Currumbin Creek at Cougal Cascades

Gold Coast, Queensland

This swimming spot can be a bit tricky to access, but once you are at creek level, it is one of my favourite swims on the Gold Coast. From just beyond the viewing platform, there are several tracks leading down to the water, all of which can be muddy and slippery, particularly after rain. The further upstream you go, the flatter the slope of the track to the creek. Keep your hands free and look for good footholds on the exposed tree roots on your way down. Above: Taking a dip in the largest pool at Cougal Cascades (Order this image)

Once you reach the creek bed there are several swimming holes to explore. In the stretch near the main cascade, I visited four of them, all of which were attracting other swimmers too. The main cascade is directly below the viewing platform. The nearest goat track takes you down to the top of the cascade, after which you need to carefully scramble down the inclined rock face. Skirt around the side of the pool to the downstream end, where you can enter the water gradually and take the main cascade in full view with your swim. The inclined rock face beside the cascade is one of the few areas that are exposed to the sun in this dense rainforest, and during my visit it proved a popular spot for swimmers resting on a towel in between swims. Above: The main pool from the edge of the water at Cougal Cascades (Order this image)

Heading upstream from the main cascade there are several other smaller pools that are still deep enough for a swim. You can shoulder up to some of the shallower cascades for a massage, or watch more adventurous kids plummeting off a rock ledge into one of the deeper holes.

Before or after your swim, take the time to walk up to the old Banana Box factory a short distance upstream, and read about the history of banana growing at this spot along the way. There is not much left of it, but the story behind the factory was interesting.

Here is a video of swimming at this spot in the morning in the Easter school holidays. There had been a bit of rain on and off over the previous days, so the river was running well, but was not ferocious away from the main cascade.



There are not a lot of car parking spots at the start of the walk to the cascades, which is great if you are fortunate enough to secure a spot early, because it means that the swimming holes do not get overcrowded. If you arrive later in the day on a hot weekend, parking could be difficult. Before you head out, make sure to read the swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. Specific to this site, the managing authority advises that diving or jumping into rock pools, sliding down the cascades, and walking on wet rocks is dangerous and may lead to serious injury or death. The managing authority also advises that thieves operate in the carpark, so do not leave valuables in your vehicle. The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park at the start of the walk to the cascades. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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