Kondalilla Falls Circuit

Location: Kondalilla National Park, South East QLD
Date: 11th October, 2014
Distance: 4.6 km (circuit)
Time: 1 h 10 min

Kondalilla National Park Map

Rock pool below Kondalilla Falls

My original plan today was to cover the first section of the Sunshine Coast Great Walk, between Baroon Pocket Dam and Kondalilla Falls. Unfortunately, someone else had scheduled a trail run to begin the moment I arrived (complete with megaphones, cameramen, noise and other such nonsense) so I ended up doing a series of shorter walks in the Sunshine Coast hinterland instead, beginning with this one.

Kondalilla Falls is an extremely popular day walk, due to its accessibility (only a few minutes' drive from Montville) and the spectacularity of the falls after good rain. Walkers used to tackling tracks in more remote areas such as Main Range NP will probably find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of people that visit the park, but it makes a great place to take first-timers.

From the edge of the picnic area, a paved track runs downhill through rainforest to Picnic Creek, which is more like a fragmented series of pools when it hasn't rained much (like lately). A wooden bridge crosses the creek before the path splits in two, marking the beginning of the figure of eight loop.

The track splits after crossing Picnic Creek 

Looking down Picnic "Creek"

Following the right fork, the forest opens up and a lookout gives nice views across the park.

Picnic Creek circuit soon rejoins the main track, winds downhill and meets another junction. Taking a left here is the longer option to the base of the falls, so you'll encounter (slightly) less people. It also saves the steepest section for uphill, but with plenty of rest stops on the way with good views of the falls.

A rock pool at the top of the falls is a good place for a break, with more great views to the west (though somewhat spoiled from all the warning signs and wired fence).

Neat little waterfall above Kondalilla Falls

From here, the walk is all downhill until the base of Kondalilla Falls, passing through more picturesque eucalyptus and palm-filled forests.

Kondalilla falls is awesome after rain, but wasn't much more than a trickle today.

Kondalilla Falls

A short but steep path zig-zags back to the top of the falls, before returning to the day area via the other 'leg' of the figure of eight.

Heading back to the picnic area