About Currawinya

Park features

At 334,000 hectares, Currawinya is one of Queensland’s largest national parks.

The park’s lakes, rivers and wetlands are a striking contrast to the sandy plains and rocky ranges of semi-arid south western Queensland.

Two large lakes, separated by only a few kilometres of sand dunes, are the centrepiece of a fascinating mosaic of habitats across the park. Lake Numalla is freshwater. The slightly larger Lake Wyara is saline.

Lined with coolabah, river red gums and yapunyah trees the iconic Paroo River meanders through the park. This 600km long river is the last free-flowing river in the entire Murray-Darling basin.

In the low foothills of the ranges and on sandy plains are endangered mound springs and soaks, formed by underground waters from the Great Artesian Basin.

These wetlands and waterways are among the most important inland waterbird habitats in Australia. Their international significance was recognised in 1992 with the designation of the Currawinya Ramsar site—one of only five listed RAMSAR sites in Queensland.

The entire landscape holds significant cultural heritage for the Traditional Owners—the Budjiti people. Evidence of thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation, and more recent relics of pastoral activities dating from the 1860s, are scattered across the park.

Read more about the nature, culture and history of Currawinya National Park.

Looking after the park

Help preserve this park's exceptional natural and cultural values by following these few common sense rules:

• Leave everything as you find it. This includes plants, animals, rocks, ruins and artefacts.
• Firearms and other weapons must not be used in national parks.
• Leave your pets at home. Pets frighten wildlife, annoy other visitors, can become lost and are prohibited in the park.
• Take care with fire. Clear away any flammable material from at least 1m around campfires and ensure your fire is out before you leave.
• Bury toilet waste at least 15cm deep and 150m from any watercourse, bore or lake. Toilet paper is slow to break down in arid areas, so please burn toilet paper if it is safe to do so.
• Use fuel stoves to reduce the need for firewood. Wood provides homes for wildlife and nutrients for the soil.
• Please remove your rubbish from the park and leave campsites clean and tidy.
• Do not contaminate lakes and rivers with detergents, soap, shampoos or human waste.
• Drive only on declared roads indicated on the map and always wear seatbelts.

See Caring for parks for more information about protecting our environment and heritage in parks.

Park management

Formerly a grazing property, 154,870 hectares (ha) Currawinya National Park was originally declared in 1991 to conserve representative samples of landscapes, vegetation and wildlife in the Mulga Lands Biogeographic Region.

In 2015 the purchase of Boorara (115,000ha), Werewilka (53,000ha) and Bingara (21,000ha) marked a significant addition to the reserve system and brought Currawinya National Park to a total area of around 344,000ha.

The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service manage Currawinya National Park under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

A management plan (PDF, 2.6MB) for Currawinya National Park guides the management of the area.

Currawinya National Park has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. For more information see the Australian Wetlands Database.

Tourism information links

Contact the information centres below for more information about activities, tours and accommodation in this region.

Cunnamulla Visitor Information Centre
www.paroo.qld.gov.au/visit-paroo/visitor-information-centre
Centenary Park, Jane Street, Cunnamulla, QLD 4490
ph 07 4655 8470
visitor@paroo.qld.gov.au

Thargomindah Visitor Information Centre
www.explorebulloo.com.au
37 Dowling Street, Thargomindah Qld 4492
ph 07 4621 8095
tourism@bulloo.qld.gov.au

Charleville Visitor Information Centre
Charleville Railway Station
King Street, Charleville QLD 4470
ph 07 4655 8359
info@murweh.qld.gov.au

For tourism information for all regions in Queensland see Queensland Holidays.