Carnarvon Gorge – a Natural Wonder Indeed

Nice as our photos might be - they do not do justice to the majestic beauty of this amazing place.

The Main Track

The next morning we started along the Main Track which follows Carnarvon Creek, in fact you get very familiar with this creek as you end up crossing it many times. For us some of Carnarvon's best scenery is to be had along this track as it is here you see the most spectacular sandstone cliffs which seem even more remarkable as you are hopping across the stepping stones of your creek crossing.

The Art Gallery

I hadn’t heard about this aspect of the Gorge – the remarkable aboriginal art contained in a number of sites.  The Art Gallery is the best of these sites and contains over 2000 individual motifs, made up of around 1350 engravings, 650 stencils and some freehand art.

Wards Canyon

The track into Wards Canyon is short, but quite steep. You first come across a small but beautiful waterfall but we had been advised that the best of Wards Canyon lay beyond so we continued up the stairs and to a truly amazing place.  Wards Canyon is the most sheltered location in Carnarvon Gorge and has a diversity of ferns including the massive fronds of rare King Ferns.

The Ampitheatre

The track into the Ampitheatre had some lovely sandstone cliffs which were different colours and style to the main track.  As we got closer it becomes harder to see where the track could go until you see that you have to climb up a ladder through an ‘elevated slot canyon’ into a large round hole in the sandstone.  I can’t really describe how amazing this place is, how the acoustics are unreal and how lucky we were to have the place all to ourselves for a period.  There may have been cooeeing and even some opera while we were there – magic.

Back down the rabbit hole

The Moss Garden

The track into the Moss Garden was beautiful in its own right, there quite a few staired sections and the track climbed steeply following Koolaroo creek and through amazing rainforest.  Then you arrive at the Moss Garden – this was the last part of our journey so we didn’t have direct sunlight making it dark and ferny and mossy (but hard to photograph in this light).  The Moss Garden was breath taking and we lingered there for some time.

The Gorge Mouth walks

Baloon Cave

This is an easy, short track and a good way to loosen up our legs after the walk the day before.

Mickey Creek and Warrumbah Gorge

The walking track into Mickey Creek forks about a kilometre in and Warrumbah Gorge turns off to the right. We were given a great tip off from people coming back that way that just past the fork there was a wonderful area were hundreds of butterflies were just hanging around sunning themselves – it was a magical place, almost like a fairy glen.

Shortly after the fork there is a sign informing walkers that the 'formed track ends here'. Some visitors have interpreted this as 'don't go any further', however we were told that the best part of the gorge lay beyond and so we continued hopping over rocks, climbing along ledges into the most sensational place we have ever seen.  Places like these turn up on the cover of something like National Geographic not somewhere we manage to get to. Warrumbah Gorge narrows to a slot gorge and in places you can touch both walls with outstretched arms.  David and I made one promise to each other as we left here – we will come back!