Visiting some National Parks in the Sandstone Belt of Qld

We recently visited Expedition National Park, Lake Nuga Nuga National Park and Carnarvon Gorge National Park. These are all part of inland southern Queensland's Sandstone belt. And we would have also visited Beilba National Park but we received advice that the road in even has the 4wd people complaining about its roughness. 

Fist was Expedition. We camped at Lonesome campground (but we weren't lonesome) and very much enjoyed the drive throughout the Acadia Valley and the spectaculair lookout. But, there wasn't much to do at the lonesome campsite so in hindsight we'd have been better off keeping going to Lake Nuga Nuga a day earlier. 

 

Enjoying a picnic lunch (of damper made by the Belgian) at the Lookout, Expedition National Park, Lonesome section. 

Lake Nuga Nuga is really a nice place for bird watching, so its best late and early in the day. The cormorants were nesting while we were there, and there were plenty of magpie geese, pelicans, ducks, waterfowl, herons and some birds of prey. We aren't avid birdwatchers, but we certainly enjoy having a look. 

The best of these parks, and most famous (it's listed amongst Queensland's best parks) is Carnarvon Gorge. Unfortunately the National Park campsite is only open on school holidays but there's a couple of other options and we very much enjoyed our stay at the new 'Sandstone Park' campground. 

From each of the available (non school hols) campgrounds you do need to drive into the park to access its walks. We stayed 3 nights and drove in on the 4 days. The first day we attended the nightly talk and then joined the guide on the nocturnal walk. It was brilliant! We saw (many) (yellow-bellied) gliders gliding! If you don't know what I mean then you should google it. And know that seeing this in person is a real treat. 

The next days we walked: 23kms (with a 6.30am hiking start), then 12kms, and finally 5kms. We saw wonderful things! Stunning sights. The Belgian's favourite site was Boowinda Gorge. Mine was the Amphitheater. But it was all wonderful. 

 

Camped in the new campground 'Sandstone Park'

The views from Sandstone Park are wonderful, so with them being so good and my knees not being great the only walk we didn't do was to the Bluff. 

NB. More photos can be seen on our Facebook page: The Belgian and the Aussie.