Carnarvon Gorge, Carnarvon National Park Capricorn | Outback Queensland

Stencils, engraving and freehand Aboriginal art adorn the sandstone wall in the Art Gallery. Photo credit: Robert Ashdown © Queensland Government

Like to become a campground host?

The department is seeking volunteers to act as campground hosts at Carnarvon Gorge section, Carnarvon National Park over the Queensland school holidays. Photo credit: Tourism and Events Queensland

Art Gallery walk

Sense the ancient connections captured in the ochre stencils, engravings and freehand paintings that adorn the sandstone walls.

Journey type: Walk
Distance: 10.8km from visitor area (or 600m from Main gorge track) return Start and finish points are the same and the traveller must return via the same path
Time suggested: Allow 4hr walking time.
Grade: Grade 3 walking track

Accessible by

Conventional vehicle

Journey facilities

Walking

Step back in time, and into an ancient culture, when you immerse yourself in this spectacular display of Aboriginal rock art.

This easy walk branches off the Main gorge track and leads to a 62m-long sandstone wall featuring 2000 engravings, ochre stencils and free-hand paintings adorning the sandstone walls. This is one of Australia’s finest examples of stencil art. See if you can find boomerangs, hands, feet, stone axes, shields, nets and an assortment of animal tracks.

Discover the fascinating stories behind these images and gain respect for the ancient connections the Bidjara and Karingbal Aboriginal people have with their country.

Getting there and getting around

The Art Gallery walk is the Carnarvon Gorge section of Carnarvon National Park in central Queensland's Sandstone Wilderness, halfway between Emerald and Roma.

The Art Gallery walk branches off the Main gorge track and continues for 300m to the Art Gallery site.
The turn-off to the Art Gallery walk is 5.1km along the Main gorge track from the Carnarvon Gorge visitor area.
The Carnarvon Gorge visitor area is 5.9km by sealed road from the park entrance.
To reach Carnarvon Gorge from Roma, drive 90km north to Injune then a further 160km along the Carnarvon Highway to the Carnarvon Gorge turn-off. If you are travelling from Emerald, drive 65km south to Springsure then 70km east to Rolleston, and a further 61km along the Carnarvon Highway to the Carnarvon Gorge turn-off. From here, the 45km road to the park entrance is sealed.