Bladensburg National Park is on Koa Country. I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this area and their deep and ongoing connection to Country, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.
Sprawling views over vast Mitchell grass plains from a plateau, semi-permanent waterholes and a rich pastoral history make Bladensburg National Park an ideal detour if you’re heading out to Winton.
But Bladensburg also bears witness to a tragic massacre of indigenous people in the late 19th century.
It is not the most spectacular national park you’ll ever explore but we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. I especially loved the early mornings along Surprise Creek.
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BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK: TIPS FOR YOUR VISIT
Within a short driving distance of Winton, Bladensburg is ideal for a day trip but better yet, camp under the river red gums lining the semi-permanent waterhole for a few days.
Camping is serene and with a scenic drive or two, there’s plenty to keep you busy for a couple of days.
HOW MUCH TIME TO PLAN FOR BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK
You’ll probably only need 1-2 days to explore the national park as such.
However, Bladensburg National Park is a great base for exploring the sights around Winton so you may want to camp here for a bit longer.
Add another night or two if you want to relax in your campsite or if you want to visit places like Lark Quarry Conservation Park or the Australian Age of Dinosaurs complex outside Winton.
If you’re also keen on exploring the town of Winton and its sights like the Waltzing Matilda Centre, you might want to extend your stay at Bladensburg by another day or so.
We had four nights at Bladensburg (three full days), using the camping area as our base.
The first day we visited the Australian Age of Dinosaurs complex; on the next we took a day trip to Lark Quarry Conservation Park. The last day we spent scenic driving and exploring Bladensburg National Park – and lucky for us, one of the scenic drives had only just opened again that day (following a spell of rain and bad weather).
BEST TIME TO VISIT BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK
Like any place in Outback Queensland, Bladensburg National Park is best explored over the cooler winter months (April to September). Temperatures on winter nights can drop down to 0°C but the days are usually warm (mid-20°Cs) and sunny.
During the summer, rainfall is higher as are the temperatures, typically high-30°Cs and into the 40°Cs. Roads may also flood and become impassable, making access to Bladensburg National Park much more dicey.
HOW TO GET TO BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK
Bladensburg National Park is very easy to find being located only 20km outside Winton. It’s just a very long way from the coast (1,380km or a 15-hour drive from Brisbane to be exact).
To get to Bladensburg from Winton, all you have to do is that take the Winton Jundah Road, and then follow the signs to the national park along Bladensburg Access Road.
In dry conditions, Bladensburg is accessible by conventional 2WD vehicles though I wouldn’t attempt the Scrammy Scenic Drive in a conventional car, even in dry conditions (at least not the creek crossing).
In all our national park adventures in Outback Queensland, I’ve hardly ever seen a 2WD car though; most people venture into the national parks in 4WD vehicles anyway.
WINTON AND BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK: CAMPING OPTIONS
Bladensburg National Park is a popular (and greener) alternative for camping close to Winton, meaning camping isn’t quite as isolating here as at other national parks in Outback Queensland.
However, if you prefer to stay in Winton or need a powered site, you’ve actually got a few choices.
Friends of ours have stayed at the (unpowered) van park at the back of the North Gregory Hotel and only had good things to say – perhaps it was more the hotel than the caravan park but they loved it (you do need a caravan or campervan though). For powered sites, the Winton Wanderers Caravan Park is popular (just outside Winton) or the Pelican Caravan Park in town.
BOUGH SHED WATERHOLE CAMPING AREA
But if you prefer a greener setting, camping at Bladensburg National Park is a fantastic option.
If you’re coming during the peak season (school holidays in late June/July), it would definitely pay to book your campsite in advance.
The camping area is located along a semi-permanent waterhole of Surprise Creek, and while you can make out some individual sites (= fire rings and some even have logs for sitting), there are no designated campsites.
The camping area is set up for 50 people but since you can spread out a bit along the creek, it doesn’t feel too busy even when there are lots of campers.
During our four nights (winter school holidays), there would have been at least 15 campsites occupied. And while I didn’t much like it at first, I ended up writing that we enjoyed “the most blissful, calm and quiet camping at Bladensburg” in my travel diary so couldn’t have been too bad. 🙂
There’s a basic drop toilet at Bladensburg and, as I said, some sites have a fire rings installed. But that’s it in terms of ‘facilities’. There’s no water at the Bough Shed Waterhole camping area (though you could filter water out of the creek if you’re desperate?).
