Looking for a new camping area to explore?
Look no further than Gordon Country, an area in Goomburra and part of the Southern Downs Region (near Warwick and the Cunninghams Gap) – all less than two hours south-west of Brisbane.
Look no further than Gordon Country for your next camping getaway.
There is only one road in and out of Gordon Country, which travels past the Goomburra township and onto Inverramsay Road. Follow this road for at least 10-15 minutes and you will reach Gordon Country with plentiful camping areas, mainly next to Dalrymple Creek. It’s best to book all camping beforehand, as sometimes they can book out entirely.
Just before Gordon Country there is also the pleasant Goomburra Valley Campground where we stayed, owned and run by a lovely couple. It is also located directly across from Long Neck Farm Café where you can get a bite to eat, as well as feed some alpacas and ostriches. Just check the opening times on their website, as we walked up there only to find that they were closed. On some days they also serve wood fired pizzas!
Goomburra Valley Campground.
Gordon Country is a private property, so there is a large sign indicating not to enter unless you have notified reception. The road at this point is also not sealed; many (if not all) cars who drive through have either a large, heavy-duty vehicle and/or 4WD. There are also cows everywhere, most likely on the road, so it is advised to drive slowly.
Drive slowly on the roads!
We spotted many cows, mostly on the road.
Once you reach the very end of the road, you will end up at Main Range National Park, Goomburra Section. For those who want to camp on a budget, the QLD government has cheap camping options at Poplar Flat camping area (which is at the entrance of the National Park). Poplar (not ‘popular’) refers to a type of plant found in this area. There are toilet facilities and tap water available there, but from memory it is otherwise fairly remote with limited reception.
Main Range National Park, Goomburra Section.
Entrance to Main Range National Park, Goomburra Section.
Entrance to Poplar Flat camping area.
Poplar Flat camping area.
There are two main hiking sections here. One requires you to cross a creek crossing, where you drive further along a road to reach some lookouts, including Sylvesters Lookout (940m from the trailhead) and Mount Castle Lookout (960m from the trailhead). Other hikes include the Winder Track (12km), North Branch Track (7km), and Araucaria Falls Track (3.6km).
As we couldn’t cross the river with our car at the time (there was a lot of rain leading up to our camping trip), we remained on the side of the campground and picnic area, and completed the Dalrymple Circuit (1.2km). This was a loop track, sometimes single file, which wrapped along the creek and back down the service track to the car park. It was very doable with a 1- and 3-year-old! If you want to extend the hike, you can also continue to complete Cascade Circuit (6.5km return). For those up for a bigger challenge, there’s the option to tie in the Cascade Circuit with the Ridge Track, as these two trails connect.
We remained on the side of the campground and picnic area, and completed the Dalrymple Circuit (1.2km).
Picnic area in Gordon Country.
Wildlife of Gordon Country.
Wildlife of Gordon Country.
If you have extra time and are looking to hike some more, I would strongly recommend driving 40 minutes to the Cunninghams Gap. Here, you can climb Mt Cordeaux and Mt Mitchell. I have seen snakes in this area, and heard of people being bitten – so please be careful! This is one of my favourite areas to hike, as there is a subtropical feel with dense rainforest near the carpark area. If you are lucky, you will hear whip birds here too.
It is recommended to camp at Goomburra is when it’s neither too hot nor cold. As with any camping in QLD, I always recommend Spring and Autumn as ‘camping season’. It might also be good to explore other events in the Southern Downs region, such as the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers (usually in September), the Tenterfield Autumn Festival (over Easter), and apple picking in Applethorpe (January through to June).
As with any camping in QLD, I always recommend Spring and Autumn as ‘camping season’.
Goomburra delivers beautiful sunsets!
We love camping at Goomburra. It is a real hidden gem, very relaxing, and – given reception is limited – encourages visitors to switch off from internet. Its camping area is perfect for stargazing, with beautiful sunsets and great swimming options too. Overall, it’s a relaxing time away from the hustle and bustle of city life!
Got the getaway planned, but not the gear? Check out our range of camping and hiking gear – perfect as gifts for the outdoorsy Mums too (just like Sabrina)!
Have you ever been to Gordon Country? What did you think? If not, would you go? Let us know in the comments below.
Sabrina is an avid hiker from Brisbane. She hikes as a way to unwind after a busy week working as a Guidance Officer. She’s explored many of the popular tracks around South East Queensland and is always up for a bigger challenge! She has a long list of hikes she would like to do around Australia and overseas in the future.