Five Stunning Waterfalls To Visit In The Atherton Tablelands
The magical and beautiful Waterfall Circuit in tropical North Queensland.
Atherton Tablelands is in tropical North Queensland and is a playground of dramatic mountains, lush rainforest and magical, aw-inspiring waterfalls!
When we had the pleasure of exploring this beautiful part of the world we decided to have a ‘waterfall day’, where we hopped from one jaw-dropping waterfall to another. Here’s a quick snapshot of our five must-see waterfalls on The Waterfall Circuit in the Atherton Tablelands.
1. Dinner Falls
Dinner Falls is a series of three waterfalls positioned in the Mount Hypipamee National Park. The waterfalls cascade from the headwaters of the Upper Barron River.
Dinner Falls is on the same circuit as the impressive Mount Hypipamee Crater. It takes a moderate 2km walk to catch both these stunning destinations, but it’s well worth it!
The big green crater has sheer granite walls that span almost 70 metres across, with the lake nearly 60 metres below the rim. Be sure to check out both the big green crater and the falls as they are impressive to say the least.
2. Millaa Millaa Falls
Millaa Millaa Falls is an incredibly photogenic, 18-metre waterfall. It is definitely an Atherton Tableland favourite on the famous Waterfall Circuit. You can access from the top carpark or bottom carpark if you have a push chair or are mobility restricted.
When we visited, we found this the busiest stop along the way and a real Instagram worthy photo location.
3. Zillie Falls
Another 7.5 kilometres down the road from Millaa Millaa Falls is the remarkable Zillie Falls. It’s like the louder, more daring sibling. A magical, misty scene created by the roaring water hitting the surrounding rocks – it is too awesome to miss!
We didn’t venture to the bottom of the waterfall during this trip, due to time of day and that we were nearly waterfall’d out. We have been told that the walk down was steep and slippery though, so if you do tackle this walk please be careful.
Zillie Falls is about a 50 minute drive from Innisfail, or a 10 minute drive from Millaa Millaa. If you do walk to the base of the fall you will find a viewing platform where people regularly enjoy picnics in the beautiful surroundings.
4. Ellinjaa Falls
Another 3 kilometres along the Waterfalls Circuit is Ellinjaa Falls. If you’re hungry from all the adventuring, stop in and use the barbecues and picnic tables provided.
The pool at the base of Ellinjaa Falls isn’t very deep so not a great swimming spot, but we’ll let you in on a little secret – if you’re game there’s a hidden spot behind the waterfall where you can sit and take in its beauty. This was probably our favourite of the waterfalls but please note you do need to go up and down a large number of steep and slippery steps to reach the bottom.
5. Malanda Falls
Unlike some of the other waterfalls mentioned above, Malanda Falls are really easy to get to! They are on the North Johnstone River, right by the main road next to the Malanda Visitor Centre. These falls boast their own swimming pool, a pretty picnic spot, and two rainforest walkways.
The Malanda Falls are four metres high and 30 metres wide, and offer plenty of places to paddle about. The pool in front of the waterfalls was man-made back in the early 1900s, and is a great spot for the whole family to take a dip (so long as there hasn’t been heavy rain).
The spot is only a kilometre from Malanda, and is surrounded by lush, green rainforest which offers plenty of shade for picnics or to escape the sun. It was the most commercialised of the waterfalls we visited, but this is probably because of the very easy access. It is also conveniently located a short distance from the carpark.
Enjoy The Waterfall Circuit!
We hope you find the time to hit the road and explore these beautiful waterfalls on the Atherton Tablelands… remember, these are our top five, but there are plenty of others to discover! Be sure to share you fav destinations on the Waterfall Circuit with us in the comments below.
Until next time,
The Wallaces x
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Omg what a amazing area. Thankyou fir all this awesome info. Looks amazing, and will definitely be checking the area out when we head up that way. Thanks guys. Keep up the good work. Safe travels. Xxx