About Currawinya
- Getting there and getting around
- Park features
- Camping and accommodation
- Things to do
- Things to know before you go
- Staying safe
- Looking after the park
- Park management
- Tourism information links
- Further information
Getting there and getting around
- Currawinya National Park map (PDF, 150K)*
Currawinya's southern boundary lies adjacent to the township of Hungerford on the Queensland/New South Wales border.
All roads are unsealed and may become impassable when wet. Travel by four-wheel-drive vehicle is recommended.
To reach the park office from the north, travel approximately 170 km south-west of Cunnamulla, turning towards Hungerford 4 km west of Eulo. If travelling from the south, enter the park via Hungerford, 217 km north-west of Bourke. The park office is 4 km north of the Ten-Mile Bore or 20 km north of Hungerford.
Access to the park is via working pastoral properties. Take care to avoid stock on unfenced roads and leave gates as you find them. Please respect the rights of property owners.
After good rains (whether in the local area or far upstream), flooding isolates the park from nearby townships for long periods and can submerge camp sites along the Paroo River. The road to the lakes is often closed after rain events.
Wheelchair accessibility
There are no wheelchair-accessible tracks or facilities at Currawinya.
Park features
Lakes Wyara (top left) and Numalla (right) are separated by only a few kilometres of harsh, dry sand dunes. Photo courtesy John Porter, University of New South Wales
Currawinya's lakes, rivers and wetlands are a striking contrast to the sandy plains and rocky ranges of semi-arid south-western Queensland. These wetlands are among the most important inland waterbird habitats in Australia. Two large lakes, separated by only a few kilometres of sand dunes, are the centre-piece of a fascinating mosaic of habitats across the park. Lake Numalla is freshwater. The slightly larger Lake Wyara is saline.
Evidence of thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation and more recent relics of pastoral activities dating from the 1860s are scattered across the park.
Community donations have paid for a 25 square kilometre predator-proof fence. Captive-bred bilbies have been reintroduced to this fenced area of the park as part of a national strategy to protect this endangered species. The greater bilby has disappeared from much of its home range in inland Australia, but was once found at Currawinya. Please note: there is no public access to the bilby enclosure.
- Read more about the nature, culture and history of Currawinya National Park.
Camping and accommodation
The Paroo River is the perfect place to camp, picnic, birdwatch or fish.
Camping
You can bush camp at Ourimperee waterhole behind the Woolshed (close to flushing toilets and a bush shower), or at several sites on the Paroo River near Caiwarro (at the park's northern end). All campers must be self-sufficient in food, water and fuel. Please do not collect firewood from the national park. Use fuel stoves instead.
Camping permits are required and fees apply. Please obtain permits and pay camping fees at the park office (formerly the Currawinya homestead), 4 km north of the Ten-Mile Bore, or use the self-registration stand near Caiwarro.
Other accommodation
There is holiday accommodation at Hungerford, Eulo, Thargomindah and Cunnamulla. For more information see the tourism information links below.
Things to do
Walk to The Granites for views overlooking the park.
Pink (Major Mitchell) cockatoos are often seen feeding along roadsides.
Shingle-back lizards and other arid zone reptiles live at Currawinya.
Walking and driving
Drive to lakes Wyara and Numalla to see some of inland Australia's most important wetlands and the variety of mulga lands habitats along the way. The 85 km round trip from the park office is suitable only for 4WD vehicles.
Visit The Granites, 10 km north of Ten Mile Bore on the old Thargomindah Road. Walk to a small outcrop of granite from which you can look over the park. Take water with you and walk carefully as the uneven track and granite rocks may be slippery.
Heritage enthusiasts should visit the old Caiwarro homestead site at the northern end of the park, 37 km from the park office.
You may also like to visit Hungerford on the Queensland/New South Wales border (20 km south of the park office), where the historic Royal Mail Hotel still operates.
Viewing wildlife
Extensive lakes and wetlands make Currawinya ideal for birdwatching. Walk rather than drive near the lakes and you will see more birds and preserve fragile ecosystems. Early mornings are best for seeing and photographing arid zone wildlife. See the description of the park's natural environment for more details about Currawinya's diverse wildlife.
Fishing
Fishing is permitted in some areas of Currawinya National Park along the Paroo River, but not at the lakes. See the ranger or on-site signs for details. Only live bait caught adjacent to the national park can be brought into the park.
Boating
You may canoe, kayak or swim on Lake Numalla, but motorised boats and jet-skis are not permitted on any lake. Signs at lakes Wyara and Numalla show the activities permitted in particular areas.
Things to know before you go
Carefeul preparation is essential for a safe and enjoyable visit to this remote park.
Essentials to bring
- Bring at least seven litres of water per person per day for drinking, cooking and washing. Local water is not suitable for drinking.
