Barron Falls
WHAT IS BARRON FALLS?
Barron Falls, known as Din Din to the Djabuganydji Bama people, is one of the largest waterfalls in Far North Queensland and is only a 40 minute drive from Cairns. Whilst you can’t swim at Barron, the stunning views of the sheer size and drama of the falls and their rocky outcrops is a wonder to behold.
Barron Gorge National Park is traditionally known as Djirri Nyundu Nyrrumba by the Bama people, and constitutes as a Wet Tropics World Heritage Area due to its rich biodiversity and geological significance. You can expect to find long-tailed pygmy-possums, Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroos, platypus, short-beaked echidnas, spectacled flying foxes and striped possums exploring the glorious rainforests here, as well as vibrant blue Ulysses and green Cairns birdwing butterflies.
Visitors will discover 260 metres of water cascading through Barron Gorge down multiple granite tiers. The force of these falls varies depending on the season: in the wet summer and autumn months the falls transform into a misty and roaring spectacle reaching volumetric flow rates of almost 265,000 megalitres a day! In the drier months you’ll catch a greater glimpse of the gorge’s magnificent rock formations hidden by the wet season’s deluges.
There’s a plethora of fantastic lookouts to view Barron Gorge and Falls, the most famous being the Din Din Barron Falls Lookout, accessed via the township of Kuranda. Din Din Barron Falls Lookout is a thrilling wheelchair-accessible footbridge suspended over the gorge. This is a pretty cruisy walk, 500 metres in length and taking about 20 minutes to complete, although we encourage a slow dawdle to fully appreciate the exceptional views of lush rainforests, eucalypt canopies and the clouds of mist coming off the rushing falls.
HOW TO GET TO BARRON FALLS FROM CAIRNS
Transport to Barron Falls from Cairns is available via the heritage-style carriages of Kuranda Scenic Railway. This two hour pleasure trip offers fabulous vantage points of Barron Gorge at 327 metres above sea level.
The Skyrail is another convenient way to view and travel to Barron Falls. A scenic 90 minute rainforest experience that connects Cairns (Smithfield, 15 minutes north of Cairns) to Kuranda Village via a 7.5 kilometre gondola. Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the lush rainforest canopy before stopping at The Edge lookout for a stunning vista of Barron Falls.
Alternatively, driving to Din Din Barron Falls takes about 40 minutes from Cairns. Jump on the Captain Cook Highway and head north before turning onto Kennedy Highway. Follow Kennedy until you pass through the township of Kuranda, from there follow the signs pointing to Barron Falls until you reach the car park at the end of Barron Falls Road. If you don’t have a car in Cairns, checkout East Coast Tours for affordable deals on campervan hires.
