Bladensburg National Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bladensburg National Park Queensland
IUCN Category II (National Park)
Scrammy Gorge, 2011
Bladensburg National Park Location in Queensland
Nearest town or city	Winton
Established	1984
Area	849 km2 (327.8 sq mi)
Managing authorities	Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service
Website	Bladensburg National Park
See also	Protected areas of Queensland

Bladensburg National Park is a special protected area in Queensland, Australia. It's found in the Shire of Winton, a region known for its unique landscapes. This park is a great place to explore nature and learn about Australia's past.

Where is Bladensburg National Park?

This national park is located about 1152 kilometers (around 716 miles) northwest of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland. It's also very close to the town of Winton, just south of it.

Amazing Animals and Plants

Bladensburg National Park is home to many interesting animals, especially birds! You might spot colorful birds like the painted firetail, the rufous-crowned emu-wren, and the rufous-throated honeyeater. The park's different landscapes provide homes for all sorts of wildlife.

Unique Landforms and Waterways

The park has a mix of different natural features. You'll find wide-open grassland plains and flat areas near rivers. There are also sandstone ranges and cool flat-topped mountains called mesas.

The main waterway in the park is Surprise Creek. Most of the time, this creek is dry. But when it rains a lot, the creek fills up and becomes a braided channel. This means the water flows in many small, winding paths. To the south, you'll see more mesas and smaller, flat-topped hills called buttes. Further south, there are flat sand plains.

A Glimpse into History

Bladensburg National Park sits on land that once belonged to the Koa people, an Aboriginal group. Later, it became a sheep station run by settlers. Today, it's a protected area, which means its plants, animals, and history are kept safe.

The park is mostly in a region called the Goneaway Tablelands. It also includes a small part of the Mitchell Grass Downs area. The original Bladensburg homestead, a historic building, now serves as the park's visitor information center. It's thought to have been moved to this spot around the 1910s. The park was officially created in 1984, covering a huge area of 84,900 hectares (about 210,000 acres).

What to See and Do

Bladensburg National Park is famous for its dinosaur fossils! Imagine finding traces of creatures that lived millions of years ago. The park also has important Aboriginal story places and ceremonial grounds. One significant waterhole, called Skull Hole, is a place with a sad history for the Aboriginal people. It reminds us of a difficult time in the past.

Visiting the Park

You can reach Bladensburg National Park by driving about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Winton. If you want to stay overnight, camping is allowed next to Surprise Creek. Just remember, there's no water available in the park, so you'll need to bring your own!