Carnarvon Gorge: An Absolute Must Visit for Photographers
Few places in Australia feel as raw and untouched as Carnarvon Gorge. Getting there takes time, but once you step between those sandstone cliffs the long drive fades away. Ancient rock art, hidden waterfalls, and narrow canyons make it more than just a hike — it feels like an expedition. Every turn offers something unexpected, and by the end you’ll wonder why it took you so long to visit.
If you’re planning a trip, the tips and itinerary in this guide will help you make the most of your days there without rushing past the good stuff.
In This Guide:
How many days should you stay in Carnarvon Gorge?
How to get to Carnarvon Gorge
Best Locations for Photography
Recommended List of Gear for Photography
Drones are banned in the park: Here’s Why
Hiking Itinerary
Top tips for planning your Carnarvon Gorge experience
How many days should you stay in Carnarvon Gorge?
I’d suggest giving yourself at least three days as there’s so much to see in Carnarvon Gorge. Any less and you’d miss what makes this place special.
In my itinerary, further down in this blog, I break down which sites to visit and on which days as a good starting point for you.
How to get to Carnarvon Gorge
We drove from Brisbane which is about 9 hours including breaks. From most places, it’s a long drive, unless you’re starting from Emerald or Roma.
The entrance to the park can only be accessed via the A7 – Carnarvon Highway.
Fuel Consideration
Fuel stops are far apart. From Injune it’s a 220 km round trip, from Rolleston about 204 km.
You’ll also need to factor in multiple short distance drives between the caravan park and the park entrance.
Best Locations for Photography
I would like to start this section by saying that the park absolutely blew my mind with its natural beauty. It’s not hard to take a good photo anywhere within the park.
There’s so much variety within the Gorge that it’s sure to provide you with lots of options regardless of what type of photography you want to do.
Boowinda Gorge
Boowinda Gorge walk is like stepping into another world. Centuries of erosion have carved a twisting canyon where the walls slowly close in as you walk. It’s a photographer’s dream, honestly.
Even on a clear day the light is low, so bring a tripod. Yes, it’s extra weight on the hike, but the results are worth every step. I promise!
If you want to go hand held it’ll come at a cost with very noisy images. Believe me, I’ve tried!
The Amphitheatre
After Boowinda Gorge Walk, the Amphitheatre is my second favourite location for photography. The entrance alone is spectacular!
You climb a flight of stairs into a gaping hole in the side of the sandstone cliffs and once inside it opens up to an amazing amphitheatre. It’s one of the most unique natural formations I’ve ever seen in Australia.
It’s the perfect place to sit and eat lunch while reflecting on the beauty and sheer scale of this amazing place – And get some relief from the heat outside.
The Amphitheatre was a great test of my photography skills with it’s challenging lighting conditions. I wandered around a while before landing on a wide shot with my 10-20mm lens.
Moss Garden
The Moss Garden is a short detour off the main track. The walk is only a few hundred metres and includes a beautiful water crossing along the way.
There’s a waterfall at the end of the garden that is most often photographed in the moss garden, however on this occasion the water wasn’t flowing much so I photographed the moss walls instead.
Again, I used a tripod as it was quite dark for hand held photography.
There are lots of opportunity for some excellent compositions both wide and in close.
Boolimba Bluff
On our final morning in the park, we did a sunrise hike up to the top of Boolimba Bluff.
We started an hour before sunrise, head torches on. The 6.5 km climb left us sweaty and puffed, but the view was worth every step.
There are some amazing views and plenty of opportunity for wide landscape shots over the vista of the park entrance. I opted to take my tripod, because you never know what the light will require, but I didn’t end up using it in the end.
Once the Sun was above the horizon, the light was strong enough that I could take my images without it.
Recommended Photography Gear
Here’s what I carried:
- Nikon D500
- 30mm Nikon Lens
- 100-400mm Tamron Telephoto Lens
- 10-20mm Sigma Lens
- Benro Carbon Fiber Tripod
My mates had a lighter setup mainly for taking portraits and documenting the journey. They came away with some cracking images, too!
For those that are keen bird watchers, a telephoto lens is definitely required. The canopy of the trees is very mature and anything less than a 400 mm lens is just not going to cut it.
Drones are banned in Carnarvon Gorge: Here’s Why
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services (QPWS) have a blanket ban restriction on the use of any drones in Carnarvon Gorge National Park.
Firstly, I love using my drone for aerial photography and videography so I was disappointed to learn I wasn’t able to use it in the park. I know that most national parks have restrictions on drone use but I like to check anyway.
Secondly, after having been through the park I’m in total support of the move.
Let me explain.
Flying here just isn’t practical. The canopy blocks line-of-sight, and you’d risk disturbing wildlife. Most likely, you’d lose your drone — and maybe get fined.
It’s not worth the effort. Leave it at home.
For more information on the use of drones in Queensland National Parks see the link here.
Hiking Itinerary
This is my hiking itinerary for 3 days to get the most out of the park and your legs.
Day 1: Hike to Boowinda Gorge & Big Bend
I like to do the furthest hike on the first day while I’m fresh. The main hiking path is excellent and very easy leading up to this point. The rocky terrain through the gorge makes it tough on the ankles, though.
Boowinda Gorge is absolutely incredible for Landscape Photography and just a dream to experience.
Optional: Make a stop by the Art Gallery. This is a short detour off the main path.
Total distance covered: Approximately 30 to 35km total.
Day 2: Wards Canyon, Amphitheatre and Moss Garden
At the time of writing, Wards Canyon was closed. Amphitheatre and Moss Garden, though, both deserve unhurried time. I’d suggest slowing down, tripod or not, and just soaking it in.
Total distance covered: Approx 10 to 15km Total.
Day 3: Boolimba Bluff for Sunrise and later Mickeys Creek
Boolimba Bluff
We started an hour before sunrise, head torches on. The 6.5 km climb left us sweaty and puffed, but the view was worth every step. It is absolutely spectacular.
The reason I leave Boolimba Bluff sunrise hike till last is that it makes it feel like the cherry on top of an already incredible few days hiking through Carnarvon Gorge.
Mickeys Creek
Mickeys Creek is a short distance walk that doesn’t disappoint. It’s worth going to see as you never know when you might be back. It’s a short trail that winds its way into a thin gorge with a small river.
Top tips for planning your Carnarvon Gorge experience
- Lightweight day pack and lots of water.
- 1-2 lenses, cleaning kit, travel tripod.
- Head torch - It can get dark quickly late in the day!
- Good shoes + Gear for the weather.
- Hiking Sticks (Optional).
Summary
Visiting Carnarvon Gorge reminded me why I love exploring Australia’s wild places. If this article helped spark your own adventure, you might enjoy some of my other guides — or browse my photography prints to see how I’ve captured moments like these for the wall.