📍Best Cania Gorge National Park Walks: Caves, Cliffs & Gorges. (2024.)

WANT TO KNOW WHICH CANIA GORGE NATIONAL PARK WALKS ARE THE MOST WORTHWHILE?

One place no one should miss travelling throughout the North Burnett region is Cania Gorge National Park. What makes it such an unforgettable highlight is that the sides of its spectacular gorge are lined with breathtaking sandstone cliffs synonymous with the Central Queensland landscape, perfect for those who want to visit them from coastal destinations such as Bundaberg and Gladstone without committing to a lengthy road trip.

What’s more, is that these lengthy escarpments of 70m high exposed rock are home to seven trails leading to incredible caves, crevices, lookouts, overhangs and rockpools that are all well worth discovering. Here are my favourites from my recent trip along with all the other information you need to know before visiting this outstanding national park.

1. Two Storey Cave Circuit.
1.3km Loop, Grade 3.

My favourite walk at Cania Gorge National Park is the Two Storey Cave Circuit. Starting from opposite the Cania Gorge Picnic Area on the southern side of the road, it’s one of two walks that follows the base of the cliff, making most of the track a visual feast for the eyes.

I recommend going anticlockwise and marvelling at the striking beauty of the sheer cliff faces, the sheered-off boulders that perfectly mimic the gaps in the rock that seemed as though they just fell off yesterday, the makeshift cave created by a lengthy slab leaning back towards the cliff and the Kings Orchid Crevice with its boulders stuck in the gap where the block sheered clear off the escarpment.

Then finish at the unremarkable Two Storey Cave. At first glance, I was disappointed. It wasn’t worth attributing the name of the walk to, especially when what came before it was brilliant. But upon closer inspection at the very last minute before leaving, I discovered the entrance to the second story which was an unnoticeable area at the back of the cave was illuminated there was no otherwise logical reason for being lit up. But the discovery changed my tune real quick.

The second level was so incredible. With a gaping hole letting the sunlight in and giant slabs of rock hanging from the ceiling looking like they were being held on by the tiniest bit of friction that could give way to gravity at any given second, it was the highlight of my visit to Cania Gorge, especially since I was seconds away from completely missing it, which is why it’s best to save it until the last thing you see on the trail because it’s just such a cool find.

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2. Dripping Rock & The Overhang.
3.2km Return, Grade 3.

Cania Gorge’s most popular walk is to Dripping Rock and the Overhang. This walk also follows the base of the escarpment showcasing many beautiful areas of eroded rock face, with the two namesake points of interest being some of the most striking along the way.

Dripping Rock is 1.1km from the trailhead and features a boardwalk that allows visitors to walk right along the cliff line under sheer and protruding slabs while listening to the ambient sounds of water droplets falling to the ground.

At the end of the track is the breathtaking Overhang, the unquestionable highlight of this trail, but not just because of the gap between the rock and the pond, so don’t just stop at the base of the stairs as around the corner along a muddy hard-to-see pathway, the escarpment steepens up to reveal the most incredible sub-canopy slab of rock, complete with giant boulders that have fallen off the cliff face.

3. Dragon & Bloodwood Caves.
2.6km Return, Grade 3.

Anywhere that has cliffs is bound to have caves and Cania Gorge National Park is no exception. The ones that the public can visit are Dragon and Bloodwood Cave. Dragon is the closest, biggest and most awe-inspiring of the two and features a gaping mouth, giant boulders, and a large natural black mark on the back wall that looks vaguely like the sideways silhouette of the Asian interpretation of the mythical dragon, hence its name along with beautiful views of the national park’s southern cliff line.

At the end of the trail is Bloodwood Cave, a narrow-ish, horizontal slot in the rock face. Slouch-walk into its entranceway on the right and it’ll open up enough so you can stand comfortably enough to appreciate the inside and observe the moths that appear stuck to the rockwall. Don’t leave without looking at the area just inside the cave mouth on the far left side (from outside) as that’s where its most fascinating feature lies and the reason for its name, which is not nearly as ominous as it sounds. Despite all the rock, the twisted roots of a Bloodwood tree have managed to find a home in the crevice of this natural cavity.

4. Castle Mountain Lookout.
22km Return, Grade 4.

If you enjoy long day hikes, the 22km return in-and-out trail to Castle Mountain is well worth the effort. Although graded as a 4, only the first 1.3km to Gorge Top Lookout poses any notable physical challenges. It follows the same trail from the car park as the Grade 3 Dragon and Bloodwood Caves trail for most of the way, deviating off halfway between the two, where it is mostly all stairs to the lookout, which has lovely views of the mountains and escarpment.

