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Kroombit Tops
The drive up to Kroombit tops can be started from 3 different locations through 3 different tracks, Ubobo, Cania Gorge and also from Calliope which this log is about.

After leaving Calliope head west towards Biloela and then turn left onto the Gladstone – Monto road. Approx 500m along this road there is a sign posted turn off to the right to Kroombit tops. The drive along this road is approx 70km of smooth (mostly) dirt road with a few bitumen sections and is easily accomplished in a conventional 2wd vehicle until you arrive at ‘The Barracks’ which is basically the entrance to Kroombit Tops National Park. The drive into Kroombit takes you through many different landscape changes from open pastures to forest with a few crossings over low creeks. These crossing are all concrete and above the water level when not in flood conditions.
Approx 50km into this road you come to a property fence with buildings close to the road on both sides which may have you wondering if you are still on public road, don’t worry you are but please keep the speed down so as not to upset the property owners with dust. Most of the trip into Kroombit has you driving through private cattle properties and cattle along and on the road are constant hazards to keep an eye out for.

At the barracks is the first of 2 bush camp site’s but remember to book you’re permit online at http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/parks/kroombit-tops/index.html before leaving for Kroombit. Please also note that there are NO FACILITYS at any of the camp sites within Kroombit National Park. This is a true bush camp experience and you will need to be fully self sufficient including toilet and shower facilities.

From The Barracks you head further into the park along more easy well defined dirt roads with the scenery changing every time you blink it seems.

The next intersection you will come to is marked ‘Lookout’ straight ahead and ‘Bomber site and 4wd loop’ turn right. It is advisable to go to the lookout first which is 4.7 km from this turn off and has the only toilet in the park (drop toilet and NO facility for hand washing)

The views from the lookout on a clear day are nothing short of spectacular and on a clear day you can see Awoonga dam, the city of Gladstone and even the ocean. With the entire Boyne valley spread out below and shear sandstone cliffs to each side there is some great photo’s to be taken from here.

Before leaving the lookout is a good time to lock in the front hubs and air down the tyres (we took both cars down to 26 psi mainly for puncture resistance) ready for the next track. You then travel back the 4.7 km to the last intersection and turn left onto the 4wd loop road. Again this track takes you through ever changing landscape and over many different terrains from smooth dirt track through light sand and rocky sections. Approx 18km along this track is a T intersection marked ‘Bomber site ‘to the left and ‘The wall’ to the right. Here you turn left and travel another couple of k’s to a car park near the bomber crash site. On the way you will come to a hill that has had boards placed across the track similar to pedestrian beach access points for the entire length of the hill to prevent damage from vehicles. These boards are to allow you to drive up the hill so don’t worry you don’t have to walk yet.

Once at the car park for the crash site it is only a short walk in to see ‘Beautiful Betsy’ the ww2 Liberator bomber that crashed here 26 Feb. 1945 but was not discovered until 2 Aug 1992. The walk is well defined and interpretive signs along the walk explain all about his tragic loss of life. The entire walk loop back to the car park only takes about 30 mins.

Back in the car again and once again a little bit of backtracking is required to get back to the last intersection and this time continue straight ahead to ‘The Wall’. This section has one of the steepest rocky downhill sections in the park but is still a fairly easy drive although a bit bumpy at times. The well maintained bush camp ground adjacent to the marvellous sandstone cliff is a great place to stop for lunch for day-trippers or even better for overnight (or longer) camping. Again you need to be fully self sufficient as there is no facilities.
After leaving The Wall turn right to continue along the 4wd loop road using caution and slow speed going through the small creek crossing which is only a couple of hundred metres along this track. The entry into the creek is steep and short so if you are in a low clearance 4wd you may scrape a little.

I did this trip in a stock 91 Pajero along with my brother in a stock 2012 Navara and neither of us scraped but I don’t think there was much clearance at the back of either car as we entered the creek. The creek only had a few inches of water in it the day we were there but it can get a lot deeper if there has been recent rain.
The rest of the loop road is similar to the rest of the journey with the exception of more steep, rocky up and down hill sections taking you up to a maximum height of 932 metres above sea level (according to my gps) before bringing you back to the lookout intersection.

Here we again went to the lookout as most of the group was in need of a toilet stop before heading back down to ‘The Barracks’ and heading home.

I used this trip as a training drive for my wife who until this trip had no experience behind the wheel of a 4wd other than city driving. I liked the way that this track gets ever so slightly more difficult the further along you get and as such is great for building confidence.

I would class this track as an easy/moderate in the dry but would certainly change that to hard/extreme if the conditions worsened and you get caught out by a storm. I also believe that the park is closed when the tracks are too wet so as to prevent damage.

Please respect the natural beauty of this national park and take out what you bring in and don’t take anything you didn’t bring with the exception of extra rubbish left by other irresponsible people.