About Cedar Creek Falls
Cedar Creek Falls (sometimes known as just Cedar Falls) was our waterfalling excuse to explore the famously beautiful white sand islands and reefs of the Whitsundays.
Unfortunately, seeing this waterfall perform requires a bit of serious timing and/or luck, especially if you intend to see it during the Dry Season (which is when it’s best to visit the Whitsunday Islands).
Case in point, this waterfall did not flow at all (or at least barely trickle) during our visit in May 2008.
However, when we came back in early July 2022 (which is supposed to be Dry Season), this waterfall had some appreciable flow even though it had been raining heavily for several consecutive days.
The unseasonable rains on my second visit was the result of a back-to-back La Nina pattern (it ultimately did a rare triple-dip, which may be induced by Global Warming and Climate Change).
Of course, if you really want to maximize your chances of seeing this waterfall flow, you’ll want to be here during the Wet Season (Australian Summer).
However, that also coincides with the increased likelihood of encountering some fatally-poisonous organisms of the Great Barrier Reef ecosystem (e.g. box jellyfish, Irukandji jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, etc.).
It’s also when there’s fewer sunny days, where overcast skies tend to mute the vibrant colours of the Whitsunday Islands.
As for visiting this waterfall, it’s only a short jaunt from the car park between Proserpine and Conway Beach (see directions below).
The huge plunge pool fronting the waterfall was perfect for a swim, and it certainly drew quite a few people over the years.
Authorities
Cedar Creek Falls resides near the town of Proserpine near Airlie Beach, Queensland. It is administered by the Whitsunday Regional Council. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website or Facebook page.
The closest beach to the Cedar Creek Falls was Conway Beach, but Airlie Beach (where we were staying) was within a reasonable 20- to 30-minute or so drive.
Proserpine was the main town along the Bruce Hwy (A1) where we had to turn off and head towards the Cedar Creek Falls as well as the Whitsunday access town at Airlie Beach.
From the Bruce Hwy (A1) in Proserpine, we had to turn towards the coast onto Shute Harbour Rd.
The turnoff was a short distance north of the main part of Proserpine.
Then, we would have to drive about 5.5km along Shute Harbour Rd before turning right onto Conway Rd.
We followed Conway Rd for about 8.5km before a sign had us keep left onto an unsealed access road (Saltwater Creek Rd, I believe).
That road then took us to Cedar Creek Falls Rd, which we then took the final 900m to its end at the falls itself.
Coming from Airlie Beach, we had to drive about 18km south on Shute Harbour Rd before turning left onto Conway Rd.
Then, we followed the directions as above to the falls.
For geographical context, Proserpine is about 25km (under 30 minutes drive) southwest of Airlie Beach, about 265km (3 hours drive) south of Townsville, about 460km (5 hours drive) north of Rockhampton, about 608km (over 7 hours drive) southeast of Cairns, and 1,089km (over 12 hours drive) northwest of Brisbane.
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Up down and back up sweep from the near side of the plunge pool before the creek crossing
Brief left to right sweep from the far side of the plunge pool well after creek crossing
Left to right sweep from right across the plunge pool from the falls showing extent of the swim area before focusing on the falls itself
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Visitor Comments:
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Conway March 2, 2015 11:53 pm - I was at the waterfalls with the locals in 1989. I stayed in Conway for two months in the wet hanging out. It was the best time of my life. I loved all the people I met and would love to go there again. Diane ...Read MoreVisitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
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Cedar Creek Falls Jan 2008 December 12, 2010 12:03 am - Hi, my name is Phil and I just wanted to share a photo of Cedar Creek Falls in full flow. Had you been there a few months earlier you would have seen it too. We had been staying in Proserpine for about 9 months. I lived full time traveling with my family in a motor… ...Read MoreNearest Waterfalls
