Expedition National Park, Queensland: Do I need a 4WD?

A 4WD is required to visit the Expedition National Park in outback Queensland. Do not attempt to visit after rain, or you could be stranded at the Starkvale Camping Area near Robinson Gorge for days.

Detailed answer: Australia has several under-the-radar national parks. Few Australians will have heard of the Garig Gunak Barlu National Park in the Northern Territory, the Woomargama National Park in New South Wales or the Gunbower National Park in Victoria, for example.

But some Australian national parks aren’t just little-known – they’re incredibly hard to get to as well. The Expedition National Park in Queensland is a classic example of this.

This obscure national park is in the Capricorn region of Queensland. It’s not worth saying which towns it’s near to, as it simply isn’t near to any towns. It’s a 664km drive north-west of Brisbane, if that helps.

Getting to Expedition National Park

Otherwise, the Expedition National Park is roughly due west of Hervey Bay. It’s a 483km drive from Hervey Bay to Taroom, which should take around five-and-a-quarter hours. From Taroom, it’s about 90km north-west to the park’s main attraction, Robinson Gorge. The last 16km of this journey is suitable for 4WD vehicles only.

expedition national park gorges — The gorges of the Expedition National Park in Queensland are stunning, but hard to get to. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

This is the quick way too, along a gravel road that can become impassable after rain. Following significant amounts of rain, the creeks rise and Robinson Creek in particular is dangerous to cross. When the creeks are high, a significant detour is required via the Glenhaughton Road.

Want the exciting news? Well, the Robinson Gorge section of the Expedition National Park is the easy bit to get to. There are no roads cutting across to the other two sections of the park – Lonesome and Beilba.

What to do when rain is forecast

The Queensland Department of Environment and Science strongly advises against travelling after rain. If you’re already there when rain is forecast, get out ASAP or prepare to camp in the Expedition National Park until the rains stop and water levels go down.

Needless to say, you need a 4WD vehicle to visit the Expedition National Park. Also required are hardy levels of self-reliance. Basic camping is available, with the Starkvale Camping Area the best positioned for visiting Robinson Gorge.