Camping at Carnarvon Gorge: A Guide to the 4 Best Options

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Carnarvon Gorge is on Bidjara and Karingal Country. I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of this special area and their deep connection to Country, and pay my respects to their Elders past and present.

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The Carnarvon Gorge section of the much larger Carnarvon National Park offers some incredible day walks. If you want more time, you also have the option to camp overnight in the sandstone gorge.

Quite some years ago now, we trekked out to Carnarvon Gorge to do our first overnight hike here as a newly married couple.

But you don’t have to be into lugging your tent and sleeping bag around to be able to explore Carnarvon Gorge. There are plenty of car-based camping options around here and throughout the broader Sandstone Belt.

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A HANDY GUIDE TO CAMPING AT CARNARVON GORGE

I’m a huge fan of camping in national parks. I do wish though that everyone who camped in national parks was into nature and not loud music.

Camping in national parks, especially in Queensland, is very affordable and you wake up right where you want to be.

But… things are a little different at Carnarvon Gorge. You can camp in the national park at certain times of the year, or outside.

Read on for your camping options at Carnarvon Gorge.

CARNARVON GORGE CAMPING AREA: INSIDE THE NATIONAL PARK

The Carnarvon Gorge Camping Area is the only vehicle-accessible option located directly within the national park. It’s really convenient but it does come with a major catch:

• The Six-Week Rule: This camping area is only open during the Queensland school holidays (April, June/July, and September/October). This means you can only camp at the edge of the gorge for roughly six weeks of the year.

If you aren’t venturing here during those specific windows, you’ll need to look at the commercial options slightly further away. Even if you are, these sites are high-demand and can book out months in advance (especially during the winter school holidays).

The Carnarvon Gorge camping area has 35 sites available. Most of these are set out for 4-6 people, and not surprisingly, camping here is popular. So booking early would be the smart thing to do (or, of course, you could get lucky).

Make sure to check the dimensions for any sites you want to book as some are small and only suitable for small tent-based setups.

There are flush toilets but no showers, and you can camp here for a maximum of five days.

BIG BEND CAMPING AREA: HIKER’S CHOICE

If you’re a hiker, a great option is to camp at Big Bend camping area. And this option is open year round!

Big Bend is about 9.5km from the visitor area into Carnarvon Gorge. It’s actually the first camping area when doing the 5-day Carnarvon Great Walk but it also makes for a perfect overnight hike into the gorge.

We did exactly that some years back. It was brilliant (though freezing) waking up inside the gorge, and having some of the sights all to ourselves as we made our way back to the visitor area the next morning.

Big Bend is walk-in only with unmarked camping spots for 10 people, including a couple of picnic tables and a compost toilet.

MORE CAMPING OPTIONS (OUTSIDE THE NATIONAL PARK)

Since the National Park sites are so limited, most people end up at one of the two commercial parks. These are located just outside the park boundary and offer amenities—like hot showers and power—that you won’t find inside the gorge.

BIG4 CARNARVON GORGE HOLIDAY PARK: FACILITIES, POWER & PLATYPUS

The BIG4 Carnarvon Gorge Holiday Park is the largest and most-developed option at Carnarvon Gorge. It’s busy, well-run and caters to anything from swags to massive caravans. And it’s located only just 3km away from the main gorge.

• The vibe: Don’t expect a secluded bush experience here. It’s a bush setting alright but one where you’ll probably get to know your neighbours. It can feel a bit crowded in peak season so don’t expect much privacy.
• The amenities: This is where you go for the “luxury” of a hot shower (so nice after a long hike! And always hot!!), powered sites, BBQ and kitchen shelters or even a barista coffee. They also have a handy basic shop if you’ve forgotten the milk or something.
• Mobile reception: Tends to be sparse out here, and StarLink reception might be tricky given that there are lots of trees around. This is a good spot to unplug for a few days. 🙂
• Platypus spotting: There’s a creek at the back of the park, which is probably one of the most reliable spots to sit quietly at dawn or dusk and wait for a platypus to pop up.
• Cabins/safari tents available: If camping isn’t your favourite thing, you also have the option of booking an ensuite cabin or safari tent.
• Note: It changed names from Takarakka Bush Resort to BIG4 Holiday Park a few years back, but it’s still the same place with the same resident platypuses (yep, that’s the plural 🙂 ).

We’ve camped here a couple of times, both times when the park was still Takarakka Bush Resort.

The last time we were there, we had some pretty noisy neighbours and ended up moving to a different site. You will need to ask management but if they’re not fully booked, they might let you move to another site.

They were very accommodating with us and let us drag all our (already set up) stuff to a peaceful corner where we actually got some sleep!

THINGS HAVE CHANGED

When it was still Takarakka (years ago now), one of the best things was the roast dinners they served. You might wonder who would queue up for a $25 roast dinner in the middle of nowhere but people were lining up a mile long (well, ok, not quite but the queue was impressively long).

And the platypuses … It’s a good thing I have a patient husband because I would never ever have seen any platypus if it wasn’t for his patience and insistence to wait just a little bit longer.

SANDSTONE PARK: BEST VIEWS & PET-FRIENDLY

Sandstone Park is the alternative if you want more space and don’t mind the lack of facilities or have a furry friend come along. It sits on an elevated plateau has views of Carnarvon Gorge from every site. Sounds pretty good to me!

This place is a little further than the BIG4 park, around 5km away from Carnarvon Gorge but since it’s on an escarpment, the views would definitely be worth it.

• The vibe: Feels more open than the other campgrounds. While the other sites are tucked into the trees, Sandstone gives you a clear view of the surrounding ranges. Be aware that the plateau is very exposed, it can get windy.
• The amenities: Unpowered and basic. There are toilets and a dump point, but no showers. You need to bring your own water and power.
• Mobile reception: A bit patchy but being on a plateau, StarLink reception is great
• Pet-friendly: Your only pet-friendly camping option near the gorge.
• Note: They usually close over the summer months and only operate around March/April to September/October.

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Once you’ve picked a site, the next step is actually planning what you’ll do at Carnarvon Gorge. I’ve put together a separate guide to the Carnarvon Gorge walks that covers the distances, what to expect at each spot, and how to structure your days so you aren’t missing out on the best bits.

SO, WHICH ONE SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

While there are only commercial options available at Carnarvon Gorge outside school holidays, I’m also really thankful to have access to a hot shower after a day of hiking.

• If you want views or bring your dog, choose Sandstone Park.
• If you want a hot shower or power, choose the BIG4 holiday park.
• If you want to do an overnight hike, choose Big Bend.
• And if you’re going to be there during the school holidays, choose the cheap national park option (can’t beat the $7.50 pp/pn!).

No matter where you camp, Carnarvon Gorge won’t disappoint.

Happy camping,

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