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Australia🇦🇺 | national parksMount MoffattMarlong Arch, remote sandstone, Kookaburra Cave, no services | things to do and best time to go

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Backpacking in Mount Moffatt
👀 For curious travelersnational park ranked #24
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 15, 2026

Mount Moffatt has no shop, no fuel and no phone signal, and the nearest town is hours of dirt road away. It sits in Queensland, Australia, as the remote western section of Carnarvon National Park, about 220 km north of Mitchell. I drove in on a corrugated track where a goanna strolled ahead of my car for a full minute, refusing to yield, so I followed at walking pace. The reward is sandstone gorges, empty trails and a campground ringed by kangaroos at dusk.

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✨ Why go?
Ranked #24 national park in AustraliaWhy Mount Moffatt should be on your travel list

Backpackers choose Mount Moffatt because it is a place you can only do on your own terms. No tour operators run here, so the Mount Moffatt Section of Carnarvon National Park belongs to the few people who bother with the long gravel approach. The Marlong Arch and Mount Moffatt Homestead area offer walking without crowds, and bush camping means you set your own pace. A 4WD and full self-sufficiency are the entry ticket, but they buy you silence few Queensland parks still have.

💡 HighlightsWhat this place is best known for

  1. Marlong Arch: a natural sandstone arch reached by a short, sandy 200 m return walk.
  2. Marlong Plains: open grassy flats where kangaroos and wallabies graze in the evening, an easy spot to sit and watch.
  3. Mount Moffatt Homestead: the old cattle station buildings, a reminder of the pastoral history that shaped this country before the park existed.
  4. Kookaburra Cave rock art: Aboriginal stencils and ochre art in sandstone shelters, a quiet link to the people who have lived here for thousands of years.
  5. Lookout over the Consuelo Tableland: a wide, wild panorama of cliffs and eucalypt woodland that shows how little human mark there is on this landscape.
You can see all of it in two or three days if you move steadily, though rough tracks eat time.
Spotted a mistake or missing something? Contact us.

🌤️ When to go?Weather, crowds, and seasonal trade-offs

May to September is the best window for Mount Moffatt, with dry days and cool nights in Carnarvon National Park’s remote western section.
  • Winter (June to August): Days reach 18 to 24°C (64 to 75°F), nights can drop to -2 to 5°C (28 to 41°F). Daylight runs about 11 hours. Campsites fill during school holidays.
  • Spring and Autumn (April to May, September to October): Highs of 25 to 31°C (77 to 88°F), mild nights, and quieter tracks.
  • Summer (November to March): Highs of 34 to 40°C (93 to 104°F), storms, and flooded creeks that can close roads.
Check road conditions with the park before you drive in after rain.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: below average for travelingFEBFebruary: below average for travelingMARMarch: below average for travelingAPRApril: fair for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: highly recommended for travelingAUGAugust: highly recommended for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: fair for travelingDECDecember: below average for traveling
australia-national-park-mount-moffatt
© Google | Jonathan Mann

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🛏️ Where to stay?Where staying makes the most sense

Camp inside the park, because Mount Moffatt has no hotels, lodges or shops. Bookable bush campsites are Dargonelly Rock Hole, West Branch, Rotary Shelter Shed and Top Moffatt, mostly with basic toilets and no showers or drinking water, so bring all your water and supplies. Sites need booking through the Queensland national parks system before you arrive. For beds and a shower, use Injune, roughly 1.5 to 2 hours by road from the park boundary, which has a motel and a caravan park. Roma, about 3 to 4 hours away, has more motels, hostels-style budget rooms, supermarkets and fuel. Stock up on food and fuel in Injune or Roma first.
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👛 Costs (as of 15 October 2026)Travel costs and budget guide for Mount Moffatt

