A Guide to Deepwater National Park
In this guide to Deepwater National Park, we show you how to get there, the different camping options, what there is to do, and everything else you need to know about this beautiful and quiet beach spot in Central Queensland.
We recently completed a three-week trip covering 6,500kms where we started heading north up the Queensland coast before heading west to explore the outback and finally return home. The start of this touring adventure saw us spending a couple of days exploring Deepwater National Park for the first time. It was a great way to start our big adventure, giving us a few days to relax by the beach and cool off before heading into the forty plus degrees of the outback. In hindsight, we probably should have finished here.
Getting to Deepwater National Park
Deepwater National Park is approximately 120kms north of Bundaberg and 5kms south of Agnes Water. Access from Agnes Water requires a high clearance four-wheel drive as you will be driving through sandy tracks that can get thick and extremely sandy in sections. From Agnes Water you follow Springs Road for 4kms until you see the sign to Deepwater National Park. Here you follow the sand track to access the camping areas. We highly recommend dropping tyre pressures when you leave Springs Road especially if towing as the sand track was thick and rutted out for one long section near the northern boundary when we visited. We were towing our camper trailer DOT373 and had no issues, but it might be a struggle if towing a real big caravan.
From Bundaberg you will be driving through many country roads until you find the southern boundary of Deepwater National Park. Google Maps should get you to the Deepwater Road turnoff without any issues. Expect to take an hour and a half from Bundaberg. The roads were all in good condition and access to the southern boundary and Wreck Rock camping area can be done in a conventional vehicle if there has not been any flooding. The roads are a mix of bitumen and gravel. Deepwater Creek is known to flood when there are significant rains so be prepared for potential flooding. If there has been a lot of rain do not try and visit in a conventional vehicle as there is little chance you will get through Deepwater Creek. Check the National Parks website for park alerts before travelling to be safe. From Wreck Rock camping area, the road into Deepwater National Park is a sand track so you will need a four-wheel drive if you want to explore any further. We recommend dropping your tyre pressures when driving past Wreck Rock camping area. The track itself is compact and easy to drive, but as it is one track with vehicles travelling on both directions, you will need to pull over to let other vehicles pass. When pulling over the sand is thick so dropping your tyre pressures slightly will make this easier.
Camping at Deepwater National Park
There are only two camping areas at Deepwater National Park being Wreck Rock and Middle Rock. Wreck Rock is located on the southern boundary of the park with Middle Rock a few kilometres north. Middle Rock is the better camping area in our opinion with Wreck Rock being more popular. Both camping areas have access to the beach however none are on the beach. You will be camping in amongst the trees with no views of the ocean.
Wreck Rock Camping Area
Wreck Rock camping area is the more popular of the two camping areas and was extremely busy when we visited Deepwater National Park. The popularity of this camping area would be for the ease of any vehicle being able to get in here. Wreck Rock is far bigger than Middle Rock with many more camping spots. On top of this there are facilities at Wreck Rock. Facilities include drop toilets, non-potable water, and an outdoor cold shower. If you are not fully self-sufficient then you will need to camp at Wreck Rock.
Each camp site has park benches with a table, firepits, and non-potable water. All the sites appeared to be fairly level with quite a few caravans’ setup when we passed through. Wreck Rock is the only real option if you have a decent size caravan. All campsites are close together, not like a caravan park, but be prepared to be camping near someone else. There is a walking track to the beach that only takes a couple of minutes to get down to the ocean. Overall, the camping areas are nice and flat, there are all the facilities you need if you are not self-sufficient, and access to the beach is easy.
Middle Rock Camping Area
Middle Rock camping area is by the far better of the two camping areas if you are self-sufficient. You will need a 4WD to access Middle Rock and if towing a caravan Wreck Rock is a better option. Middle Rock is a much smaller camping area with only six sites from what we could see. Most sites are fairly level with some better than others. All sites are close together, although more spaced out than Wreck Rock and a bit more protected from one another.
