Mitchell Falls

Mitchell River National Park, Western Australia, Australia

About Mitchell Falls


Hiking Distance: 1km round trip with tour
Suggested Time: 30 minutes (to falls view); 5-6 hours total

Date first visited: 2006-06-09
Date last visited: 2006-06-09

Waterfall Latitude: -14.82196
Waterfall Longitude: 125.69423

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Mitchell Falls was a very beautiful four-tiered waterfall that we thought truly embodied the beauty and rugged character of the Australian Outback in the remote Kimberley Region of Western Australia.

As you can see from the photo at the top of this page, this place provided that rare harmony of a scenic oasis nestled in a rugged red rock wilderness with a major waterfall to boot.

Mitchell_Falls_080_06082006 - Mitchell Falls
Mitchell Falls

Add to that combination the cloudless blue skies along with the sense that the waterfall felt very private (as not many people would make it all the way out here), and we had ourselves the highlight of our WA visit in June 2006.

We knew that we’d remember this place for a very long time the moment we first saw the falls, especially considering what it took to get here.

In fact, the closest place that we could think of that might come the closest to what we experienced here (i.e. that Shangri-la-type feeling) would be Havasu Falls in Arizona, except with far fewer people.

Mitchell Falls was said to be the second tallest waterfall in the state of Western Australia at a cumulative height of 80m (at least according to the literature).

Mitchell Falls Timing

The stunning backdrop of the red escarpment lands of the Mitchell Plateau provided the elevation and geology needed to channel the Wet Season rains over the cliffs.

The end result was the necessary conditions to have such a waterfall in this otherwise harsh and unforgiving land.

Mitchell_Falls_172_06082006 - Walking along the Punamii-Unpuu Trail for different views of Mitchell Falls
Walking along the Punamii-Unpuu Trail for different views of Mitchell Falls

Like with other waterfalls in the tropical regions of Northern Australia, most of the flow of the falls came from Wet Season rains.

Therefore, the flow would diminish as the Dry Season wore on.

Thus, in order to get a good waterfalling experience, we’d have to time our visit to strike that fine balance between accessibility in the Dry Season versus flow from the Wet Season.

And getting the best of both worlds was certainly easier said than done.

How To Experience Mitchell Falls

Speaking of which, given the remoteness of the falls, getting here was not easy.

The options that were available to us were to either do a multi-day 4wd adventure along the Gibbs River Road and Kalumburu Road.

Then, we’d have to hike and scramble on the 3.3km (each way; 6.6km return) Punamii-Unpuu Trail.

If such a commitment was not feasible, it was possible to do the more expensive aerial tour.

The Aerial Tour of Mitchell Falls

Mitchell_Falls_214_06082006 - Aerial view of both Mitchell Falls (right) and Big Mertens Falls (left) during the chopper portion of the tour
Aerial view of both Mitchell Falls (right) and Big Mertens Falls (left) during the chopper portion of the tour

Since Julie and I didn’t have the time to devote nearly an entire week to this adventure, we did the aerial tour.

Basically, we took what was known as the Mitchell Falls Explorer (courtesy of SlingAir and Heliworks WA) where we were flown from the air strip in Kununurra to a remote airstrip on the Mitchell Plateau.

This flight lasted about two hours.

Once at the airstrip, there was then a helicopter ride that circled around Mitchell Falls and the neighboring Big Mertens Falls before landing near the top of Mitchell Falls.

At that point, we walked the final 15 minutes of the Punamii-Unpuu Trail to a fabulous view across the gorge of Mitchell Falls (see the photo at the top of this page).

This track may have been short, but we had to keep a keen eye for following the route, which was overgrown in many spots and was quite easy to get sidetracked or lost.

The track allowed us to get various views of the multi-tiered falls before arriving at its end.

We were given about two hours to spend at the top of the falls, which was only enough time to experience Mitchell Falls but not enough time to do any other exploring.

The Cheater’s Way

Mitchell_Falls_206_06082006 - Helicopter on the makeshift helipad above Mitchell Falls
Helicopter on the makeshift helipad above Mitchell Falls

When we returned to the circle of stones that was acting as the makeshift helipad, we noticed that there was an elderly woman who was escorted off the chopper and onto the track to the falls.

I realized at that point that the “cheater’s” way that we partook in to get here would’ve most likely been the only option available to the elderly in addition to those short on time like we were.

