Carnarvon Gorge and the Wild West

Depart the Airport International Hotel Brisbane at 8.20am and Brisbane airport at 9.00am. Travel via Woodford and Yarraman. We’ll arrive at the Bunya Mountains about mid-afternoon and enjoy a 2-hour circuit walk in the beautiful Bunya Rainforest.

Walks: Easy / 6 km / 2-3 hrs

Meals: A two course dinner at Elz Bistro where you can try the local delicacy – bunya pine nuts

Accommodation: Bunya Mountains Chalets with ensuite rooms

A full day of bushwalking along an almost flat track, taking in most of the highlights of the Bunya Mountains including delightful streams, cascading waterfalls, stunning lookouts, dense rainforest and, of course, a lesson about bunya pines.

Walks: Moderate / 22 km / 7 hrs / shorter 13 km easier option available

Meals: Cooked buffet breakfast in restaurant, walkers lunch and chef-prepared a la carte dinner at Lyric’s Restaurant

Accommodation: Bunya Mountains Chalets with ensuite rooms

A fair bit of driving today as we head north to Cania Gorge. Most of this countryside is pastoral, with pockets of extensive cropping. Our driving route crosses many huge rivers, mostly dry at this time of year, but it’s easy to imagine just how much rain does fall at certain times. We’ll stop in the rural town of Mundubbera for lunch, then arrive at Cania mid-afternoon. Our first walk at Cania Gorge takes us to a high vantage point where we can explore Giants Chair.

Walks: Easy / 6 km / 2 hrs

Meals: Cooked buffet breakfast in restaurant, lunch and camp oven dinner at the Cania Cafe

Accommodation: Cania Gorge with ensuite cabins

A half day of hiking at Cania Gorge, visiting some evocatively named features – Bloodwood Cave, Dragon Cave, The Overhang and Dripping Rock. Then we’re on the road again heading for Carnarvon Gorge, travelling through the outback towns of Monto, Banana and Biloela. Huge coal mining and gas projects are visible. We’ll unpack the bags here for 3 nights in an idyllic park-like setting.

Walks: Easy / 7.5 km / 3 hrs

Meals: Cooked breakfast at cafe, guide prepared picnic lunch and a 3 course a la carte dinner in the lodge restaurant prepared by their in-house chefs

Accommodation: Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge with luxury ensuite glamping tents

This morning’s walk to Boolimba Bluff is one of the best of the Carnarvon Gorge walks. We skirt around the gorge rim for absolutely amazing views out over the gorge and the plains below. Next is an easy stroll along Carnarvon Gorge Creek. This gorge has been a natural ecological shelter for wildlife including pretty-faced wallabies, kangaroos, goannas, echidnas and platypus for millions of years – not to mention the prolific bird life. The steep overhanging walls of Carnarvon Gorge house some of the most vivid aboriginal artwork anywhere in the country, with animals, humans, weapons and tools all clearly depicted in rich ochre patterns.

After lunch, we will explore two fascinating gorges – Mickey Creek and Warrumbah Gorge. Climb into the Amphitheatre like gorge and follow Warrumbah Gorge till it narrows to just a metre wide. There will be an opportunity for agile walkers to explore the upper reaches of these gorges.

Walks: Moderate to challenging / 16 km / 6 hrs / easier option available

Meals: Chef-prepared cooked breakfast in the restaurant, walkers lunch and a three-course a la carte dinner in the lodge restaurant prepared by their in-house chefs

Accommodation: Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge with luxury ensuite glamping tents

We start the day early with an opportunity of walking right to the end of the Gorge to Big Bend on the Carnarvon Great walk – a distance of 20 km return. There are many side-walks to do on the way back, such as Boowinda Gorge, Ward’s Canyon, Amphitheatre & Moss Garden.

There are indigenous art sites and rock engravings at places like the Art Gallery and Cathedral Cave where you’ll see literally thousands of such images, all there to teach aboriginal customs, laws, history and where to find food. You’ll walk the length of the gorge, crisscrossing the river on stepping-stones many times.

If this sounds like a lot, there are numerous fascinating gorges to visit with our second guide who will be offering a less demanding walk for some of the group.

Walks: Moderate to challenging / 20 km / 8 hrs / easier option that finishes before Big Bend

Meals: Chef-prepared cooked breakfast in the restaurant, walkers lunch and a three-course a la carte dinner in the lodge restaurant prepared by their in-house chefs

Accommodation: Carnarvon Gorge Wilderness Lodge with luxury ensuite glamping tents

This morning we will have time to explore the Rock Pool and Balloon Cave, before we’re on the road again for the country town of Roma. There is an opportunity today for a helicopter flight (at your own cost).

Walks: Easy / 9 km / 3 hrs / shorter option available

Meals: Chef-prepared cooked breakfast in the restaurant, sit down a la carte lunch at the restaurant and chef prepared two course a la carte dinner at the hotel restaurant with pre-dinner drinks

Accommodation: Roma with ensuite rooms

A travelling day, heading back to Brisbane through the rural Darling Downs towns of Miles, Dalby and Toowoomba. As well as a food bowl area for Queensland, Darling Downs is also a huge cotton production area. Estimated arrival in Brisbane around 4.30pm.

Meals: Cooked breakfast in the hotel restaurant and a café lunch in Toowoomba