Twin Falls Cape York

Blog Post

8 Cooktown and Cape York waterfalls to discover

HannahStatham

TNQ Writer

Refresh yourself in nature’s swimming pools, sliding into these waterfalls and waterholes across Cooktown and Cape York.

The Cape York Peninsula might be best known for its rugged wilderness and 4WD scene, but its waterfalls and secret swimming holes hold their own against the destination’s major draw cards. From gentle trickles to thunderous drops, you’ll be spoilt for waterfall and swimming hole choice when you buckle up for a trip to the tip. Break up your journey to Cooktown and Cape York with this guide to waterfalls and wild places – just be sure to follow the safe swimming signs.

Wujal Wujal Falls

Wujal Wujal Falls is a place of great significance for the Kuku Yalanji people

Translating to ‘many falls’ in the local Kuku Yalanji language, Wujal Wujal lives up to its name. You’ll find this waterfall, an hour and a half south of Cooktown, connected by a short, well-travelled path from the carpark to falls. Although you can’t swim at these falls (crocodiles have been sighted here), pack a camera because the spray is nothing short of photogenic, especially after big rain.

Home Rule Falls

Cool off from the 2.6km hike

This waterfall requires you to lace up your hiking boots to find it – following a 2.6km (return) track through lush rainforest. Start your stroll from Home Rule Rainforest Lodge and follow the dam wall until you see signs to the falls. The reward for the climb to the top is a three-tiered waterfall that cascades into a deep gorge formed by vertical slate. Pack your swimmers because swimming is allowed in the deep pool below the falls.

Trevathan Falls

Take a dip in Trevathan Falls

Four wheel drivers, listen up! There’s a waterfall you need to chase, Trevathan Falls, and you’ll find it 45 minutes south of Cooktown. Drop your location pin to Mt Amos Road off the Mulligan Highway, and embrace the fact it’s a short but steep walk from the end of the road to find this fall. The reward at the end of the hike is a safe-to-swim, deep pool, and photo-worthy waterfall, cascading over a moss-covered rock face.

Endeavour Falls

Stop by at Endeavour Falls

Giving a nod to the region’s history in its name, Endeavour Falls are tucked away 32km north of Cooktown, accessed via Endeavour Falls Tourist Park. Although swimming is not allowed at this waterfall, the falls make an idyllic backdrop for a picnic and pitstop on your Cooktown adventure. With an onsite store you can stock up on supplies and use the amenities before pushing on with these things to see and do in Cooktown.

Isabella Falls

Park alongside Isabella Falls for a pretty pitstop

While most of Cape York’s icons are “off the beaten track”, Isabella Falls bucks the trend sitting firmly on it – accessed via fully sealed road. Find Isabella Falls an hour north of Cooktown, posing as the perfect first picnic stop on your trip to the tip, parking up right alongside the falls.

Note: Although many visitors swim here, there have been rumoured crocodile sightings in the past so swimming here is at your own risk.

Fruit Bat Falls

Wash off the dust of the Old Telegraph Track at Fruitbat Falls

There’s plenty of famous pitstops on the trip to the tip – and Fruit Bat Falls is one of them. Located off the Old Telegraph Track, this croc-free swimming hole in Apudthama National Park (Jardine River National Park), is a welcome reprieve to the bouncing of a 4WD. Cool off in Fruit Bat Falls’ emerald waters, use the waterfall force as your own personal masseuse, before enjoying a picnic in its shaded surrounds.

Eliot Falls

Eliot Falls has an onsite campsite

If you want to make your waterfall chasing progressive, it’s just a 23-minute drive on from Fruit Bat Falls to find Eliot Falls. This croc-free swimming hole draws a crowd for all the right reasons with an onsite campsite nestled in next to these two falls. If camping, take note, the campsites book out well in advance – bookings are essential.

Twin Falls

Cool off at the crystal-clear Twin Falls

If you find Fruit Bat and Eliot Falls a little too crowded, follow the boardwalk from Eliot Falls to its neighbour, Twin Falls, and slide into this series of rock pools and cascades. Follow the lead of other Cape York travellers who swear by the refreshing properties of Twin Falls’ cool pools to ease road tripping muscles after testing your suspension along the Old Telegraph Track.

Northward Bound

Stay a little while in Cooktown and Cape York and add some of these activities to your list.

 

Grassy Hill Cooktown
Cape York
8 things to do in Cooktown

Welcome to Cooktown, the Tropical North Queensland town whose history and heritage draws 25,000 visitors to it each year.

Read more
Punsand Bay Cape York
Cape York
Cape York is calling: Planning a trip to The Tip

Ready to tackle one of Australia’s most remote landscapes, Cape York? Just you, a car and 1,200km of untamed, World Heritage-listed, 180 million year-old rugged rainforest beauty – aka The Tip.

Read more
Cape York
Cooktown accommodation guide

Considering exploring is in Cooktown’s DNA, you’ll want to spend a night or two in the capital of Cape York to discover what’s on offer for yourself. This Cooktown accommodation guide will help you choose your perfect home away from home.

Read more
aerial image of elim beach
Cape York
Add these beautiful Cooktown beaches to your bucket list

Craving sun, sand and salty air? There’s plenty of beautiful beaches to explore in Cooktown. With nothing but wide-open space, it’s easy to let your mind and adventurous spirit wander here.

Read more
Cape York
No car, no worries – try these Cape York Tours

Where else but Cape York can you stand on the tip of Australia, discover one of the world’s oldest rainforests in the world and travel on roads few even dare to tread? Just because Australia’s last frontier is calling, doesn’t mean you need to travel it alone.

For the adventure of a lifetime, without any of the ‘going solo’ stress, join one of these guided Cape York tours.

Read more
punsand bay termite mounds cape york
Cape York
Cape York’s big three national parks

If you’re looking for the ultimate national park experience, there’s no better place in the world than the tip of Australia. With ten national or regional parks to choose from, here’s a closer look at three of the most popular.

Read more
Cargo ship
Cape York
Cargo ship your way to Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands

We’ve rounded up the top reasons why you need to get your ship together and get on the MV Trinity Bay to Cape York and the Torres Strait Islands.

Read more
fishing pajinka article tile
Cape York
Fishing from Cairns to Cape York

Cairns to Cape York is an angler’s Nirvana: a pristine environment that is both challenging and inspiring. With the largest diversity of fish species in Australia and the ability to fish all year round, a visit to Tropical North Queensland should be on everyone’s bucket-list.

Read more
Laura Quinkan Dance Festival
Cape York
Head north for these epic Cape York events

Welcome to Cape York, an incredibly diverse region sprinkled with rugged national parks, pristine waterways, secluded beaches, rich Indigenous heritage and some of the best events you’ll find.

Read more