Wallaroo is a cracker of a destination I’ve only just discovered. It lies nestled into the foothills of Queensland’s magnificent Carnarvon Gorge. What a great place to base yourself to explore this beautiful slice of Australian bush.
Nine permanent glamping tents surround Wallaroo’s central lodge and campfires. Some have ensuites, some don’t. We four ladies shared one of their family tents and it was an easy wander across to our personal rustic chic bathrooms!
If you appreciate beautifully kept gardens and Australian native shrubs and trees, you’re gunna want to linger a while around here. The stunning landscaping has been a serious project for Wallaroo owners, Pauline & Justin MacDonnell but current caretaker, Warwick, takes the credit for all the maintenance – looking after the plants, weeding, pruning trees, fixing stuff! and keeping the campfires set and ready to go no matter what time of day guests feel like a yarn around the fire.
Warwick and his partner-in-crime, Rachael, live onsite and are never far away if you need a hand. Rachael wears a hundred hats and is your go-to reference guide for absolutely everything you want to know! Super congenial and welcoming, she ensures everyone at Wallaroo finds exactly the kind of holiday they’re looking for.
On that note, we took an all-day BooBook Explore tour called Lost World Carnarvons while we were there. Everyone loved it, and threw a million questions at Rose, our minibus driver and all-knowing guide (also a botanist, who knew every bush and tree & their habits in four languages). Whilst the cameras were busy, we also heard gems of cultural significance and saw evidence of the ancient civilisations that once called the Carnarvons home.
Bright green Blackboys and Eucalypts of every variety within the campground, and I’d show you about a dozen wallabies if they’d ever stop bounding for my shot. Out on the tour, the magnificent sandstone walls of the gorge have been shaped and sculpted over millennia, creating extraordinary colours and stunning bushland backdrops.
Roomy and welcoming dining/lounge room at the main Wallaroo lodge. You might have it to yourself, or you could be meeting new pals over the stove … small or larger groups all work.
If you’re into hiking, Rachael will sort you out with options available to access as much of the Carnarvon Gorge as you’re up for. If you’re driving, do your shopping at Roma … just down the bush track!
I loved Wallaroo. It’s one of those places I know I’ll go back to. Check it all out on their website here.