When we visited and camped here mid-week and outside of school holidays, four of the six sites were taken, so it was still busy. There are no facilities at Middle Rock, so you need to be completely self-sufficient. Each site has park benches with a table and firepits. There is a walking track down to the beach which takes 5 minutes. The track down to the beach is steep with steps in some places. If steep tracks are a problem for you then Wreck Rock will be a far better option.
Camping Permits
Camping in Deepwater National Park requires pre-paid camping permits through the Queensland National Parks online booking service. Camping fees are approximately $7 per person per night with discounts for families. To book camping permits you search for Deepwater National Park in the Queensland National Parks online booking site here.
Things to Do at Deepwater National Park
If you want a long list of activities to do all day, then Deepwater National Park is probably not the spot for you. Deepwater National Park is a great spot if you are looking for somewhere to chill and relax on the beach, have a fish, explore the rock pools, and that is about it. It is a small National Park, so the list of activities is minimal unless you explore the region around Agnes Water.
Deepwater Beach & Rock Pools
The main reason you will want to stay at Deepwater National Park is for the secluded and quiet beaches. Both camping areas have walking tracks down to Deepwater Beach with easier walking access from Wreck Rock. The views from top of the walking track at Middle Rock are stunning with views of the ocean, headland and all the rocks. Down on the beach you will be lucky to see another soul. At low tide the beach comes to life with massive rock pools to explore. The rock pools provide lots of calm water holes to cool off on a hot day. We spent hours exploring the rock pools searching for different sea life. If you have kids, this will be the highlight for them. At high tide if swimming, be aware of the rocks below the surface as they are sharp, and it can get rough in places. It is advised not to swim here due to the rips, marine stingers in the warmer months, and the beach is not patrolled. The beach goes forever, so you can enjoy long walks north or south depending on where you are camping. Wreck Rock does have a day use area if you are not camping, so you can still go down and enjoy the beach.
Flat Rock
A few minutes’ drive north of Middle Rock camping area is Flat Rock. Flat Rock is a day use area with a small parking area behind the dunes and a short walking track down to the beach. When we visited Flat Rock, it was completely secluded with no one else about. If camping at Wreck or Middle Rock, there is not much different between these beaches. The outlook is similar with rock pools at low tide and the headland in the distance. This is a good beach spot if spending the day in Deepwater National Park from Agnes Water or somewhere else nearby. Supposedly fishing here is great however we never cast a line.
Agnes Water & Seventeen Seventy
If you are after more to do rather than sit and relax by the beach, Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy are a short drive away. There are plenty of things to see and do in these small beach towns and the surrounding area so if you are after more activities or just need supplies, they are just a short drive away. Remembering that the drive north is a sandy track so you will need a high clearance four-wheel drive.
Keep It Clean, Remove All Rubbish
Bins are not provided at Deepwater National Park so make sure you remove everything you brought in with you. When we visited the camping areas were all clean and free from rubbish so, please keep it that way. We use a Drifta rear wheel bag to store all our rubbish making it easy to leave no trace. If you are camping at Middle Rock make sure you have a toilet as there are no facilities. You can see the different toilets we use if you do not have one.
Deepwater National Park Summary
In summary, Deepwater National Park is worth a visit if you are after a relaxing time spent on the beach exploring the beautiful rock pools. Getting there is easy, and the roads are all manageable, especially from the south. Agnes Water is close if you have a 4WD and need to get supplies. Middle Rock camping area is the best option if you are self-sufficient and can get a spot. If you need facilities, then Wreck Rock camping area is the only option. A couple of nights is all you need to explore the area; we would not spend any longer unless you are after a quiet and relaxing holiday. The beaches are secluded and there is a good chance you will have them to yourself. There is intermittent Telstra mobile reception in both camping areas.
To view the Queensland National Parks Deepwater National Park area map, click here.
To book camping permits through Queensland National Parks you can book here.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our guide to Deepwater National Park. For more adventure guides and stories you can read them here. If you have any questions or comments, please post them below. To keep up to date on future stories join the 4WD Adventurer Community here.
Thanks for reading.
The thoughts of Peter.
