Carnarvon National Park is now considered to cover the areas of Carnarvon Gorge, Mt. Moffat, Ka Ka Mundi and Salvator Rosa. Carnarvon Gorge is the best known and most accessible section, with many scenic areas where the creek has cut a deep gorge through the sandstone cliffs of the Great Dividing Range. The adjoining areas of Mt. Moffat and Ka Ka Mundi contain many sandstone pillars and interesting formations resulting from erosion of the sandstone. Surrounding plains of sandy soil support a very diverse flora. West of these other areas and separated from them is the Salvator Rosa portion of this large complex. This quite remote section has much to attract the visitor who is interested in natural areas.

Access to Salvator Rosa is from the north from the Tambo-Springsure road, through Cungelella Station. An attractive camping area has been set up near the entrance to the Park on the banks of the Nogoa River. To travel across the Nogoa River and along the track within the Park, a four-wheel-drive vehicle is essential.

Salvator Rosa is an isolated rugged area with interesting scenery around the sandstone ridges. The name Salvator Rosa was given to this area by the explorer Mitchell. When he reached the Nogoa River from the south, after crossing the Great Dividing Range, Mitchell thought that the mountainous skyline before him resembled the landscapes of the Italian painter Salvator Rosa; so he used this name. Spyglass Peak, so named because of the hole in the sandstone ridge near the top, is one of the more obvious features in the vast area of dissected sandstone which stretches away from the Nogoa River.

A sandy track runs south from the river crossing, keeping close to the river and its tributary, Louisa Creek, to the large swampy area near the southern boundary of the Park. Here Mitchell and Belinda Springs pour millions of gallons of water continuously into Louisa Creek. This creek joins the Nogoa River a few kilometres below the springs.

Short walking tracks from the main two-wheel track direct the visitor to Spyglass Peak and to the Peat Bogs near Mitchell Springs. The rest of the Park away from the watercourses is accessible only on foot; so few visitors see much of the rest of this vast National Park. However, there are many different habitats with a great variety of plant species within easy reach of the main track.

Much of the Park is open eucalypt and acacia scrub, with some 15 species of eucalypts and about 20 species of acacias so far recorded. The Yellow Jacket (Eucalyptus leichhardtii) stands out in many places. In winter and early spring the country is ablaze with flowering acacias, some of the more spectacular being Acacia bancroftii, A. macradenia, A. leiocalyx, A. complanata and A. podalyriifolia.

Extensive areas of sandy heathlands support a great variety of wildflowers, and these make very impressive displays in the spring. Particularly to be noted in such areas are Calytrix longiflora (a Fringe Myrtle), Chrysocephalum apiculatum (Yellow Buttons), the many small clumps of Calandrinia balonensis and a great variety of annuals.

Completely different plants are to be found on the slopes of the ridges, including such interesting species as Darwinia thomasii, Grevillea cyranostigma, Astrotricha pterocarpa and Lomandra teres. An unusual shrub, Micromyrtus leptocalyx, has mineritchie-type bark. In one area a stand of Grevillea pteridifolia trees must represent one of the most southerly occurrences of this species.

A quite comprehensive plant list has been prepared for this area and a copy is available to SGAP members from the Plant Recorder.