Kondalilla Falls

Mapleton / Kondalilla National Park, Queensland, Australia

About Kondalilla Falls

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Kondalilla Falls is the most impressive waterfall in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland north of Brisbane in Southeast Queensland.

This waterfall is where Skene Creek drops a reported 80-90m within the Blackall Range, and is best experienced by doing some or all of the Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track.

Kondalilla_Falls_173_07042022 - Kondalilla Falls
Kondalilla Falls

At the top of the waterfall is also a Rock Pool, which has a waterfall of its own as well as the opportunity to go for a swim.

That said, not many people were swimming on our very cold and wet visit in early July 2022 where La Nina Rains subverted the normal Dry Season.

So that allowed us to witness this waterfall flowing instead of trickling (as it typically has its best flow in the Wet between January and March).

To get the most out of our experience with Kondalilla Falls, I did the entire 4.6km Kondalilla Falls Circuit, but there was also a shorter loop between the car park leading up to the main circuit walk.

Kondalilla_Falls_073_07042022 - The Rock Pool above Kondalilla Falls, which would typically be suitable for swimming though it was bitterly cold and rainy during our early July 2022 visit
The Rock Pool above Kondalilla Falls, which would typically be suitable for swimming though it was bitterly cold and rainy during our early July 2022 visit

Indeed, the track took on more of a figure-8 shape, and as a result, I ended up doing this hike in a way that minimized the amount of backtracking (i.e. I explored as much of the figure-8 as I could).

Trail Description – Prior To The Kondalilla Circuit

From the car park (see directions below), we followed a well-signed paved path that immediately went 150m through some of the rainforest before entering a clearing.

The clearing featured picnic shelters as well as a restroom facility, but then the trail continued to plunge back into more rainforest as it went by some signs indicating what to look forward to on this hike.

The trail continued another 150m or so descending towards a bridge spanning Picnic Creek with a nice cascade spilling before the bridge.

Kondalilla_Falls_030_07042022 - Context of a pleasant cascade on Picnic Creek with the trail crossing before it not far beneath the Picnic Area
Context of a pleasant cascade on Picnic Creek with the trail crossing before it not far beneath the Picnic Area

Beyond the bridge, the path then climbed up to a fork where there was a path that followed Picnic Creek downstream while there was an upper path that went towards the Obi Obi Valley Lookout.

Both paths lead to the Rock pool and the brink of Kondalilla Falls in another 1km so we opted to follow the upper track on the right first and then come back on the Picnic Creek path on the way back.

So continuing on the upper rainforest path, there were some rest benches as well as ferns, boardwalks, and tall trees, which attested to tendency for high rainfall in this area.

After about 600m from the first fork of the trail, we arrived at the Obi Obi Valley Lookout though it was partially obscured by clouds from the rain during our early July visit.

Kondalilla_Falls_048_07042022 - Tahia and Julie on the Obi Obi Valley Lookout, which was partially obscured by low clouds resulting from the rain during our early July 2022 visit
Tahia and Julie on the Obi Obi Valley Lookout, which was partially obscured by low clouds resulting from the rain during our early July 2022 visit

Beyond the Obi Obi Valley Lookout, the trail then went another 100m to rejoin the main trail (or at least the one that briefly followed Picnic Creek for a ways).

Then, in another 200m, the trail descended along some cliff ledges before reaching the next trail junction.

This junction is the beginning and end of the actual Kondalilla Falls Circuit, where the Rock Pool was another 100m away to the left.

At the Rock Pool, there was a large plunge pool with a 5m waterfall going into it.

Kondalilla_Falls_093_07042022 - Some wired fencing had been set up above the brink of Kondalilla Falls to keep people away from the dropoffs while also forcing us to enjoy the view before us
Some wired fencing had been set up above the brink of Kondalilla Falls to keep people away from the dropoffs while also forcing us to enjoy the view before us

Meanwhile looking in the other direction, there was a lookout right above the brink of Kondalilla Falls itself, where you can get a nice look at the valley carved out by Skene Creek.

It looked like there were remnants of an old trail that clung to the cliff ledge with perhaps a closer perspective of the Kondalilla Falls.

However, it was probably destroyed in a rockslide (seeing how abruptly it ended and now there are barricades and warning signs), and I suspect this might have had something to do with a trail closure here back when we tried to visit in May 2008.

Anyways, for many people, this is the turnaround point, but for those willing to extend the walk, there was the opportunity to finish the Kondalilla Falls Circuit.

