We had been told at Cania Gorge that if we liked Cania then we just could not miss out on Carnarvon Gorge. The drive entailed us having to back track a little south west from where we were located which was not really on the plan, but we thought the fact that 4 people said the same thing we just couldn't resist. So we headed West to Rolleston and it was about a 50km drive South.
Carnarvon Gorge is located in the Southern Brigalow Belt bioregion in Central Queensland (Australia), 593 km northwest of Brisbane. Primarily created by water erosion, Carnarvon Gorge is around 30 kilometres long, located in Carnarvon National Park, and six hundred metres deep at the mouth. It is the most visited feature within Carnarvon National Park due to the diversity of experiences it contains and the ease with which it can be accessed. The closest towns are Injune and Rolleston.
All the talk about this place was absolutely right!
We set up camp and decided to do the Mickey Creek trek on the Western side of the gorge.
The trail was about 2 hr return trek depending on how often you stopped to take photos! (come on Mark we haven't got all day!)
I'm waiting
...but it's so beautiful!
The trek in became just a little tricky as we needed to jump over the creek bed and some rocks in order to get through
Now that's what I call a root system
So we get close to the base of the gorge and...
you know what they say about pictures not doing scenery justice or being deceptive? Well this is where it gets interesting....
Notice the cavern in the gorge wall beyond the trees
well here I am in it!
and Karen
another shot
So we press on as the day was getting on and light would soon be fading
Now this is where my camera (or perhaps the operator) started to go a little haywire because I didn't attend the 'Introduction to camera' course before we left on the trip. Unfortunately I didn't know how to change the settings and light was beginning to fade.
Please excuse the blurriness of following pics :)
We get to a section of the gorge that splits in half
me
Unfortunately the pics don't do the colours justice
So we enter the gorge cave
Again the pics don't do the colours justice
The breeze that came out of this tunnel was surprisingly cold
We get to a section of the cave that required us to jump and climb over rocks and some ledges in order to keep our feet dry. We got to a section was the point of no return. In order to continue meant getting wet. Awe come on Karen we will dry out....
Anyway at risk of personal injury (not from the cave hahaha just jokes) we decided not to proceed and turn back.
Later we met a fellow that did continue and he said the water got deeper and deeper and colder and colder. When the water was up to his chest he decided that enough was enough!
So back to camp we headed before it got too dark
There's that cavern again. To the right of the big ghost gum tree you can sort of see just how much further the gorge walls continue up past the cavern we were standing in. Makes you feel pretty small.
So we headed back to camp and settled in with a nice orange whip. Sorry no picture supplied ;)
The second day was going to require us to bush walk approximately 14 kms if we were to see everything we wanted to see. So it was up bright and early
The Carnarvon Gorge holds spiritual significance to the Aboriginal people.
This fella was just lazing around
There were to be a number of stone river crossings in order to get to the destinations
View down the river
Truly spectacular
Again part of the gorge
Keep marching Karen
Beautiful
The size of some of the trees in this country just never ceases to amaze me
Wow
Probably about 4km into the journey
Down the river
Almost there
Beautiful wild flower
Here at the turn off for our first destination, the Amphitheatre
and another one of those river crossings!
Getting closer you feel the size of this place engulf you.
Approaching the Amphitheatre entry
Massive trees against the gorge wall
Stairway to the entry. Can you do it Karen?
I think so
I think I can
I can! Yay for me!!
Entry to the Amphitheatre
The Amphitheatre is a fully enclosed cavern that is open at the top so allows rain in. It therefore allows this beautiful lush garden to grow inside.
Quite spectacular
Again makes you feel pretty small
The opening
Couldn't decide which video to include so I put both in....
How the Amphitheatre was formed
So we headed off down the trek to our next destination which was Wards Canyon. Nice one Karen.
The trek again took us across another one of those river crossings which Karen was getting really quite expert at now, but does she fall in?
Never!
On the way up to Ward's Canyon
Water has etched out its path
Nice pose Karen, she really is camera shy you know...
This canyon contains the last known inland King Ferns in central Queensland. The King Ferns structure is reliant wholly on the supply of water to hold the plant up, similar to water pressure in a fire hose makes the fire hose hard.
Leaving Ward's canyon we found these two stone grindings that the Aboriginals used back in the ages
Ochre which is a pigment that comes from the sandstone in the canyon and was used by the Aboriginals for their rock art is etched out up stream and deposited on these rocks
and actually speaking of Aboriginal rock art that is our next destination on the Carnarvon Gorge trek.
Trekking deeper into the gorge
Yet another river crossing
The Bidjara and Karingbal people
These are the stories told on the walls of the gorge
All about the Aboriginal tools
Resources
Design
The woman's story
and of creation
Life
The trek back
Took us through, yes all those river crossings!
We absolutely loved this place and should be on top of the list for places to see and spend some time. For us now it was time to hit the road and head north towards our next destination of Sapphire in the emerald country of Queensland.
