The park was established in 1994 to protect the biodiversity of the Mulga Lands, Mitchell Grass Downs and Channel Country bioregions.

[2] Richard Welford and his stationhand were killed in 1872 by an Aboriginal man known as Kangaroo or Jiu-Jiu who had deserted from the Native Police.

Subsequent punitive expeditions were conducted by Native Police detachments and local pastoralists such as Charles Lumley Hill which resulted in many of the local Aboriginal population being shot at Welford's station, along the Barcoo River and in the Cheviot Range around what is now Hell Hole Gorge National Park.

[8] Recreational activities are centred on the permanent waterholes along the Barcoo where visitors can enjoy fishing, canoeing and kayaking.

[8] There are also three tourist drives that cover the river, sand dune and mulga escarpment ecosystems found in the park and totalling more than 100 kilometres.