Cuttaburra National Park

This remote, rugged and beautiful place lies in the Paroo and Warrego River country. It's one of several national parks along the Dowling Track – a historic outback 4WD trail that connects Bourke to Quilpie in Queensland.

Take the Cuttaburra scenic drive, a 38km network of 4WD trails, and visit Maranoa Waterhole, a 6km-long semi-permanent waterhole ideal for birdwatching, fishing, or relaxing under coolabahs and river red gums. Look out for red kangaroos and emus as they pick their way through the stony shrublands against a palette of pink, lilac and yellow flowering plants. After a day exploring, pitch your tent at Comeroo campground and fall asleep under a starlit ceiling.

Wetland conservation in this semi-arid outback landscape is crucial. Over one-quarter of Cuttaburra National Park stretches across Yantabulla Swamp – a mosaic of wetlands and channels. The swamp is an important connection between the Warrego and Paroo Rivers and is one of Australia’s most important wetlands. When full, it hosts thousands of internationally protected migratory shorebirds and up to 50,000 waterbirds. In dry spells, it retreats to scattered waterholes and billabongs.

Cuttaburra Creek flows through the middle of the park, breathing life into its wetlands. When it floods it’s impassable but the landscape comes alive, attracting colourful flocks of pink cockatoos, budgerigars, zebra finches, and a cacophony of frogs. With its permanent waterholes, Cuttaburra Creek is important habitat for waterbirds like egrets, spoonbills, kingfishers, and occasionally brolgas.

From late autumn to early spring, desert bloodwoods and yapunyah gums burst into bloom with white and yellow flowers. Among the shrubs, you’ll hear the cheerful chatter of Hall’s babbler, along with chestnut-crowned and grey-crowned babblers, thornbills, and treecreepers. Keen to extend your journey? Stop overnight at Brindingabba National Park, located about 30km along the Dowling Track towards Hungerford.