Blackdown Tableland rises out of the central Queensland flats between Rockhampton and Emerald, and the temperature drops noticeably as you climb it. Waterfalls, gorges and cool nights in country that is otherwise hot and dry, and far quieter than the coastal parks.
Getting there
Access is off the Capricorn Highway between Rockhampton and Emerald. The climb up the range is steep and winding, and towing anything substantial up it is not recommended. Check current conditions with Queensland Parks, particularly after rain.
Camping and permits
Camping requires a Queensland Parks permit booked in advance. Sites are limited and the park is popular in the cooler months.
Corrugations and your mounts
Rough road works fasteners loose, and this is the one piece of maintenance that actually matters out here. Re-torque the mounting bolts on your rack, tub rack or canopy before you leave, check them after the first day of dirt, and check them again every few days. An On The Horizon rooftop tent weighs between 80kg and 120kg depending on the model, and that weight is working on the mounting every kilometre of corrugation.
Cold nights on the tableland
This is the bit that surprises people. You leave hot flat country and camp several hundred metres higher, and the night is a different season. Every On The Horizon rooftop tent has winter insulation built in, plus a moisture barrier through the base and an anti-condensation pad under the mattress.
Ventilate anyway. Sealing the tent shut on a cold night is what produces damp bedding by morning, because two people breathing put roughly a litre of moisture into the air overnight and it has to go somewhere.
Camp up the slope rather than in a gully where cold air and moisture settle.
Dust
A hard shell earns its money on roads like these. The canvas travels folded inside a closed aluminium lid rather than strapped under a cover collecting dust, so the tent you open at the end of the day is the tent you closed that morning.
Common questions
Do you need a 4WD for Blackdown Tableland?
The main access road is steep and winding. Check current conditions with Queensland Parks, particularly after rain, and think carefully before towing anything heavy up the range.
Do you need to book camping at Blackdown Tableland?
Yes. Camping requires a Queensland Parks permit booked in advance and sites are limited.
Is it cold at Blackdown Tableland?
Colder than the country below it, and noticeably so overnight in the cooler months. Pack for the night rather than the day you arrive.
Related guides
Blackdown Tableland Rooftop Tent Touring Guide: Central Queensland
Blackdown Tableland rises out of the central Queensland flats between Rockhampton and Emerald, and the temperature drops noticeably as you climb it. Waterfalls, gorges and cool nights in country that is otherwise hot and dry, and far quieter than the coastal parks.
Getting there
Access is off the Capricorn Highway between Rockhampton and Emerald. The climb up the range is steep and winding, and towing anything substantial up it is not recommended. Check current conditions with Queensland Parks, particularly after rain.
Camping and permits
Camping requires a Queensland Parks permit booked in advance. Sites are limited and the park is popular in the cooler months.
Corrugations and your mounts
Rough road works fasteners loose, and this is the one piece of maintenance that actually matters out here. Re-torque the mounting bolts on your rack, tub rack or canopy before you leave, check them after the first day of dirt, and check them again every few days. An On The Horizon rooftop tent weighs between 80kg and 120kg depending on the model, and that weight is working on the mounting every kilometre of corrugation.
Cold nights on the tableland
This is the bit that surprises people. You leave hot flat country and camp several hundred metres higher, and the night is a different season. Every On The Horizon rooftop tent has winter insulation built in, plus a moisture barrier through the base and an anti-condensation pad under the mattress.
Ventilate anyway. Sealing the tent shut on a cold night is what produces damp bedding by morning, because two people breathing put roughly a litre of moisture into the air overnight and it has to go somewhere.
Camp up the slope rather than in a gully where cold air and moisture settle.
Dust
A hard shell earns its money on roads like these. The canvas travels folded inside a closed aluminium lid rather than strapped under a cover collecting dust, so the tent you open at the end of the day is the tent you closed that morning.
Common questions
Do you need a 4WD for Blackdown Tableland?
The main access road is steep and winding. Check current conditions with Queensland Parks, particularly after rain, and think carefully before towing anything heavy up the range.
Do you need to book camping at Blackdown Tableland?
Yes. Camping requires a Queensland Parks permit booked in advance and sites are limited.
Is it cold at Blackdown Tableland?
Colder than the country below it, and noticeably so overnight in the cooler months. Pack for the night rather than the day you arrive.
Related guides