The Central Queensland Region has beautiful National Parks, giving the adventurous traveller excellent opportunity’s to get of the beaten track. Access by four wheel drive is recommended for travelling in National Park areas. Please note that you will require permits and need to follow advice provided by Queensland Parks and Wildlife, when visiting National Park areas.

A picturesque coastal park with sandy beaches and paperbark swamps, eucalypt forest, mangroves and rain forest with a spectacular floor of wild flowers in spring can only be found in Eurimbula National Park, just west of Agnes Water.

Composting toilets, bore water and rain water are provided at the campsites with the nearest shops providing fuel, food and ice at Agnes Water 25 kilometres by road.

On unspoiled coastline, 7.5 kilometres from Agnes Water, Deepwater National Park features beautiful fresh water wetland, high sand dunes and is backed with open forest. Deepwater National Park provides captivating scenery and is a place where people can fish and enjoy the secluded beach in a quite and unspoiled area. There are numerous walking tracks available for those who enjoy a stroll or bush walking.

A developed camping area is situated at Wreck Rock with picnic tables, one cold shower and self composting toilets.

Kroombit Tops with rugged parklands, spectacular views, subtropical rain forest patches and palm fringed waterfalls is situated 85 kilometres south-west from Gladstone. Access to Kroombit Tops is from the north via Tablelands Road. From the on Munholme Creek Road near Monto there is also access. These roads require a 4WD. Further to the west of the park is Kroombit Park on Lochenbar Station which features excellent accommodation.

On the Southern Great Barrier Reef, Lady Musgrave Island National Park is a beautiful coral cay surrounded by reefs, sitting at the western end of a huge, calm water lagoon and is situated just east from Gladstone and the Town of 1770. Lady Musgrave Island showcases superb wildlife displays throughout the year with endless bird watching and turtle nesting between November and February.

There are a number of operators able to assist with transfers to Lady Musgrave Island. Day trips or self-sufficient camping is offered, with limited campsites available. Composting toilets are available on Lady Musgrave Island, however you will need to take your own water.

A Magnificent coral cay preserving the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem, Masthead Island is approximately 60 minutes north-east from Gladstone. This remote island spot is one of the most undisturbed and botanically diverse coral cays on the Great Barrier Reef. It is home to many species of seabirds and shore birds as well as a variety of sea turtles. You can walk, swim or dive to see the reef’s corals, fish and other marine life to full advantage. Turtle season mainly occurs at night between November and January.

Camping is permitted on Masthead Island most of the year with bookings taken 12 months in advance and limits apply. Masthead Island National Park is for self-sufficient campers only.

Situated north-east from Gladstone, North West Island is the largest coral cay in the Gladstone southern Great Barrier Reef area. With surrounding reef, dense tall persona forest with nesting turtles and seabirds. North West Island National Park is a tranquil home away from home. North West Island offers opportunities to bushwalk, undertake nature study, reef walking, diving and snorkelling.

Self-sufficient camping is available however, campers are required to take along their own water and fuel stove.

Large and diverse Curtis Island forms the north-east protection of the Port of Gladstone, and lies between Gladstone and Rockhampton. The north-eastern end of Curtis Island is the National Park. A verity of vegetation types grow in the National Park from heath, grassland, stunted paperbark woodland and open eucalypt forest to extensive parches of dry rainforest. Cutis Island has a magnificent eastern coastline of beaches and headlands overlooking the Coral Sea.

Visitors to Curtis Island National Park must be self-sufficient, be sure to take drinking water and a fuel stove. The is a free camping ground with toilets, shelter shed, free gas barbecues about 1 kilometre from the south end landing ramp. A conveniences store operates out of the local accommodation, including take-away food, fuel, gas, picnic and fishing supplies, and a licensed bottle shop.

Wild Cattle Island National Park is an undeveloped sandy island at Tannum Sands, at the southern end of Tannum Sands main beach, across Wild Cattle Creek. Visitors can access the island by boat across the creek. Wild Cattle Island features coastal dune vegetation with mangroves on the inland waterway and is excellent for fishing and boating.

Wild Cattle Island National Park makes a great day trip. Bush camping is allowed.

Isla Gorge is situated 35 kilometres south of Theodore on the Leichhardt Highway, Isla Gorge is a maze of gorges and sandstone cliffs with stunning scenery and panoramic views. Isla Gorge is a 7850 hectare National Park, that lies on the southern tip of the Dawson Range at the eastern end of the Central Queensland Sandstone Belt. The lookout is located 1 kilometre from the highway. There are no walking tracks through the park and it is recommended that only experienced bushwalkers explore the Isla Gorge system.

A picnic area at the lookout has toilets, a shelter shed and water tank. The camping area overlooks the gorge just over 1 kilometre off the highway.