BOUGH SHED WATERHOLE CAMPING AREA AT A GLANCE
PROS: Serene setting along or near Surprise Creek; some privacy depending on site; some shade under river red gums
CONS: Can be busy given proximity to Winton; can get muddy if wet; no water
COST: $7.25 per site/per night (2025); pre-bookings only
PERSONAL ENJOYMENT RATING: 3.5/5
Remember that you need to pre-book your camping spot at Bladensburg. It’s so inconvenient but you still need to do it. There’s not much reception in the camping area but you can probably get some Telstra reception at the homestead and in Winton. If you don’t have Telstra, you can use the WiFi at the visitor centre in Winton.
And remember to camp responsibly (take your rubbish with you, don’t collect firewood in the national park, etc.).
TIPS FOR YOUR ADVENTURE AT BLADENSBURG
Travelling in the Queensland outback means you need to be a bit more prepared. Here are a few tips for your adventure.
- Carry sufficient fuel: Winton’s not that far so it’s not as critical to have a ton of spare fuel.
- Check road conditions: While 2WD-accessible, Bladensburg is best suited to 4WDs. Check check road conditions or ask at the visitor centre in Winton before heading out.
- Carry sufficient water: There is no water at Bough Shed Waterhole camping area. Plan at least 5-7L per person per day (and maybe more for emergencies), though Winton isn’t far if you need to resupply.
- Be ready for cold temperatures: In winter, temperatures can drop to around 0ºC. They didn’t for us but it was quite fresh in the mornings. Bring clothes you can layer as the days will be warm and sunny.
- Sun protection: Even in winter, the sun can be strong out here during the day. Cover yourself or at least wear a hat.
- Bring emergency supplies: Have a first-aid kit handy and extra food in case you get stranded. There’s not much mobile coverage in the park though you might get some Telstra coverage at the historic homestead or along the Winton-Jundah Road. For peace of mind, we generally carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) when travelling around Outback Queensland.
EXPLORING BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK
While there are no marked hiking trails at Bladensburg National Park, not unusual for outback national parks, the park still offers a few spots that are interesting to explore.
You can easily spend a day out and about doing some scenic driving, having a swim or learning more about Bladensburg’s past.
1. ROUTE OF THE RIVER GUM SCENIC DRIVE (11.7KM ONE-WAY)
The entire ‘Route of the River Gum’ scenic drive is 72km, starting and ending in Winton. The national park section is only about 12km (one-way) though. It’s basically the main road through the national park.
It’s worthwhile doing the entire loop but once you leave the national park, you really just drive back to Winton without any further points of interest. You can pick up a copy of the brochure that details the complete Route of the River Gum drive at the visitor centre in Winton.
Here are a few highlights I found most interesting that are in the national park:
1894 SHEARERS’ STRIKE MEMORIAL
Starting with something that’s technically not in the national park but just outside its boundary.
Built in 1975, the Shearers’ Strike Memorial commemorates, well, shearers strikes in 1891 and 1894. More than 500 shearers are said to have camped here to campaign for better wages and working conditions. These shearer strikes mark the beginning of the Australian Labor Party.
ENGINE HOLE
‘Engine hole’ sounded like an engineering remnant to me, perhaps left from pastoral days. Apparently it was once the site of brick manufacturing but these days, it’s simply a swimming hole.
It is a lovely spot in the river as it bends in a horse-shoe shape and is lined with shady river red gums.
If it hadn’t rained a few days earlier and the water hadn’t been so murky, we might have been tempted to jump in.
SKULL HOLE
In the dry season, Skull Hole is a cracked ravine full of wattle trees. In the wet, water flows into it forming a waterfall.
It might not be much to look in the dry but this site is a tragic reminder of our past.
It’s here where the violent massacre of local Aboriginal people by black police is said to have occurred in the late 19th century. No written records, if any ever existed, survive but a retelling appears in a 1889 travel account:
A couple of teams with provisions for the far west, conducted by two white men, had encamped near the blacks. The latter were lying in ambush, and meant to make an assault, as two black women had been ravished by the white men. Instead of defending themselves with their weapons, the white men were cowardly enough to take flight, leaving all their provisions, oxen, tent and all their other things in the hands of the blacks.
