| Type: | protected |
| Bladensburg National Park | |
| State: | qld |
| Iucn Category: | II |
| Coordinates: | -22.5033°N 142.9881°W |
| Relief: | yes |
| Nearest Town Or City: | Winton |
| Area: | 849 |
| Established: | 1984 |
| Managing Authorities: | Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Url: | derm.qld.gov.au/parks/bladensburg/index.html |
Bladensburg is a national park in Shire of Winton, Queensland, Australia.[1] It includes an area once occupied by a sheep station called Bladensburg Station.
Bladensburg lies in the area of what was once Koa tribal territory and, on white settlement, was taken over to run a sheep station, known as Bladensburg Station. This was the site of the alleged Bladensburg massacre, in which around 200 Aboriginal people were killed in 1872 at Skull Hole, on the head of Mistake Creek.[2]
The of national park were declared in 1984.
The park is northwest of Brisbane, and just south of the town of Winton.The park features grassland plains, river flats, sandstone ranges and flat-topped mesas.[3] The main watercourse in the park is the often dry Surprise Creek. During floods the creek becomes a braided channel.
The landscape to the south of the park has dissected tablelands with mesas and buttes and to the far south are flat sand plains.[4]
The park is now a protected area containing areas of high biodiversity. It is situated predominantly in the Goneaway Tablelands subregion of the Channel Country bioregion, but also contains some of the Mitchell Grass Downs bioregion. The original Bladensburg homestead, which was probably transported to the site some time in the 1910s, houses the park's visitor information centre today. Birds common to the area include the painted firetail, rufous-crowned emu-wren and rufous-throated honeyeater.[4]
The park contains dinosaur fossils as well as Aboriginal story places and ceremonial grounds.[5]
Skull Hole, the site of the 1870s massacre of Aboriginal people, is preserved.[5]
Access to the park is by 16 km of road from Winton.[4] Camping is permitted beside Surprise Creek.[3] No water is available.[4]