An historic railway winds through the gorge past waterfalls on Stony and Surprise Creeks and Barron Falls. Spectacular during floodtime, the Barron Falls are mostly curtailed by irrigation and hydroelectricity projects.

Picture: (Courtesy QLD Department of Environment and Heritage).

• leave any firearms at the police station in Hungerford as they are not allowed in the park;

• drivers must stay on the tracks marked on the map provided by DEH;

• tracks are narrow, with several blind corners, so travel at safe speeds (never more than 40km/h in the park: and

• take all rubbish out of the park, as buried rubbish can be dug up by feral pigs and foxes.

They say that visitors to the park should be aware that the area is remote, and so should be self-sufficient for extended periods, with careful trip preparation and adequate food, water, fuel, vehicle spares and medical supplies. (Limited grocery supplies are available in Hungerford and provisions can be obtained in Cunnamulla, Eulo, Thargomindah and Bourke.)

Local water might not be suitable for drinking. Allow five litres per person per day for drinking and cooking, and carry an extra four to five days' supplies in case you are stranded.

Before setting out for the park, inform someone of your itinerary. It is easy to get lost. If your vehicle breaks down, stay with it. The police at Hungerford can be contacted direct on UHF CB Channel 4.

Fur further information, contact DEH at Currawinya on (076) 55 4001 or at Charleville on (076) 54 1418.

Picture: Currawinya National Park. Photo by John McCann. (Courtesy Random House)