- Carry adequate supplies of food, water, fuel, vehicle spares and medical supplies.
- Prepare for an extra four or five days in case you become stranded due to flooding. It is possible to become stranded away from your campsite, especially if visiting the lakes.
- Bring warm clothing and camping gear as winter nights can reach –5 °C.
- Rubbish bins are not provided. Please bring rubbish bags, and take all recyclables and rubbish with you when you leave.
- Bring a fuel or gas stove for cooking.
- Bring your camera and binoculars for viewing wildlife.
Opening hours
Currawinya National Park is open 24 hours a day.
Permits and fees
Camping permits are required and fees apply. Please obtain permits and pay camping fees at the park office or the self-registration stand at Caiwarro.
Pets
Domestic animals are not permitted in Currawinya National Park.
Climate and weather
In summer, daytime temperatures can exceed 40 °C. The cooler months of the year, from April to September, are the best times to visit.
During July, the average maximum temperature is 19 °C, while overnight temperatures can fall to a frosty –5 °C. Clear winter nights ensure magnificent starry skies.
Currawinya is in the semi-arid rangelands and has a low, variable rainfall and a high rate of evaporation. More than half the average annual rainfall of 295 mm falls during summer.
For more information see the tourism information links below.
Fuel and supplies
Fuel and supplies are available at Cunnamulla, Eulo, Thargomindah and Bourke. Meals, diesel, unleaded fuel and limited groceries are available at the Royal Mail Hotel at Hungerford. For more information see the tourism information links below.
Staying safe
Roads to and within Currawinya are long and dusty; drive safely and keep watch for wildlife.
Warning! Currawinya is remote.
For your safety ensure that you:
- plan your trip carefully
- inform a responsible person of your itinerary
- carry adequate supplies of food, water, fuel, vehicle spares and medical supplies
- prepare for an extra four or five days in case you become stranded due to flooding. It is possible to be stranded away from your camp site, especially if visiting the lakes.
- bring at least seven litres of water a person a day for drinking, cooking and washing. Local water is not suitable for drinking.
- travel below 40 km/h on the park's narrow, unsealed roads
- always wear seat belts and look out for kangaroos, emus and other wildlife on roads.
Please take care. It is very easy to get lost. If your vehicle breaks down, stay with it! A vehicle is much easier to find than people.
Mobile phone coverage is not available. In an emergency, contact the ranger or police on UHF radio channel 6 (duplex).
The Royal Flying Doctor Service operates in this area. If medical assistance is needed, contact the ranger or Hungerford Police Station on (07) 4655 4088.
For more information that will help you enjoy a safe visit to this area, please read the guidelines Safety in parks and forests.
Looking after the park
Despite the enduring nature of the landscape, Currawinya's habitats are fragile and easily damaged.
Help preserve this park's exceptional natural and cultural values by following these few common sense rules:
- Leave everything as you find it. This includes plants, animals, rocks, ruins and artefacts.
- Firearms and other weapons must not be used in national parks.
- Leave your pets at home. Pets frighten wildlife, annoy other visitors, can become lost and are prohibited in the park.
- Take care with fire. Clear away any flammable material for a metre around campfires and ensure your fire is out before you leave.
- Bury toilet waste at least 15 cm deep and 150 m from any watercourse, bore or lake. Toilet paper is slow to break down in arid areas, so please burn toilet paper if it is safe to do so.
- Use fuel stoves to reduce the need for firewood. Wood provides homes for wildlife and nutrients for the soil.
- Please remove your rubbish from the park and leave campsites clean and tidy.
- Do not contaminate lakes and rivers with detergents, soap, shampoos or human waste.
- Drive only on declared roads indicated on the map and always wear seatbelts.
See Caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.
Park management
Formerly a grazing property, 154,870 hectare Currawinya National Park was declared in 1991 to conserve representative samples of landscapes, vegetation and wildlife in the Mulga Lands Biogeographic Region.
A Management Plan (PDF, 299K)* for Currawinya National Park guides the management of the area.
Currawinya National Park has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. For more information see the Australian Wetlands Database.
Tourism information links
Contact the information centres below for more information about activities, tours and accommodation in this region.
Cunnamulla Visitor Information Centre
Centenary Park, Jane Street, Cunnamulla, QLD 4490
ph (07) 4655 8470
fax (07) 4655 1120
email cunnamullainfo@paroo.qld.gov.au
Thargomindah Visitor Information Centre
Eccles Street, Thargomindah, QLD 4490
ph (07) 4655 3399
fax (07) 4655 3374
email thargotour@bigpond.com
For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see www.queenslandholidays.com.au.
Further information
* Requires Adobe Reader
Last updated 16 February 2012