As for the rest of the way, it’s almost entirely flat along an old fire trail, with only the end getting marginally more undulating, making it great beginner track to practice doing long treks. And with the most incredible views of Cania Dam northeast of the national park as the reward, it’s a phenomenal incentive to walk this mammoth track.

Note: The walk is best started early in the morning in the cooler months and on a cloudy or overcast day as the trail is quite exposed, especially around midday.

5. Fern Tree Pool & Giant’s Chair Circuit.
5.6km Loop, Grade 3.

Starting 900m from the Cania Gorge Picnic Area at the Western Car Park (which is ironically more southeast of it) is the Fern Tree Pool & Giant’s Chair Lookout walk. The 5.6km circuit is the national park’s second-longest walk and follows the dry creekbed of Doctor’s Gully, crossing it several times, and leading to a beautiful, oasis-like pond and numerous small birds flying about.

After that, the easy trail goes up the escarpment and becomes a forestry road where the 1.6km stretch from the seat to the Giants Chair is mostly flat, except just before reaching it, and when you do, the fenced lookout has amazing views looking into the gorge and across the northern escarpment. There’s even a picnic table if you brought snacks, and want a sit-down, which you definitely will if you came from the other direction as it is almost all stairs, which is why Queensland Parks recommends online to do the trail in an anticlockwise direction.

Note: This was one of the hottest walks. The tree foliage hadn’t regrown from a fire, so it was very sun-exposed, so a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water are necessary, and doing it during a cooler time of day.

6. Big Foot Walk.
1km Return, Grade 3.

From the same car park, the 1km return, Big Foot Walk is the national park’s easiest trail, going flat along the base of the gorge parallel to the road. It follows the sandstone escarpment and leads to a mysterious mark that looks suspiciously like a giant footprint.

If it was put there by some kind of overgrown sasquatch, bunyip or yowie, where did it come from? Where did it go? Where did it come from, Cotton Eye Joe? And is it still lurking in the woods? I don’t know. But, if you have kids, particularly if they are young and impressionable, you can have tonnes of fun gaslighting them into believing it belongs to some giant mythical beast that prowls the forest of Cania Gorge looking for misbehaving children to kidnap and swallow whole. Maybe it belongs to the megafauna version of the terrifying drop bear. Who knows? Get super creative. Really put your acting chops to work to sell the fear factor for maximum effect.

What’s great about where the “footprint” is, is that it is also about 300m away from the Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat, which means it is excellent for visiting at night if you’re staying there too. And with a creepy backstory and the forest only illuminated by the torchlights you take, it’s the perfect mystery to “stumble upon” while out “searching” for nocturnal animals. Extra props if you have someone else to go ahead and have them periodically play scary noises from their phones in pitch-black darkness. Sure, it’s also the perfect way for the kids not to sleep that night… Or the next several, but it’ll be worth it for the laughs, as long as you tell them not too long later that you were just messing with them.

7. Shamrock Mine Site.
1.4km Return, Grade 3.

Away from other walks, just south of Cania Dam, lies the national park’s only heritage walk. The Shamrock Mine Site trail showcases the region’s former gold mining days of the late 1800s by showcasing the remnants of the titular alluvial and reef mining site, formerly known as Paddy’s Gully, named after the secretive prospector who did a reasonable job finding the shiny yellow metal but would reveal his location to other diggers hoping to piggyback off his success.

With the old two-stone battery under the cover of a processing shed and the entranceway to the reef mine shaft that visitors can peer down into along with other artefacts, this was one of the most interesting historical mining trails I’ve walked as it depicted a more vivid picture of what gold prospecting was like in the pioneering days was like. Plus, views of Cania Gorge’s iconic sandstone cliffs were peeking through the trees along the way, which would have been the same scenery they saw, even if the area where the digging happened ain’t, giving the place a timeless feel.

Note: Keep your eyes out for gorgeous whiptail wallabies. I saw two along this trail. 🙂 Also, if you were hoping to try your luck finding the malleable material, sorry, but no fossicking is allowed.

Where Is Cania Gorge National Park?

Cania Gorge National Park is about 185km south of Gladstone and 220km west of Bundaberg in the North Burnett region of Queensland, Australia.

How To Get There.