Of course, if Wet Season conditions persisted, then visiting the falls by air would also be the only means of getting here as well (since the 4wd roads would likely be flooded or too muddy to continue).

Brief Anecdotal Account of the 4wd Adventure to Mitchell Falls

As for the more adventurous and self-sufficient option, we did encounter a British couple who did do the long 4wd adventure to get to Mitchell Falls.

They mentioned that the hike they did to get here included the first 800m to a swimming hole known as the Little Mertens Falls.

Then, the remaining 2.5km was on the rugged Punamii-Unpuu Trail passing by the top of the Big Mertens Falls along the way.

Mitchell_Falls_128_06082006 - Direct view of Mitchell Falls from the precarious outcrop across the gorge
Direct view of Mitchell Falls from the precarious outcrop across the gorge

Again, these other attractions were not possible for us to do given the limited amount of time we were given at Mitchell Falls.

Authorities

Mitchell Falls resides in Mitchell River National Park near Kununurra in Western Australia. It is administered jointly by the Western Australia Government with the Wunambal Gambera and Wilinggin People. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Mitchell_Falls_006_06082006 - Flying over some interesting formations as we were leaving Kununurra for the Mitchell Plateau
Mitchell_Falls_011_jx_06082006 - Looking down at the Gibbs River Road
Mitchell_Falls_031_06082006 - Flying over the escarpments of the Mitchell Plateau
Mitchell_Falls_043_06082006 - Approaching the unsealed airstrip above the falls
Mitchell_Falls_052_06082006 - Looking down at Mitchell Falls as we were on the chopper circling the falls before landing near the end of the Punamii-Unpuu Trail
Mitchell_Falls_059_06082006 - Big Mertens Falls was still in shadow when we first arrived at Mitchell Falls
Mitchell_Falls_071_06082006 - Another look down at the gorgeous Mitchell Falls from the chopper ride
Mitchell_Falls_075_06082006 - Getting a closer look at Mitchell Falls as we were walking along the Punamii-Unpuu Trail
Mitchell_Falls_076_06082006 - Julie getting through the overgrown track to the main overlook
Mitchell_Falls_077_06082006 - We had to pay close attention to the trail markings and the faint trail itself to ensure we didn't get lost even in the short 15-minute stretch of trail we were on
Mitchell_Falls_078_06082006 - Julie having to negotiate a few obstacles on that last walk to the overlook
Mitchell_Falls_092_06082006 - Finally at the main overlook for Mitchell Falls
Mitchell_Falls_062_jx_06082006 - That's me on the rocky outcrop with the view of Mitchell Falls
Mitchell_Falls_136_06082006 - View of Mitchell Falls along the Punamii-Unpuu Trail on the way back
Mitchell_Falls_158_06082006 - Different angled view of Mitchell Falls further along the trail
Mitchell_Falls_184_06082006 - Last look at the uppermost tiers of the Mitchell Falls


Since we were staying in the WA town of Kununurra, we were actually shuttled from our accommodation at the All Seasons Hotel to the airstrip in town. The tour started at around 8am and ended around 2pm. Our tour also included a visit to King George Falls so I’d imagine it was a little longer than just an out-and-back visit to Mitchell Falls. Truthfully, that additional waterfall visit was what sealed the deal for us (not that we were that serious about not doing the non-aerial option in the first place).

As for the more difficult and time consuming land-based option, we could only tell you what the British couple we met told us (since they actually went through with the long drive and hike). They said they drove some 240km west of Kununurra on the rugged Gibbs River Road, then they drove north for 161km on the Kalumburu Road. They eventually reached a turnoff leading towards the car park for Mitchell Falls at Mertens Creek. They said the drive took two days, and the Drysdale River House made for a convenient overnight stop. They camped at the trailhead before getting on the trail, when we met them in the late morning.

Even though we didn’t do this option, Julie and I appreciated the degree of self-sufficiency that was necessary to make it here. For example, I’d imagine you’d need to bring enough food, water, and supplies to last you at least three or four days. Plus, you’d need to be able to deal with the possibility of a flat tire or even an engine breakdown or getting lost. Thus, we totally respected what the British couple we met were able to do, and for those who have or are willing to do this option, we salute you!

To give you some context of the remoteness of this area, Kununurra was 827km (about 10 hours drive) southwest of Darwin and 1,044km (about 11 hours drive) east of Broome.

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Tagged with: kimberley, mitchell, kununurra, western australia, australia, waterfall, outback



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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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