Sandstone and Solitude: A Guide to Rungulla National Park

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Rungulla National Park is on Ewamian 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.

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After a busy camping experience at Cobbold Gorge, we were well and truly ready for a couple of relaxing days bush camping.

We knew next to nothing about Rungulla National Park, and discovered that there really isn’t much more to it beyond bush camping and a small rock art site.

But it is beautiful sandstone country with the Gilbert and Percy Rivers winding their way through the national park.

We hit Rungulla National Park as the final stop on our Gulf Savannah road trip, rolling in after exploring Undara Volcanic National Park, soaking at Talaroo Hot Springs, and escaping the crowds at Cobbold Gorge.

In hindsight, we wished we’d discovered it sooner and had more time to simply hang out and enjoy this absolutely blissful slice of God’s earth.

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RUNGULLA: KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Rungulla National Park in Queensland’s Gulf Savannah is rugged, remote and very peaceful. It’s only accessible for 4WD vehicles with some sandy river crossings to get there.

BEST TIME TO VISIT RUNGULLA

The best time to visit is in the dry season, ideally between May to September. This far north, it’s not exactly cold in the dry season either but roads will be accessible by then and the temperatures should be pleasant (instead of stiflingly hot).

Rungulla National Park is officially closed between November to March because of extreme heat and widespread seasonal flooding.

Expect high-20°Cs to low-30°Cs during the day in mid-winter and sunny, clear days. Nights can drop to around 10-12°C but we experienced temperatures more like 18-20°C overnight.

HOW TO GET TO RUNGULLA

Rungulla National Park is about 500km southwest of Cairns, roughly a 7-hour drive.

The road from Cairns to Georgetown is completely sealed but once you leave Georgetown, you’ll soon find yourself on unsealed roads. The state of these roads can vary from ‘fairly smooth and recently graded’ to ‘corrugated and rough’.

From Georgetown, you have about 116km to drive before getting to the entrance of Rungulla National Park. Past Forsayth, the roads get smaller and a bit rougher with multiple creek crossings.

The wet season was a long one back in 2024 but by early July, all creek crossings were completely passable in a 4WD. We came from Cobbold Gorge along Cobb Road, following the QPWS directions.

On the whole, the QPWS instructions are pretty clear but we did get confused by the fact that you enter the national park and yet soon after a grid follows with a sign for Ortona Station. Just keep going as the turnoff to the camping area appears not long after.

The hardest bit of the drive actually comes once you’ve turned off Agate Creek Road. You’ll need to cross sandy Percy River followed by a steepish ascent up the riverbank.

It’s nothing too dramatic in a high-clearance 4WD but be mindful of (submerged) rocks in the riverbed and around the riverbank as you exit. There may also be a bit more water in the river as the riverbed is quite wide here.

ESSENTIAL PREP & GEAR FOR EXPLORING RUNGULLA

Travelling to remote places like Rungulla requires some preparation. Even though there are some stations “nearby”, it is still some 120km to Georgetown and help may not be available straight away.

Here are a few essential tips for your trip to Rungulla National Park:

• High-clearance 4WD only: The park is strictly 4WD accessible. The Percy River crossing can be impassable even early in the dry season. But the creek crossings aren’t just about water; they’re about sand. Don’t attempt this alone without recovery boards and a shovel.
• Fuel Needs: Your nearest fuel options are Cobbold Gorge (~60km), Forsayth (~90km) and Georgetown (~120km). Ensure you have enough reserves for driving within the park.
• Last Supplies: Georgetown is your last supermarket stop. It’s a decent little shop but it only carries basic supplies so don’t rely on everything. Georgetown also has a small fruit & veg shop and a butchers.

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RUNGULLA: CAMPING, ROCK ART AND CREEK WALKS

Rungulla National Park was only gazetted in 2015, and much of it remains inaccessible.

Its beauty lies in being a ‘remote bush-camping type national park’—you can simply enjoy the total isolation in the sandstone country, explore the riverbed and visit the Madha (Mountain) rock art site.

If you love simple bush camping, Rungulla is your place.

1. BUSH CAMPING AT RUNGULLA

Camping at Rungulla felt like paradise to us. We were entirely on our own and didn’t see a single car during our two nights at Rungulla.

There are three designated campsites but they are so completely dispersed that you wouldn’t even know if anyone else was there. All camping areas have river access, two along the Gilbert River and Site #3 on the Percy River. Each of the three sites is bookable for up to 12 people.

The only downside might be that there’s not much shade in any of the sites.

CAMPING AT SITE #1

We camped at Site #1, and decided that that was indeed the best site given toilet facilities. This site’s also the closest to the park’s entrance and very quick to reach.

Only Site #1 has a fairly brand new toilet (with a wheelchair-accessible ramp yet with a curb so high no wheelchair could get over it easily, go figure).

There’s also a water tank and a sink in the spacious toilet. However, there’s no plumbing for the grey water, it all just goes straight into the ground so use eco soap etc.

The main downside is that Site #1 is quite slopey. We spent far too much time figuring out where to pitch the tent so we wouldn’t slide down our sleeping mats all night. You might also struggle to fit 12 people on Site #1 depending on your setup since it’s the smallest of the three camping areas.

The river is particularly picturesque at this campsite but you do have walk right down to the river to appreciate it. The view from the campsite itself is mostly of the trees lining the riverbank.

THE SELF-SUFFICIENCY REALITY CHECK (SITES #2 & #3)

Campsite #3 is the flattest of the sites and you probably squeeze the biggest setup in here.

Be aware that if staying at Campsite #2 or #3, you’ll need to be completely self-sufficient, including toilet access as there are no facilities.

You could potentially drive to the toilet but that’s impractical for two reasons:

1. It’s a fair drive from either #2 or #3); and
2. You would be entering Campsite #1 as the toilet is technically on that campsite. Which is only fine if no one’s there.

2. RIVER EXPLORATIONS

Depending on how early in the dry season you visit, there’ll be more or less water in the two rivers running through the national park. The riverbeds are made of sand, rocks and pebbles, and you can easily spend a couple of hours exploring them.

In early July, the Gilbert River wasn’t carrying much water anymore but it was still flowing and had some shallow pools for cooling down. While you couldn’t actually swim—it was barely deep enough to lie down and cover yourself—the shallow water was a refreshing reprieve from the heat.

Of course, if you do go exploring, you need to be smart about walking in the hot weather. Take plenty of water with you and actually wear your sun protection (unlike me, who ended up with bright red shoulders from not being anywhere near as sun-smart as I should have been).

3. MADHA ROCK ART SITE

The Madha (mountain) Rock Art is a small sandstone overhang located roughly 19km from the camping area where you can view and learn local Ewamian rock art. It’s the only accessible cultural site in the national park, and because it’s very compact, you won’t need much time to take it all in.

Keep in mind that while the official QPWS information board claims it’s a 500m return walk, the reality is much easier. You can actually see the overhang from the road—it’s barely a 100m stroll to the site.

Remember not to touch the art and stay on the formed track.

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THE FINAL WRAP-UP

We had no idea whether Rungulla National Park would be worth camping at for a couple of nights. All we really wanted was to be on our own, enjoy a peaceful campsite and relax.

And that’s exactly what we got: Pure bliss in the bush.

If the water levels in the river had been higher, it would have been perfect.

Happy relaxing,

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