• From Gladstone: Follow the Dawsons Highway(60) for 28km. At Calliope, turn onto Tableland Drive/Gladstone-Monto Road(69) and continue for 132km. At Monto, head northwest along the Burnett Highway(A3) for 12 km before turning onto Cania Road for the final 12km stretch to the national park. The road is all sealed and suitable for conventional vehicles.
• From Bundaberg: Head west along Gin Gin Road(3) for 50km. Upon arriving at Gin Gin, follow the Bruce Highway(A1) north to the other side of town, then take the first left exit on Gin Gin-Mt Perry Road(12) and drive for another 50km to the Mt Perry township. Upon arriving there, take the Monto-Mt Perry Road(12) turn-off. Although the name suggests it goes to Monto, it doesn’t quite, so upon reaching the T-intersection, head north along the Burnett Highway(A3) for the final stretch to Monto. Once there, follow the signs west out of town to continue on the Burnett Highway(A3) (it’s a little confusing) for 11km before the last turn off onto Cania Road.

Cania Gorge National Park is a fantastic year-round destination. However, as the winters are mild (I went in mid-May and it didn’t feel like winter was just around the corner. I only needed a jacket for very early in the morning.) and some of the tracks are exposed (the Fern Tree Pool & Giant’s Chair Circuit because of burn bushland and foliage that hadn’t regenerated and the Castle Mountain Lookout trail, which is long and remote), the sun beating down takes it out on you, so take that in consideration when planning a trip to this beautiful place.

Geography & History.

• Cania Gorge National Park features a striking lineup of stunning 60m high sandstone cliffs that frame the slowly water-eroded Cania Gorge. It is the easternmost place where visitors can see these iconic escarpments synonymous with the Central Queensland landscape.
• It also has two main types of vegetation and foliage. Dry rainforests populate the bottom of the gorge with vines and thorn shrubs filling out the understory., while atop the cliffs and on the lower slopes are eucalypt woodland often with native grasses underneath. Additionally, the national park’s ecology is an important remnant of the Brigalow Belt, a broad band of acacia-wooded grassland between the tropical rainforest of the coast and the semi-arid interior in QLD and NSW.
• Aboriginal Australias are estimated to have lived in Cania Gorge for at least 19,000 years when the previous Ice Age was in full swing and the world was a much cooler landscape as reported from evidence seen around the national park in areas inaccessible to the public. It is thought that during this prolific change in the Earth’s climate, gorges such as this were more frequently used as they provided access to predictable water and food sources.

Animals.

• Whiptail Wallabies – I saw 2 of these cuties along the Shamrock Mine Trail.
• Brush-Tailed Rock Wallabies – These are truly impressive creatures if you can see them bounding effortlessly over the rocks and up the cliff face. They are essentially like the mountain goats of Australia. The best times to see them are at sunrise and sunset. I saw one on the rocks at Big Foot and 3 in the dense undergrowth near the trail sign 500m in from the main trailhead for most of the walks leaving Cania Gorge Picnic Area.
• Home to more than 90 species of birds.
  • Sulphur-crested cockatoos.
  • Currawongs.
  • King parrot. – Males have striking red heads while their female counterparts are predominantly green.
  • Dollarbirds. (Seasonal.)
  • Regent bowerbirds.
  • Wompoo pigeons.
  • Brush-turkeys.
  • Peregrine falcons.
  • Wedge-tailed eagles.
• Yellow-bellied gliders. (nocturnal.)
• Rainbow skinks.
• Lace monitors.
• Southern spotted velvet gecko.
• Common bent-wing bats.
• Common tree snakes.
• Spotted pythons.

Picnic Areas.

There are two picnic areas. The main one is Cania Gorge Picnic Area as it’s where 4 of the hiking trails begin. The other is the Western Car Park. It is very basic with only a picnic table, but is the trailhead for 2 of the national park’s walks.

• Numerous picnic tables. Some are sheltered, some reside under trees.
• Several BBQs (wood/fuel/coins operated.)
• Flushing Toilets.
• No campfires.

Places To Visit Nearby.

• Cania Dam.
• Coolmingah State Forest (4WD accessible only)
• Monto.

There are no national park camping grounds in Cania Gorge National Park. However, the Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat is nearby catering to various travellers with spacious powered and unpowered sites and comfortable cabins, creating a fantastic base for exploring the national park.

If you plan to visit the Cania Gorge National Park, consider looking at these other posts.