Northern Queensland is known for it’s diverse tropical landscape – from the largest coral reef to the oldest rain forest in the world, this part of Australia is filled with natural beauty that you could spend weeks exploring. When you’re here, one of the greatest ways to explore nature is to go in search of some of the best waterfalls around Cairns.
Yesterday, two friends and I hopped in the car and took ourselves on a day trip to tour some of the most popular waterfalls around Cairns: Millaa Millaa, Zillie, and Ellinjaa. Our drive took us from the northern beaches of Cairns into the Atherton Tablelands, winding through mountain roads with tight corners and big drops towards the waterfalls we were searching for.
If you aren’t sure which waterfalls to spend a day chasing, there is a very popular waterfall circuit that loops through some of the very best waterfalls Cairns has to offer. The smaller loops of this circuit includes the three waterfalls mentioned before: Millaa Millaa, Zillie, and Ellinjaa. When we first arrived to Millaa Millaa at around 11AM it was looking a little bit busy so we decided to start at the end and work our way back.
A short walk down from the car park is Ellinjaa Falls. An absolutely stunning cascade of falls that run over lava columns, Ellinjaa was probably my favorite of them all. The pool at the bottom of the falls is quite shallow, so not the best for swimming. But, you could spend ages here getting your toes wet and getting that perfect Insta-photo. For the first fifteen minutes or so, we had the entire place to ourselves to soak in Ellinjaa and all of its beauty. Apparently, if you’re really lucky, you can even spot some platypus here!
From Ellinjaa, we drove back the way we came until we reached Zillie Falls just a few minutes up the road. Please remember to keep an eye out for cows grazing very close to the sides of these roads as they like to roam free here. Park in the parking lot on one side of the street, cross over the road and head down a pebbly path to the Zillie Falls lookout. The lookout is settled at the top of the falls, where you get a great view.
Of the three we saw, Zillie was easily the most powerful of the waterfalls near Cairns. Even from the viewing platform, Zillie was spectacular to see. Near the end of the platform and to the left is a trail that will lead you down to the base of the waterfall. If you’re craving a bit of adventure and an absolutely incredible view of Zillie from below, follow it!
Since Cairns had had some steady rainfall the day before, the trail was incredibly muddy and slippery. Hanging on to trees, roots and vines at every possible opportunity, we slid our way down in our bare feet. Areas of this rain forest trail can be quite steep, tricky to maneuver and probably isn’t best for children if it has been raining.
But, if you make the effort to get down (it’s easier to get back up, I thought!) you will be rewarded with a beautiful creek bed of rock pools and Zillie Falls crashing down from above. It was well worth the effort! With mud squished between our toes, caked under our fingernails and smeared all the way up to our thighs, we set off for the final stop: Millaa Millaa.
Millaa Millaa is the most photographed waterfall in Australia and it is easy to see why. A perfect, steady stream of water flowing into a clear pool begging for you to jump in, Millaa Millaa is often considered the best waterfall around Cairns. Undeniably photogenic, it’s impossible to take a bad picture here. This waterfall is easy to access as you can drive right up to it and has a paved walkway right to the edge of the water. On a sunny afternoon you’ll find people swimming in the pool and trying to get the perfect “hair flip” shot.
With time quickly slipping away from us, we said goodbye to the waterfalls and headed off to Lake Eacham, in Crater Lakes National Park. A massive lake in the middle of the rain forest, Lake Eacham can get really busy on a hot summer day. There are barbecues and picnic tables located throughout, platforms above the water to look for small turtles and a resident fresh water crocodile inhabiting the lake. That doesn’t seem to stop people from spending the day out in the water, though!
Lake Eacham was quiet when we arrived and the perfect spot to settle in for a bit of a picnic and take in the peaceful setting of the lake.
Doing a self-guided drive of the best waterfalls around Cairns is one of the greatest ways to spend a day. With the freedom to go wherever you’d like, for as long as you’d like, with a group of girlfriends singing to Taylor Swift (optional) along the way, you can’t go wrong.
No car? No problem! If you walk through Cairns it’s impossible to miss the many tour agencies selling day tours to explore the waterfall circuit. If you don’t have access to a car or aren’t confident driving on the left side of the road through a winding mountain range, these tours cover all of the highlights, food, transportation and a guide.
While I didn’t have a chance to see all the waterfalls I am so happy with the ones we did get to visit! Have you explored the waterfalls around Cairns? Which one do you think is the best?