📍Do You Need A 4WD To Get To Kroombit Tops National Park?

WONDERING IF YOU NEED A 4WD TO GET TO KROOMBIT TOPS?

As one of Gladstone’s best national parks and the cloest to the unique industrial-meets-nature city on the continental mainland, Kroombit Tops National Park is a fantastic nature escape for those looking to trade the gentle sea breeze and stunning coastlines for the picturesque countryside and rugged mountain ranges.

With a gorgeous lookout, the twisted, mangled wreck of a plane crash, four rough 4WD tracks and two rustic campgrounds nestled in a unique plateau environment featuring habitats and animals that don’t typically exist in the subtropical climate of Queensland’s Central, it is a spectacular national park. But do you need a 4WD to visit Kroombit Tops?

Yes & No.

There are three ways to get to Kroombit Tops National Park, and while it is mainly 4WD accessible only, the northern entrance from Calliope near Gladstone is reachable by conventional 2WD. Most of the route is pleasant to drive, thanks to the combination of sealed and good dirt roads.

When you get inside the national park boundary, it becomes narrow and very steep and windy, but thankfully tarred as you make the ascent to the top, where it becomes dirt road again as it flattens out. Because of this, good tyre tread and bakes are essential and towing for 2WDs is not recommended.

From there, you’ll be able to reach the Kroombit Tops Lookout Lookout, which has gorgeous views overlooking the undulating Boyne Valley, with very careful driving (I scraped the underneath of my Toyota Corolla a few times in the last 4km, so not ideal for anything lower), the Griffiths Creek Campground, which, between them, cover both ends of the Escarpment Trail and the environmentally unique Rainforest Track.

As for the other two entrances and the rest of the national park, you will need a high-clearance 4WD due to the rough and rugged terrain. With one, you can have a blast traversing along its 4 offroad driving routes, which include one each for eastern and western approaches, with the latter having the gorgeous, naturally occurring Marble Waterhole.

The other two lead to the best landmark within this mountainous wilderness as it’s one of the few places where you can see the mangled remains of a plane crash. The one in Kroombit Tops is of the Beautiful Betsy, a World War II bomber that disappeared in 1945 and was only found again in 1994, making for a fascinating hike.

You will also be able to get to the tiny but peaceful Razorback campground, where you can spend the night under the stars in a super secluded spot as there are only two sites available.

NOTE: Queensland Parks will close the roads for wet conditions so it’s best to check the website before visiting.

Places You Can Get To With Different Vehicles.

2WD Accessible. (With Careful Driving. Not Suitable For Low Rider Cars.)

• Tableland Road. (From Calliope.) – Narrow & steep in the national park.
• Griffiths Creek Day Use Area & Campground. (The far end of the campground is a bit rough.)
• Kroombit Tops Lookout. (The 4km stretch north of the lookout is rough.)
• Escarpment Track. (Both Ends.)
• Rainforest Walk.

High Clearance 4WD.

• 4WD tracks. (All unsuitable for towing.)
  • Clewleys Gap Road. (From Ubobo & Monto.)
  • Razorbackback Track. (From Biloela.)
  • Riddle Track.
  • Bomber Track.
• WWII Bomber Crash Site. (End of Riddle & Bomber Tracks.)
• Marble Waterhole. (Along Razorback Track.)
• Razorback Campground.

While Kroombit Tops National Park is mainly a four-wheel-drive enthusiast paradise due to its rough and rugged roads meaning only cars with high-clearance off-road capabilities can tackle it, people with conventional vehicles can still visit this unique habitat and some of its attractions with careful driving.

If you are planning to visit Kroombit Tops, consider looking at these other posts.