina National Park..........................................................20 B Warracoota Circuit Drive............................................................22 Relax Elizabeth Springs Conservation Park ........................................23 under a shady gum tree on the banks of a river. Boil a billy, throw in Munga-Thirri National Park .......................................................24 a line and watch for wildlife taking Travelling tips, packing checklist, Be prepared, Be safe ............26 refuge from the dry. Further information ...................................................................28 D Revel C in the romance and stories of this wide brown land and its Parks at a Capture people. Catch a glimpse of hardships overcome to survive the essence of the real Australia—harsh glance Toilets (non-flushing) Camping Day-use area Ranger Base Short walks access 2WD Scenic drive essential) (4WD Mounatin biking Kayaking / Canoeing Scenic viewpoint vast distances and unpredictable but fragile, vivid yet subtle, cycles of boom and bust! as dangerous as it is beautiful. Pen a poem, paint a sunset, capture it Bladensburg NP * on camera or simply spin a yarn! (A) Peter Scott © Qld Govt; (B) © Karen Smith; (C) Chris Mitchell © Qld Govt; (D) © Robert Ashdown; Combo Waterhole CP F (E) © Qld Govt; (F) Karen Smith © Qld Govt. Lark Quarry CP * Diamantina NP Elizabeth Springs CP Munga-Thirri NP (Simpson Desert) Welcome to some of the most isolated national Lochern NP * parks in Queensland. Climb 30m high sand dunes, explore rocky gorges, spot endangered Forest Den NP * wildlife, travel to the one of the world’s most Idalia NP famous dinosaur trackways. Remember to be Photo: Maxime Coquard © Qld Govt Coquard Maxime Photo: self-sufficient—supplies and help can often be Welford NP * hundreds of kilometres away. Note: *2WD to park entry and/or specific campsite only, and only during dry weather. 4WD recommended. Gary Jorgensen, Senior Ranger On behalf of rangers living and working in the west. Photo: Diamantina National Park © Peter Scott 2 3 Choose your escape Suggested itineries Head west into the sunset, where distance travelled is measured in days or the number Dinosaurs and drovers of ‘roos, emus or flocks of wild budgies seen. Savour wide blue skies contrasting against Radiate out from your overnight base rich red earth and wildflowers blossoming in a kaleidoscope of colours amid spindly at Winton or Bladensburg National spinifex after rain. Like the dust that seeps into your boots, the vividness and spirit of Park, venturing north-west along the this timeless land will be forever etched in your memory. highway across the Mitchell grass plains to legendary Combo Waterhole, Embrace vast horizons yet to be explored! Be sure to include a visit to some of or south on rough unsealed roads Queensland’s largest national parks in your itinerary. into the eroded sandstone ranges of Bladensburg and Lark Quarry. Take a series of day trips, visiting other local Short trips from an heritage sites in and around Winton Outback town using self-guided drive brochures Discover shifting sand dunes stretching towards the horizon. © John Augusteyn Photo: (half to one day) available from the visitor information • Bladensburg National Park (follow centre. 4WD vehicles are not essential, but are recommended. (Minimum The Route of the River Gum from 600km if you visit all parks mentioned.) Kynuna Winton or take Scrammy Drive) Combo Waterhole • Lark Quarry dinosaur trackways Cooper catchment Conservation Park Drive direct or make a week-long Queensland Forest Den • Combo Waterhole near Kynuna oad al R National Park loop (minimum 500km) starting from nt r e e Winton • Big Red west of Birdsville (on the way pm iv o R L Blackall, Windorah or Longreach along Central West l a ve a n Muttaburra e n d to Munga-Thirri National Park) Queensland D ti s y n b minor byways and unsealed roads to nned a Bladensburg o Ke ro m u Boulia ia National Park g Idalia, Welford or Lochern national D h Elizabeth Springs H ig parks. Discover waterholes of the Lark Quarry h Aramac Conservation Park w Taste of the Outback journeys a Conservation Park y Thomson or Barcoo rivers at Lochern Walking access only within park (several days to a week) and Welford, and on leisurely walks Longreach Barcaldine Jericho Alpha • Dinosaurs and Drovers (Bladensburg and nature drives at towns of Jundah, Mayne River IIfracombe Lochern —Lark Quarry—Combo Waterhole) Stonehenge, Longreach and Isisford. Diamantina No National Park er iv Relax beside Cooper Creek at Windorah. National Park access R n • Cooper Catchment (Idalia—Welford so Stop for scenic views near Yaraka, and Goneaway m Astrebla o Isisford National Park h —Lochern; just one or a combination) T between Jundah and Stonehenge where Downs No access Bedourie ek Blackall National Park re • Forest Den National Park you can also see Aboriginal wells. r Stonehenge C e No access o v i Di o am c r Step back in time at local museums R an tin a • Diamantina National Park n a B La a re Creek D n and heritage sites (Windorah, Jundah, g y e d i E v Welford l e s l lo Jundah Yaraka b Tambo u pm o Isisford, Emmet) and learn about the e National Park Idalia rou M nta g l R National Park h o Extended 4WD expeditions Outback’s pastoral history at major Munga-Thirri ad H Windorah ig National Park h Hell Hole Gorge w (one to two weeks) heritage tourism attractions at Blackall, (formerly known as Simpson a (Above): Enjoying the vivid Desert National Park) D National Park y i colours and contours of the Barcaldine and Longreach. am • Dusty Diamantina (Bladensburg— Betoota an Spinifex circuit at Lark Quarry. tin a D Augathella © Karen Smith Combo Waterhole—Lark Quarry— evelo e Birdsville lle D pm v svi en ek e (Below): Savouring the sunset at Dusty Diamantina ird tal Road e l B r o C Adavale Diamantina—Elizabeth Springs) r p Welford National Park. Touch the upper reaches of this mighty e m p © Shane Hume o e Mariala o n • Munga-Thirri National Park (Simpson river system near its source when you C ta National Park l R o Charleville Desert) (adds at least one week to visit Combo Waterhole (just off the South Australia a Scale d Quilpie Morven 0 50 100 150 200km any itinerary) highway near Kynuna) or seasonal feeder creeks at Bladensburg National Park or Lark Quarry south of Winton. Some parks require a 4WD to access, please see If well-prepared for a true 4WD individual park maps within this guide for more detail. challenge, follow the river downstream to Diamantina National Park along Legend for publication dusty, rough roads, stopping for scenic National park State boundary Visitor information Sheltered picnic area 4WD access views across steep-sided plateau centre (mesa) country and to relive the past Conservation park Town with fuel and Natural viewpoint with accommodation Wi-Fi access (visitor no built structure or Mountain biking at remains of Old Cork Station and the information centre) handrails Mayne Hotel. After spending a few days Restricted access area Town with fuel, Canoeing/ do not enter mechanical repairs, Ranger station Refreshments kayaking relaxing by waterholes and exploring Creek/river accommodation sandhill country, return home past and a dump point for Information Walking track Fishing Elizabeth Springs and back to Winton Waterway chemical toilet waste Parking Self-guided Camping via Middleton (a minimum 1,000km 1 Point of interest walking track Highway loop), or head west to Boulia and Disabled access Caravan Wildlife spotting (high clearance) Bedourie; or downstream to Birdsville. Sealed road Drive Queensland Routes Diamantina National Park can also be Toilets/pit toilets Cultural heritage site Camper trailer Unsealed road Warrego Way accessed from Windorah. Matilda Way Hospital or medical Car access Camper 4WD road services trailer—4WD Capricorn