Quick Answers
Where is Davies Creek Falls?
In Davies Creek National Park, off the Kennedy Highway between Cairns and Mareeba.
Is it safe at Davies Creek Falls?
Stay behind the barriers at all times. Queensland Parks warns that deaths have occurred at the falls.
When is the best time to visit?
The drier months, May to November. Park roads may close after heavy rain.
“Davies Creek Falls is a different kind of waterfall — not the lush, fern-draped curtains of the rainforest south, but raw granite and a river that knows how to move.”
Davies Creek Falls: Granite Country Drama Northwest of Atherton
While the Atherton Tablelands is best known for its tropical rainforest waterfalls, Davies Creek Falls offers something completely different — a rugged, open-country waterfall where Davies Creek crashes over ancient granite boulders in a setting that feels more like central Australia than the Wet Tropics. It’s a striking contrast, and one that rewards visitors who venture beyond the well-worn waterfall circuit.
Located in the Davies Creek National Park, northwest of Atherton on the road towards Mareeba, the falls are most dramatic in the wet season and after summer rain, when the river runs at full force and the granite gorge below the falls is a scene of considerable power. In the dry season, the water runs thinner but the exposed granite formations become the main attraction — massive smooth boulders that are popular for swimming in the natural pools they create.
The national park also contains extensive areas of dry sclerophyll forest and granite heath — habitats quite different from the wet rainforest of the Tablelands’ eastern side, supporting different wildlife including rock wallabies, sugar gliders, and a variety of birds of the open forest. The camping area at Davies Creek is one of the Tablelands’ better bush camping sites, with access to swimming holes and several marked walking tracks.
Ravenshoe
Yungaburra
Malanda
AthertonDavies Creek is easily combined with a visit to Mareeba, the Skybury Coffee Plantation, or the Granite Gorge Nature Park, all within reasonable driving distance. Allow at least half a day if you’re walking the trails and swimming in the rock pools.
A Hot Getaways destination. Where Care is Our Compass.
Travel Kindly
At Hot Getaways, care is our compass — and a little kindness makes every journey better. When you visit the Atherton Tablelands, we gently ask you to:
- Tread lightly — stay on tracks and lookouts, and take special care around waterfalls, which can be slippery and swift.
- Respect the wildlife — never feed the platypus, tree-kangaroos or birds, and observe them quietly from a distance.
- Support local — choosing local operators, cafés and guides helps this beautiful place thrive.
- Honour Country — we travel on the traditional lands and sea Country of Australia’s First Peoples, with gratitude and respect to the Traditional Custodians past and present.
- Be kind to each other — a smile, a little patience and a helping hand make the day lovelier for everyone.
Small acts of care add up to something wonderful. Thank you for travelling kindly.
