Blackbraes National Park

Blackbraes National Park covers 520 km² of isolated upland country about 280 km west of Townsville and 170 km north of Hughenden:contentReference[oaicite:87]{index=87}. The park protects undulating basalt hills and seasonal swamps atop the Gregory Range at around 900 m elevation:contentReference[oaicite:88]{index=88}. This elevation gives Blackbraes a surprisingly cooler, wetter climate relative to the surrounding savannah – nights can be chilly, and the area receives more rain, resulting in patches of rainforest not seen in adjacent lowlands:contentReference[oaicite:89]{index=89}:contentReference[oaicite:90]{index=90}. The predominant vegetation is ironbark and box woodlands with a grassy understory. In the wet season, ephemeral lagoons fill and wildflowers bloom on the plains.

Blackbraes was declared a national park in 1998 to conserve this unique upland ecosystem and several working cattle stations were retired to form the park. Today, it remains very remote but does allow prepared visitors. Bush camping is permitted near Emu Swamp Dam from March to November (dry season):contentReference[oaicite:91]{index=91} – this is a basic bush camp (no facilities, bring water) beside an artificial waterhole. The reward for camping here is stunning starry skies and the chance to see wildlife like eastern grey kangaroos and red-backed fairywrens around the swamp at dawn.

The park is notable for containing the headwaters of two major Gulf rivers (the Einasleigh and the Gilbert). It’s also part of an Important Bird Area; along with nearby grasslands, Blackbraes is one of the last known haunts of the enigmatic night parrot:contentReference[oaicite:92]{index=92}. While night parrots are almost never seen, birdwatchers have better luck finding squatter pigeons, black-throated finches, and other savannah birds. Mammals are few but include the greater bilby – Blackbraes is on the fringe of their historic range, and occasional bilby tracks have been noted. More common are wallaroos and nocturnal greater gliders in the timbered areas.

A awd is necessary to access Blackbraes NP (via unsealed station tracks from the Kennedy Developmental Road). The park’s attractions are subtle – the open vistas of the Mitchell Grass plains, the calls of brolgas echoing across a swamp, and wildflowers dotting the ridges after rain. There are no constructed lookouts or walking trails, but hikers can roam the hills. The highest point of the Gregory Range is within the park, offering panoramic views for those willing to do a cross-country hike:contentReference[oaicite:93]{index=93}. Blackbraes’ relative cool and moisture make it something of an ecological island in the savannah, a critical refuge for wildlife and a peaceful outback escape for hardy campers.