Blackdown Tableland National Park

🏞️ Blackdown Tableland National Park, Blackdown, Queensland (QLD)

🌍 Park Overview

• Blackdown Tableland National Park is an elevated sandstone plateau that offers a lush, cool-climate escape in Central Queensland’s otherwise dry interior.

• The park is renowned for its cascading waterfalls, narrow gorges, and culturally significant Aboriginal rock art sites, nestled within ancient forests and heathlands.

• Its dramatic cliffs rise sharply from the plains below, creating spectacular lookouts and protecting a unique mix of tropical and temperate ecosystems.

• With shady campsites, crystal-clear rock pools, and accessible walking tracks, it’s perfect for families, hikers, and those looking to reconnect with country and culture.

📍 Location

• Located within the Blackdown locality, about 180 km west of Rockhampton and 110 km east of Emerald.

• The park is accessed from the Capricorn Highway, roughly 11 km west of Dingo, with a sealed road climbing steeply up the escarpment to the plateau.

• The park sits at the eastern edge of the Central Highlands, rising above the plains with views extending for kilometres across the Brigalow Belt.

🕰️ History & Cultural Significance

• This is the traditional homeland of the Ghungalu people, whose ancestors have lived on and cared for the tableland for thousands of years.

• Visitors are welcomed and encouraged to reflect on the deep spiritual connection and cultural heritage of the area.

• Ghungalu rock art, found along trails like Goodela, offers insights into Dreaming stories, connection to water, and ceremonial practice.

• Interpretive signs respectfully share knowledge, and walking the land here is seen as an act of recognition and respect.

🌿 Landscapes & Ecosystems

• The tableland acts as a refuge for moist, cool-adapted ecosystems surrounded by drier woodlands below.

• Habitats include:

  • Eucalypt forests and tall stringybark woodlands

  • Banksia-dominated heathlands

  • Riparian rainforest pockets and ferns

• After rain, wildflowers and mosses bloom in gullies, and permanent water sources keep vegetation lush even through dry seasons.

• The park is a biodiversity hotspot due to its elevation and isolation.

🛣️ Access & Entry Info

• 🚗 Conventional vehicles can reach the park in dry weather, but caution is required on the steep ascent to the plateau.

• 🪪 No park entry fees apply.

• 🚧 The access road and sections of the park may close during roadworks or heavy rain—check park alerts before departure.

• 🅿️ Designated car parks are located at trailheads and the campground.

• 🛣️ The access road includes tight bends, steep grades, and gravel sections.

🏠 Facilities & Visitor Centres

• 🏕️ Day-use areas and campgrounds include:

  • Toilets

  • Picnic tables

  • Fire rings (BYO wood)

  • Information signage

• ❌ No drinking water available—bring your own.

• ♿ Some facilities are wheelchair-accessible with assistance.

• 🚮 No bins provided—please take all rubbish with you.

🏕️ Campsites Within the Park

• ⛺ Munall Camping Area is the main site, offering:

  • Spaces for tents, trailers, and small campervans

  • Shady eucalypt groves and grassy clearings

  • Fireplaces and pit toilets

• 📝 Bookings required via Queensland National Parks.

• 🔥 Fires permitted in fire rings only—check alerts for seasonal restrictions.

• 🌙 A quiet, scenic base for exploring the park’s tracks and lookouts.

🥾 Walking Tracks & Lookouts

• 🥾 Trail network highlights include:

  • Gudda Gumoo Gorge Walk (4 km return): 240 stone steps lead to Rainbow Falls, a beautiful plunge pool.

  • Mook Mook Lookout (2.4 km return): A short walk with commanding views of the plains far below.

  • Goodela Walk (3.6 km return): Passes through cultural sites and changing forest types.

• 🌿 Tracks are well maintained and vary from easy to moderate.

• 🧭 Walks are best early or late in the day, especially during summer.

💧 Waterfalls, Gorges & Key Natural Features

• 🌈 Gudda Gumoo (Rainbow Falls) is a highlight—its sparkling waters drop into a cool, shaded gorge perfect for a dip.

• ⛰️ Sandstone cliffs, natural arches, and deep forested ravines shape the terrain.

• 💦 Creeks and springs flow year-round through lush, shaded gullies.

• 🌀 The contrast between open woodland above and lush gorge below is dramatic.

🐾 Wildlife & Birdwatching

• 🐦 A diverse birding destination, home to:

  • Wompoo fruit-doves

  • Eastern whipbirds

  • Glossy black cockatoos

• 🦘 Look for red-necked wallabies, swamp wallabies, and sugar gliders at dusk.

• 🦎 Lizards, frogs, and insects thrive in moist gullies and along creeks.

• 🐍 Snakes are occasionally seen—observe from a safe distance.

🛒 Nearby Towns & Supplies

• 🏙️ Dingo (11 km from turnoff) – nearest town with fuel, pub, and general supplies.

• 🛠️ Larger towns include Blackwater (60 km) and Rockhampton (180 km) for full shopping, fuel, and medical services.

• 💧 No water or food available in the park—stock up before the climb.

⚠️ Park Rules & Seasonal Alerts

• 🔥 Fires only in designated rings—check for fire bans.

• 🐶 Pets are not permitted.

• 🚷 Stick to marked trails—rock art and cultural sites must not be touched.

• 🧼 Carry out all rubbish and waste.

• 🚧 Sections of the park may close due to roadworks or heavy weather—check official alerts prior to travel.

🚨 Safety & Emergency Info

• 📵 Limited mobile coverage—some reception at lookouts with Telstra.

• 📍 Always let someone know your plans and estimated return.

• 💧 Bring ample drinking water—none available inside the park.

• ☁️ Mist and fog are common early and late in the day—drive carefully.

• 🧯 Fully extinguish fires and follow all seasonal restrictions.

🗣️ Reviews & Visitor Impressions

• 🌳 Frequently praised for its cool climate, family-friendly walks, and quiet, sacred feel.

• 🌈 Rainbow Falls is described as “a jewel hidden in the bush”.

• 🧭 Many return visitors love the serenity, scenery, and spiritual connection to country.

📝 Final Note

Blackdown Tableland National Park is a place of peaceful power—where waterfalls echo through ancient gorges and stories are painted in stone. It offers an accessible yet profound escape into culture, biodiversity, and the soul of Central Queensland’s high country.