Suffice it to say Tropical North Queensland is anything but boring. From its beautiful and relaxing beaches to its abundant fauna and flora, all the way to its wealth of culture and history, there’s quite literally something to do for any traveller.
Being a bit of a thrill-seeker myself, I like to look for new thrilling experiences wherever I go, and I was lucky enough to tick all my “Must-do Tropical North QLD thrills” checklist off!
Nandroya Falls — You’ll want to chase this waterfall!
Nandroya Falls in Queensland is a part of the Wooroonooran National Park which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and makes up some of the oldest continually surviving rainforests on earth – and what could be better than swimming under a waterfall in one of the oldest rainforests on earth?!
Nandroya Falls in Queensland is a part of the Wooroonooran National Park which is part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area and makes up some of the oldest continually surviving rainforests on earth – and what could be better than swimming under a waterfall in one of the oldest rainforests on earth?!
During our 12-day road trip around Cairns and the Daintree Rainforest, we took a few days to go south of Cairns to explore the Atherton Tablelands. I’d read that there were many amazing waterfalls, and being a bit of a romantic at heart, I couldn’t resist but put the destination on our itinerary.
We camped at Henrietta Campground, just past Josephine Falls, which we’d gone and checked out earlier in the day — if you’re a fan of natural rock pools, rock slides, clear and pure water, definitely spend some time at Josephine Falls — and it’s also right at the start of the Atherton Tablelands waterfall trail.
After spending a night in our very warm and muggy van, we woke up ready to get our waterfall day started! We started at Malanda Falls, working our way slowly through Dinner, Zillie, Millaa Millaa and Mungalli Falls, all so different and each more beautiful than the last.
Back at our campground after a big day of chasing waterfalls, we saw a sign saying “Nandroya Falls, 2.5km walk”. We were a bit tired, but I’d listed Nandroya as a must-see waterfall, and after little convincing, my partner and I headed on the short trek to what, I was yet to realise, would become one of my favourite places on the planet – literally!
We walked our way through the tiniest, narrowest rainforest trail — avoid looking down if you have vertigo! — and after a solid 40 minutes of shooing off the mosquitoes, nearly tripping over exposed roots and sweating profusely all while in this mesmerising, out of this world environment, we finally reached Nandroya Falls… I honestly still dream about the moment we stepped out of the narrow track to find the wide, spectacular, magical place that is Nandroya.
Walk up to the top fall and go for a swim — you’ll be able to swim all the way to the edge of the waterfall, where you’ll be able to stand on a sand bed and get as close as possible, feeling the strength of the water through the mist it creates. There is nothing more refreshing than a well-earned swim at the end of the hike, and it’s definitely worth the effort!
Nandroya Falls truly offers such a unique, breath-taking and thrilling experience, all gifted to us by none other than Mother Nature!
parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/wooroonooran-palmerston
Henrietta Camp Ground, Bunda St, Wooroonooran QLD 4860
Zip lining a.k.a Jungle Surfing in Cape Tribulation
I’d done zip lining years ago in Hawaii, but my partner had never done it. It’s a unique type of thrill to swing from tree to tree, taking in the surroundings and being so grateful once you make it to the other side! When creating our itinerary for this trip, I was SO excited to find Jungle Surfing, zip lining in the Daintree Rainforest, aka the most ancient rainforest in the world! I mean, as if you’d pass that up, right?!
When we got there, we were greeted by such lovely instructors, who gave us all our gear and took us all the way up a trail to the first line. We zipped across from tree to tree, and at each stop the staff would teach us fun facts about the infinite flora surrounding us.
At the second to last line, we got dared to zip… UPSIDE DOWN! AHHHH! Again, I love a good thrill but… I’m only human! The whole group went before me as my panic level slowly increased, and when it got to my turn, everyone had done it upside down… so I had no choice — I couldn’t be the only one who hadn’t done it! It was AMAZING! So terrifying and so fun and rewarding all at once!
The very last line was a double, where you could race each other. My partner and I raced and… I obviously won!
If you’re into thrills surrounded by natural beauty and interested in learning about the ecosystem and the most ancient rainforest on the planet, definitely take the time to do some Jungle Surfing!
junglesurfing.com.au
3922 Cape Tribulation Rd, Cape Tribulation QLD 4873
Lastly, feel free to pin this article to your travel Pinterest boards & add it to your Aussie Bucketlist! 👉🏻
Thanks for reading and hope this inspires you to venture out to Tropical North Queensland yourself!
What about you?
- Have you been to Far North Queensland?
- What do you think of Nandroya Falls?
- Or have a question and want some further info?
Leave a comment below!
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