Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat

Living in Cania Gorge as we do we see many strange and beautfil things, running a tourist park we meet many interesting people from all over the world. Some arrive in Recreational Vehicles, some in battered old Four Wheel Drives, some on motorbikes and all manner of vehicles in between. Through all of this we have learnt to expect the unexpected. However nothing prepared for 7 of our latest guests, 5 camels and 2 camel drivers. Rob and Bernadette left Gympie just after Xmas heading north on the National Trail and are stopping here at the Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat for a short respite from the road. What a magnificent sight to walk across our lawns just after sun up, to spot 5 camels set against the dry rainforest and sandstone cliffs.

Our park is bordering the Cania Gorge National Park and all the walking tracks are within walking distance from our park. Click here for a National Park map.

Castle Mountain (22 km return)

This bushwalk takes you to two lookouts with stunning views down the gorge. The first lookout “Gorge Lookout” is only 1.5 km from the picnic area and second lookout “Castle Mountain Lookout” is 11 km from the picnic area and gives you a spectacular view of Lake Cania.

Big Foot walk (50 mtr return)

This short trail features a large brown image of a four toed foot on the white sandstone cliff. This trail starts only 50 mtr from our park.

Fern Tree Pool and Giant Chair Lookout (5.6km circuit)

Crossing Doctor’s Gully several times, the track passes Fern Tree Pool (2.5 km) and continues at a moderate climb for another 2.2 km up a sandstone escarpment to the Giant’s Chair lookout. This walk is most easily walked in an anti-clockwise direction. Going down from the lookout you will pass some beautiful grass trees. This trail starts only 300 mtr from our park.

Two Storey Cave (1.3km circuit)

The circuit meanders upwards around isolated sandstone monoliths. A 20m sidetrack leads you to King Orchid Crevice, an ideal haven for king orchids and silver elkhorns. The top section of Two Storey Cave is important habitat for insectivorous bats. This trails starts only 900 mtr from our park.

Dripping Rock (2.2 km return) and The Overhang (3.2km return)

This track winds through eucalypt woodland and dry rainforest. At Dripping Rock, cool water that seeps from the sandstone creates a haven for ferns and mosses. From Dripping Rock the track continues on past weathered caves of vivid yellow and red ochres, ending at The Overhang, where water has eroded the base of the sandstone cliff. This trail starts 900 mtr from our park.

Dragon Cave (1.8 km return) and Bloodwood Cave (2.6 km return)

A moderately steep track leads to the cliff face, where a sidetrack branches north to Dragon Cave. Here, the natural black mural of a ‘dragon’ can be seen highlighted against the white sandstone wall. The track continues to Bloodwood Cave, so called because the roots of a bloodwood tree can be seen at the left hand side of the cave.

Shamrock mine (1.4km return)

A relatively easy walk with picturess views of Castle Mountain and remains of Gold diggings. It begins at the northern most carpark, about 1km south of Lake Cania. Please note fossicking is not permitted, however you will see where miners of old have sought their fortune. This is the only trail in the top part of the National Park and starts 10 km from our park.

We found this great shot of the overhang today. It’s one of our favourite walks. The photo was taken by Bill Doyle, revegetation officer and landscape photographer based in Adelaide, South Australia. We would like you to visit the Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat, next time you visit. You can visit Bill’s flickr profile by clicking on the link beneath his photo.

Cania Gorge Retreat has daily bird feeding! While setting up our flickr group we found this great photo by Andy Tharratt who has some great shots of Cania.

Welcome to the new Cania Gorge Tourist Retreat website! Pigmoose Productions and Aulles Advertising have teamed up to give our website a makeover.