There’s no doubt that waterfall chasing is a serious spot in tropical north Queensland. But similar to Bali, you don’t want to be visiting the same waterfalls on the tourist trail, as brilliant as they are.
On our second trip back to Far North Queensland, we made a point to hunt down some lesser known spots and Davies Creek Falls was a sure winner. You will need your own vehicle to visit this spot, either as an easy day trip from Cairns or on a longer road trip of tropical north Queensland.
This blog post will detail how to get to Davies Creek Falls from Cairns, camping options and the key things to know.
DAVIES CREEK FALLS | CAMPING, SWIMMING & LOOKOUT
Davies Creek Falls Quick Facts
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Opening Times/Seasons: All day/ All year
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Entrance Fee: Free
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Can you swim at Davies Creek Falls? Yes
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Can you camp at Davies Creek Falls? Yes
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Picnic tables: No
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Toilets: No
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BBQ: No
Where is Davies Creek Falls?
Davies Creek Falls is located on the edge of Dinden National Park approximately 57 kilometres west of Cairns. The parks and reserves feature two magnificent waterfalls cascading over huge granite boulders, plunging 75m down into the valley below.
You will need your own vehicle to access Davis Creek Falls, although larger vehicles such as campervans may struggle on the unpaved track.
How do I get to Davies Creek Falls?
DAVIES CREEK FALLS FROM CAIRNS
The drive from Cairns will take you 57 kilometres west. The fastest route is over the winding Kuranda Range and the rainforest of Barron Gorge National Park before joining the Kennedy Highway otherwise known as National Highway 1.
Before the township of Mareeba, you will turn left onto Davis Creek Road which is opposite Tichum Creek Coffee Farm. It is well signposted. Here, the road turns to gravel. We recommend driving slowly as rocks can fly up to hit your windshield. You will drive by Davies Creek Mountain Bike Park on your right and travel parallel along Davies Creek on your left. Next, you will pass the camp sites in the Upper Davies Creek camping area (tent camping and caravan parking permitted). There are non-flush toilets located here.
From this point, the road starts to travel upwards, following the curves of the range. Take care not to speed along the gravel as there are no guard rails. It would be a tight squeeze for two lane traffic so be extra cautious when going around the corners. Soon, you’ll come to a small clearing where you can park your vehicle before walking down to the top of the falls. It is a short walk on marked trails where one path leads to a vantage lookout point of the waterfall and the other leads to the swimming hole at the top of the falls.
There is also the Davies Creek Falls Circuit which is 1.1 kilometres and will take approximately 20 minutes to complete. The circuit takes you through woodlands up to the lookout.
Davies Creek Falls is like Windin Falls in that there is an infinity pool at the top of the falls. To reach this pool requires some scrambling over the granite boulders. Take care after rain as surfaces may be slippery. Further, monitor the current as the infinity pool leads to the top of the falls and there are no guardrails. The top of the falls offers a wonderful vantage point over the valley.
Davies Creek Falls lookout provides the best view of the waterfalls themselves otherwise the rushing water may also be captured via drone.
Davies Creek Falls Camping
There are two designated campsites close to Davies Creek Falls.
Lower Davies Creek camping area is nestled among granite boulders in open woodland beside the crystal clear waters of Davies Creek. Upper Davies Creek camping area consists of eight separate and numbered camp sites scattered along a stretch of Davies Creek in tall open forest.
There are limited facilities at both campsites – campers must be self-sufficient. Camping permits are required and fees apply. These are e-permit camping areas—all camping must be booked in advance.
Safety tips for visiting Davies Creek Falls
- Make sure to have a full tank of petrol
- Lock your car and carry your valuables
- Keep an eye out for wildlife, reptiles and insects
- Do not hike alone
- Be careful swimming after heavy rainfall – the main pool leads out to the top of the waterfall. While there are boulders, there is no guardrail so take care not to become caught in a strong current
Hiking Essentials | What do I need to take to Davies Creek Falls?
- Backpack
- Swimwear
- Closed in shoes | We recommend sturdy, reliable footwear for this hike. Trail shoes and runners would suffice
- Basic first-aid kit | Including a space blanket
- Reusable water bottles | We recommend a bottle with a filter like this Grayl water bottle
- Sunscreen | anytime we are swimming, we try to use SunButter SPF50 Water Resistant Reef Safe Sunscreen
- Biodegradable wet wipes | For when clean water is not available
- Insect repellent | we visited during February (rainy season) and horseflies were present but didn’t bother us too much, particularly once we got into the water
- Adequate clothing for all weather conditions including rain
- Microfibre towel | we prefer our quick-dry, absorbent Tesalate sand-free towels
- Camera & drone | there is sufficient space to launch, fly and land your drone above Davies Creek Falls as there is not too much tree cover over the water itself. Depending on when you visit, you may also be fighting biting horseflies! Check out all our photography gear and equipment that we travel with
Chasing Waterfalls in Far North Queensland
If you’re serious about ticking off several Far North Queensland waterfalls, check out our following blog posts:
Planning to visit Davis Creek Falls from Cairns?
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