Escape deep into weathered gorges to discover unexpected waterholes and curious creatures hidden beneath a rim of rugged escarpments giving views to the horizon
With its steep rocky banks and cascades that run after heavy rain, Hell Hole Waterhole is the park’s main attraction. Venture along deeply incised creeks, marvelling at 45m high cliffs and the life sustained by seasonally flowing waters.
Hell Hole Gorge National Park is scenically attractive and provides opportunities for camping and related activities such as 4WDing, hiking, bird watching, swimming and photography. The rugged gullies associated with Powell Creek invite exploratory walks looking for unusual plants or glimpses of the diverse animal life. There are no formal walking trails.
Keep an eye out for spinifex pigeons— they’re at the south eastern limit of their distribution here. Watch snakes and lizards laze in the sun then slide into shady crevices. See Krefft’s river turtles dip under the surface when disturbed. Discover wildflowers blooming in spring among sparse, stunted mulga along the rocky plateau
Hell Hole Gorge National Park is 69km from Adavale. Head west from Charleville or north from Quilpie to Adavale, then take the Adavale– Blackall Road. Turn left and follow the Milo–Gooyea Road to the park. A 4WD is essential. Roads are unsealed and become impassable when wet; be prepared for stranding due to wet weather. Take care to avoid stock on unfenced roads and leave gates as you find them.
For more information about the parks rules and regulations and what to know before you go be sure to pick up a detailed brochure from the Quilpie Visitor Information Centre and you can even make your park bookings while you’re there!
Experience the hidden beauty and solitude of the often dry, but far from lifeless rangelands clothed in uniform mulga grey.
Soft mulga grows on deep red soils in the park’s east. But on the ranges and shallow soils hard mulga rarely grows above four metres in height and flowering shrubs cling to life in shallow, infertile soils.
Keep an eye out for some of Mariala’s 140 species of birds, 26 reptiles, 10 frogs and 27 mammals. See bar-shouldered doves, Sulphur-crested cockatoos, speckled warblers, pied currawongs and koalas at the limits of their usual range.
Set up camp adjacent to the Charleville-Adavale Road or at your choice of two small camping areas deep inside the park. There are no facilities.
Mariala is on the Charleville-Adavale Road, 128km west of Charleville and 59km east of Adavale. The road dissects the park with entry points well signposted from the Charleville side. A 4wd is recommended. Road are unsealed and impassable in wet weather.
For more information about the parks rules and regulations and what to know before you go be sure to pick up a detailed brochure from the Quilpie Visitor Information Centre and you can even make your park bookings while you’re there!
Emerge from thick mulga scrub to lofty escarpments and rocky gorges where elusive yellow-footed rock wallabies hide and views surprise.
Be captivated by colourful sunsets over distant plains and explore heritage sites for an insight into the hardships faced by those living here in years gone by,
Mulga scrub covers much of 144 000ha Idalia, and mature mulga has good leaf litter cover and fallen logs that make ideal fauna habitat. Dawson gums and mountain yapunyah trees break the monotonous mulga green on upper slopes, while river red gums and poplar box grow on sandy flats beside the usually dry Bulloo River.
Most driving tracks are suitable for keen mountain bikers experienced in arid and remote terrain. It’s 37km from the park entrance to Emmet Pocket lookout, with several side branches and walks along the way.
Spot yellow-footed rock wallabies at Emmett Pocket lookout and Bullock Gorge. Discover red and grey kangaroos, in open areas, but on slopes and in the forest keep a lookout for wallaroos, swamp wallabies and black-striped wallabies typical of inland areas.
Watch at night for kultarrs (tiny mammals) searching for cockroaches and bugs. See Hall’s babbler, colourful Australian ring-necks, crested bellbirds and plum-headed finches. Keep an eye out at the camping area for eastern yellow robins at the far western limit of their known habitat.
While Idalia National Park is in the Quilpie Shire, access is made from the north. Head west from Blackall along the Isisford Road for 44km, then turn left onto Yaraka Road. After 25km turn left again at the Benlidi siding and follow the signposted road for another 44km to the Idalia National Park boundary. A 4WD is needed.
For more information about the parks rules and regulations and what to know before you go be sure to pick up a detailed brochure from the Quilpie Visitor Information Centre and you can even make your park bookings while you’re there!
