Want waterfalls? Well North Queensland has plenty! Whether you’re a hiking-adventurist, or would rather drive up to the base, NQ has you covered! We absolutely loved exploring this area, since we could always mix up the intensity of our adventure each day, still see a waterfall and go for a dip! With that said; here is a comprehensive list of our favourite waterfalls and waterholes in North Queensland! I’ll also list at the end the waterfalls we missed that we’ve heard great things about since!
Waterfall Circuit
The wonderful waterfall circuit that sits among the farms of the Atherton Tablelands is an absolute gem! We made a full-day adventure out of visiting each of these falls, however it could just as easily be done within a few hours as they are only a stone’s throw away from each other.
Millaa Millaa Falls
Like something out of a Disney movie, Millaa Millaa Falls is arguably the most photogenic waterfall in Australia, we certainly won’t dispute it! We arrived before the crack of dawn and had it completely to ourselves until around 7am! Coffee and breakfast, with the cascading falls making up the backdrop from the back of the van, bliss. I highly suggest arriving early to beat the rush and get a slice of it for yourselves.
Zillie Falls
Whether you go to Millaa Millaa or Ellinjaa first, Zillie is the middle child of the Atherton waterfall circuit. Less spectacular than both of its siblings, but beautiful, nevertheless. In typical Chris and Monique fashion, we laced up the sandals to head down the muddy, slippery trail. The bottom provided a nice view of the undercut rock face hiding behind the falls. Leave the towels in the car though, swimming is off the cards here.
Elinjaa Falls
A winding, paved stairwell escorted us down to a waist-deep plunge pool, perfect for a dip. Ellinjaa sent us on our way feeling rejuvenated after our free deep tissue massage under the falls and hot rock treatment to follow. A good book coupled with the blissful sound of flowing water made for maximum relaxation.
Malanda Falls
A manmade swimming pool at its base provided the ideal happy hour destination to cool off and unwind. We stayed at the neighbouring caravan park and couldn’t recommend it more, especially if you’re fond of baby goats, ducks and alpacas – We know we are.
Babinda Boulders
A beautiful parkland greeted us upon entry to Babinda boulders, well-maintained and groomed. This place boasted some of the clearest water we’ve seen. So much so that we suspect Mount Franklin bottle their water from here directly. We spent some time in the upper system floating around admiring the view, before wandering down the track to devil’s creek. A small detour around the last viewpoint dropped us onto the rockface, giving access to a wealth of small rockpools and natural waterslides. A council run free camp within walking distance was the perfect location to setup camp for a few days to really take it all in.
Davies Creek Falls
Davie’s creek shook things up a bit, Huey’s age was tested as we rattled through a stretch of heavily corrugated road. Lush green rainforest for granite and bushland was a welcomed trade off, reminding us of the variety this great land beholds. We explored the huge rock formations that guide water to the natural infinity pool and couldn’t get our clothes off quick enough once we saw it. It was ice-cold by Queenslander’s standards, but nice to get some respite from the heat. Our only regret was not staying for sundown, as the viewpoint from the pool lets you gaze over native woodland, with the setting sun in the distance.
Windin Falls
We began the voyage before sunrise to make golden hour at this picturesque masterpiece. A scenic 9km trail led us to an infinity pool overlooking the seemingly endless hills the tablelands offer. The native bird orchestra put on a show for the return trip to Huey for a late brekky. We kept our eyes peeled for cassowaries as they are regularly sighted here, but no luck for us.
Josephine Falls
Nostalgic for Chris as he’d been here before as a kid, just as he remembered it. Only a short walk takes you to a natural waterpark, complete with waterslide and all. Watching people climb up the rocks, to slide down the mossy face into the plunge pool below – good times. We got here around peak time and could hardly get a spot!
Wallaman Falls
This was epic, the largest permanent single-drop waterfall in Queensland at 297m tall. We admired from afar, before venturing down a 5km return trail through lively rainforest to the base. Here we were absolutely lost in a haze of mist, as the falls exploded onto the rocks below and this was in DRY season. The sheer power that mother nature commands humbled us, as we thought how this dwarfed all the other falls we had seen before it.