Kondalilla_Falls_092_07042022 - Closer look at what appeared to be the old Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track near the Rock Pool above Kondalilla Falls. I suspect the rock slides that caused this closure may have also been the same event that closed the trail when we first tried to do this hike in May 2008
Closer look at what appeared to be the old Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track near the Rock Pool above Kondalilla Falls. I suspect the rock slides that caused this closure may have also been the same event that closed the trail when we first tried to do this hike in May 2008

From the Rock Pool, you can cross the bridge over Skene Creek and continue on the circuit trail in a clockwise manner, and I saw quite a few people do that.

However, on my early July 2022 visit, I opted to backtrack to the trail junction and do the Kondalilla Falls Circuit in an anticlockwise manner, which I’ll describe in more depth below.

Trail Description – The Kondalilla Circuit Itself

So from the trail junction, I descended the stair-stepped ledge path for another 200m before reaching a lookout.

It was at this lookout that we managed to get our first satisfying look at Kondalilla Falls (provided the rain clouds had parted enough to see it).

Kondalilla_Falls_122_07042022 - This was the partial but still satisfying view of Kondalilla Falls from the lookout a short distance beneath the trail junction at the start and end of the Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track
This was the partial but still satisfying view of Kondalilla Falls from the lookout a short distance beneath the trail junction at the start and end of the Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track

For all intents and purposes, this was the turnaround point for my wife and daughter as they weren’t interested in doing the whole circuit (and this is why I’ve been using the first person to describe this experience).

So I continued on the steep descent beyond the lookout for another 250m or so, passing before the Kondalilla Falls before reaching another signed junction.

At this junction, the path on the left went to the bottom of Kondalilla Falls while the path on the right continued the circuit walk.

So going 100m down the left path, I then encountered a bit of a slippery boulder scramble, which was required in order to see the Kondalilla Falls from its bottom.

Kondalilla_Falls_170_07042022 - Looking up at the Kondalilla Falls (or what appeared to be just part of it) from its wet and bouldery base
Looking up at the Kondalilla Falls (or what appeared to be just part of it) from its wet and bouldery base

Only after getting through this somewhat rough and slippery scramble did I finally stand right at the foot of the impressive Kondalilla Falls.

While this waterfall was said to be 90m tall, it certainly looked smaller from this vantage point thanks to its forced perspective (and possibly its changing slope cutting off visibility of its uppermost sections).

Once I had my fill of this spot, I then backtracked to the neighbouring junction and proceeded on the circuit track towards a bridge spanning Skene Creek.

In nearly another 200m from the bottom of the falls, there was another signed trail junction, where I kept left to start ascending back up to the Rock Pool and complete the Kondalilla Falls Circuit.

Kondalilla_Falls_186_07042022 - Crossing the footbridge over Skene Creek at the very bottom of the Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track
Crossing the footbridge over Skene Creek at the very bottom of the Kondalilla Falls Circuit Track

Next, I continued to walk a mostly featureless 600m stretch that pretty much stayed within the rainforest canopy before it ascended high enough to start clinging to cliff ledges.

Eventually, the circuit track returned to the Rock Pools, where I then proceeded to go another 100m back to the original trail junction to complete the Kondalilla Falls Circuit.

Now, it was time to head back to the car park, but this time, I kept right at the next trail junction so I could follow the path I had skipped earlier that went partways along Picnic Creek.

And finally after getting back to the bridge on Picnic Creek, I then went straight back up through the picnic area before finally returning to the Kondalilla Falls car park to end this excursion.

Kondalilla_Falls_233_07042022 - Returning to the bridge and trail junction fronting the cascade on Picnic Creek after taking the lower path partway along Picnic Creek to get here
Returning to the bridge and trail junction fronting the cascade on Picnic Creek after taking the lower path partway along Picnic Creek to get here

Overall, my logs had indicated that it took me about 2.5 hours to complete the entire circuit, and that I had walked on the order of 4.8km.

This contrasted a little with the 4km distance and two-hour commitment stated in the literature and the signposts.

Some of that delta could be attributed to little detours, a little backtracking, and just trying to take in the experience without rushing.

In any case, despite the fairly nasty weather we had been experiencing in early July 2022, this track was still very popular as there wasn’t much time for solitude before encountering another person.

Authorities

Kondalilla Falls resides in the Kondalilla Falls National Park near Montville, Queensland. It is administered by the State of Queensland Department of Environment and Science. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: kondalilla national park, blackall range, mapleton, sunshine coast, sunshine coast hinterland, queensland, obi obi valley, skene creek, picnic creek



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Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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