Red sandplains and mulga scrubs beside long, dusty roads give little hint to the lakes, rivers and wetlands that make Currawinya one of Australia’s most important inland waterbird habitats. Lake Wyara and Lake Numalla are an important feature of the park which also protects thousands of years of Aboriginal cultural heritage and 19th and 20th century pastoral history as well as threatened wildlife.

At 334,000 hectares, Currawinya is one of Queensland’s largest national parks.

The park’s lakes, rivers and wetlands are a striking contrast to the sandy plains and rocky ranges of semi-arid south western Queensland.

Two large lakes, separated by only a few kilometres of sand dunes, are the centre piece of a fascinating mosaic of habitats across the park. Lake Numalla is freshwater. The slightly larger Lake Wyara is saline.

Lined with coolabah, river red gums and yapunyah trees the iconic Paroo River meanders through the park, this 600km long river is the last free-flowing river in the entire Murray-Darling basin.

In the low foothills of the ranges and on sandy plains are endangered mound springs and soaks, formed by underground waters from the Great Artesian Basin.

These wetlands and waterways are among the most important inland waterbird habitats in Australia. Their international significance was recognised in 1992 with the designation of the Currawinya Ramsar site—one of only five listed RAMSAR sites in Queensland.

The entire landscape holds significant cultural heritage for the Traditional Owners—the Budjiti people. Evidence of thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation, and more recent relics of pastoral activities dating from the 1860s, are scattered across the park.