The fugitives reported to the police that they had been attacked, and so the “criminals” a few weeks afterwards were pursued far into a narrow valley and shot. I visited the spot in company with the manager of Bledensbourne station, and saw seven or eight of the skulls.
According to the statement made by several persons, nearly the whole tribe was killed, as there was no opportunity of flight.
C. Lumholtz (1889). Among Cannibals: An Account of Four Years’ Travel and of Camp Life with the Aborigines of Queensland. (pp.53-54)
Sadly, it’s only one of many such sites across Queensland (and elsewhere).
TOP CROSSING
Top Crossing is just around the corner from the Bough Shed Waterhole camping area. I walked here to enjoy the early morning light (and late afternoon) and take some photos of Surprise Creek.
It’s basically just a river crossing (that may or may not have water) with semi-permanent waterholes on either side. It’s a great spot for watching birds and other animals come for a drink, or just to enjoy the peaceful scenery.
2. SCRAMMY DRIVE (40KM RETURN)
While the Route of the River Gum can be done in a 2WD car, Scrammy Drive is only accessible for high-clearance 4WD vehicles as there’s a rocky Scrammy Creek crossing to navigate.
Plan about 2-4 hours for the 40km (return) Scrammy Drive, depending on how much exploring you’d like to do. We took about 3.5 hours.
Following a bit of rain, the drive had only been opened that day and the tracks were still a bit muddy in parts. We also gave the detour to Baby Delilah’s grave a miss since that section looked a bit too boggy.
The drive culminates at Scrammy Lookout at the edge of the plateau.
SCRAMMY GORGE
Scrammy Gorge is a deep ravine with vegetation clinging to dear life (or so it seems).
There’s no marked trail but you can spend ages wandering along the escarpment at Scrammy Gorge.
Stay away from the edges as they’re unstable. You can see big boulders or rock slabs having tumbled into the gorge at some point.
SCRAMMY WATERHOLE
Scrammy Waterhole is a lovely spot!
We didn’t expect it at all so didn’t bring bathers but when you’re out here all by yourself, undies (or nothing) seem sufficient for a refreshing dip. 😁 It’s actually 2m deep and thus almost never dries up.
SCRAMMY LOOKOUT
At the end of the drive is Scrammy Lookout. From the plateau, you get sprawling views over the grassy plains and river flats.
I expect the views from here would be vastly different depending on the season and rainfall. I’ve seen photos looking all dry and brown.
3. EXPLORE THE HISTORIC BLADENSBURG HOMESTEAD
Established in the late 19th century and once a large grazing property, the historic homestead at Bladensburg National Park now just offers glimpses into its pastoral days.
The national park was actually only gazetted in 1994 so it’s barely 30 years old.
The main house of the homestead has been restored and now holds information panels for visitors.
You can wander the property and peek into a number of other buildings, including the store, meat room, staff quarters and the large shearing shed.
Apparently there was even a tennis court on the property once. These days, QPWS rangers continue to use some of the buildings but for a city mouse like me, it’s wonderful how much of this old homestead you can see and explore.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Bladensburg National Park may not be in the Top 5 of national parks in Queensland but if you’re out this way, it’s definitely worth visiting. Despite the camping area being busy, it didn’t feel crazy busy and made for a great base to explore Winton and the dinosaur sites in the area.
If you’re keen to know more about Queensland’s grazing history (and its darker past), the Bladensburg homestead offers a tangible taste of it.
Happy exploring,
MORE INFORMATION
Find more information about Bladensburg National Park, including current alerts, check QPWS Bladensburg National Park.
MORE POSTS ON THINGS TO DO IN OUTBACK QUEENSLAND
Make the most of your time out here and visit several dinosaur and megafauna fossil sites in Outback Queensland, including Lark Quarry Conservation Park for some impressive dinosaur trackways.
Bladensburg National Park is only one of a few national parks in Outback Queensland that we really enjoyed. Here are another eight outback national parks in Queensland to explore.
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