There’s always a silver lining to a dark cloud.
We’ve experienced prolonged and persistent precipitation so far this year (thanks La Nina) – but on the upside, the unprecedented downpour means most of Queensland’s amazing waterfalls are now in full flight!
Grab your camera, jump in the car and prepare to worship at the feet of roaring, rushing, magnificent cascades – and you’ll find them tumbling down, right across the state.
The Sunshine Coast is home to some of Queensland’s most beautiful and most accessible falls. Buderim Forest park is only an hour from Brisbane and the walk to Buderim Falls itself is a very leisurely 20 minutes. The falls flow year-round and are the perfect destination for a family day out.
Not far away are Kondalilla Falls in the Kondalilla National Park, near the township of Montville. The falls are 90 metres high and walking tracks lead to features including rock pools and lookouts.
Also on the Sunshine Coast are Gardeners Falls, which are bit of a hidden gem. They’re just a short drive from Maleny on Obi Obi Creek. It’s a terrific spot for kids as the creek is home to many rock pools and the falls itself are surrounded by a grassy bank, making it perfect for a hinterland picnic.
Just two hours from Brisbane, near the town of Killarney, you’ll discover Queen Mary Falls in the world heritage listed Main Range National Park. There are two trails that showcase the beauty of the falls; the first takes just 20 minutes and offers views from the top, whilst 2km return hike goes all the way to its base.
North Queensland is home to many stunning waterfalls, and the Atherton Tablelands west of Cairns has many that are a sight to behold. The most popular is Malanda Falls on the North Johnstone River. The falls are four metres high, thirty metres wide and there’s a beach with plenty of shallow spots for kids to swim.
Arguably Queensland’s most spectacular waterfall is Wallaman Falls, west of Ingham in North Queensland. It is Australia’s highest permanent single drop waterfall at 268 metres. There are lookouts at the top, and a thrilling hike to its base, which can be completed in about 90 minutes.