Mount Moffatt costs about US$38 a day for a self-sufficient camper, mostly spent on fuel and supplies. The Queensland section of Carnarvon National Park sits on remote dirt roads, so you carry in nearly everything.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Entrance feeUS$0No park entry charge, only camping fees.
CampingUS$6 to 8Per person per night at Dargonelly Rock Hole, West Branch, Rotary Shelter Shed or Top Moffatt, booked online in advance.
Local transportUS$10 to 20Fuel for a 4WD on gravel and sand tracks. No public transport reaches the section.
Food and suppliesUS$15 to 25Stock up in Injune or Roma. No shops, so bring all groceries.
Water and extrasUS$2 to 4Carry drinking water. Firewood is not for collection.
Total Daily BudgetUS$38Based on camping at the high-season rate.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

🥾 TrailsBest hikes in Mount Moffatt national park

Walking at Mount Moffatt is a matter of short, scrappy bush tracks rather than long marked circuits.
  • Marlong Arch Track: a short, sandy 200 m return walk to the arch. Allow about 10 minutes. Easy.
  • Marlong Plains walk: flat and easy, ideal for watching wallabies, kangaroos and birds near dusk. Easy.
  • Homestead area walks: gentle paths around the old station buildings and creek, with rock shelters nearby. Easy.
Terrain is sandstone ridges, grassy plains and dry creek beds, so sturdy boots and plenty of water matter. Wildlife includes eastern grey kangaroos, wallabies, goannas and many parrots. Public … read more 👉
Walking at Mount Moffatt is a matter of short, scrappy bush tracks rather than long marked circuits.
  • Marlong Arch Track: a short, sandy 200 m return walk to the arch. Allow about 10 minutes. Easy.
  • Marlong Plains walk: flat and easy, ideal for watching wallabies, kangaroos and birds near dusk. Easy.
  • Homestead area walks: gentle paths around the old station buildings and creek, with rock shelters nearby. Easy.
Terrain is sandstone ridges, grassy plains and dry creek beds, so sturdy boots and plenty of water matter. Wildlife includes eastern grey kangaroos, wallabies, goannas and many parrots. Public transport does not reach the park, so you need your own high-clearance 4WD, and tracks can close after rain. It is rarely crowded, and often you will see only a few other campers. A camping permit is needed, booked through the Queensland parks system, but there is no entrance fee.
⚠️ Hiking info can sometimes be outdated or inaccurate. Before you hit the trail, check the latest conditions with locals. If you do spot anything that's off, I'd love to hear from you, so I can update it for fellow travelers.

🛡️ SafetyTraveler Safety Guide

Mount Moffatt is remote, so self-reliance matters more than any single hazard. The tracks are unsealed and need a high-clearance 4WD, and creeks and black-soil sections turn impassable after rain. Mobile coverage is absent, so carry a satellite communicator or UHF radio, and tell someone your plans. Summer heat is severe, so walk early, carry at least 3 liters of water per person per day and wear a hat. Kangaroos, wallabies and feral pigs are common. Keep food sealed, give animals space, and watch for snakes in warmer months. Walking tracks are short and signposted.
Check Country Safety

FAQFrequently asked questions about Mount Moffatt

Plan on 2 to 4 days to cover Mount Moffatt properly. That gives time for the Marlong Arch and Kookaburra Cave walks, the Mount Moffatt sandstone lookouts and a night or two at Dargonelly Rockhole. The drive in from Injune takes around 2 hours on mostly unsealed road, so a single day is rushed.
Not realistically. The park has no public transport, no taxis and no rental bikes, and the unsealed tracks need a high-clearance 4WD. The closest towns are Injune (about 1.5 to 2 hours away) and Roma (about 3 to 4 hours). Some outfitters and tour operators run guided trips, but you should confirm availability well in advance.
There is no entry fee for Mount Moffatt, but camping needs a booking and a fee, roughly A$7 to 13 per person per night. Reserve online through the Queensland national parks booking system before you arrive, since there is no phone coverage in the park. Campsites such as Dargonelly Rock Hole and West Branch have limited numbers.
⚠️ Things can change over time, so always validate details locally before you go.

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We 💚 feedbackSumming up the experience

Most visitors rush to the arch and miss the rock shelters near the homestead, where the ochre art is faint and easy to walk past. I would slow down there, bring a good map, and keep your fuel plan boringly cautious.

✈️ When did I visit Australia?
On my trip to New Zealand in 1993, I had a short stop in Australia as well.

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in Australia, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

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