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Crystal Cascades
Cairns, Far North Queensland

Only 20 km from the city centre, this is the most popular freshwater swimming hole in Cairns, with a series of cascades and crystal clear pools along Freshwater Creek. Unfortunately swimming is now prohibited at the best swimming spots, but there are still a couple of swimming areas well suited for a dip.

Swimming at Crystal Cascades

Above: The main cascade where swimming is no longer permitted (Order this image)

From the car park, which also has a couple of change rooms to change into your bathers, it is a 300 metre walk along a wide, paved path to the first of two formal access points to the water.

Here you will find steel steps down to the water's edge, with little rocky areas to leave your towel. These spots have enough room in the water for several swimmers, but very little space on the river bank. The water was surprisingly chilly, with a swift current in the middle, but plenty of slow moving water on the sides with gradual entry from the bank. I particularly liked the high visibility in the water, where I could clearly see fish moseying around, and some interesting rock textures on the bed, so bring your snorkel mask to explore these.

Swimming at Crystal Cascades

Above: The area where I swam at Crystal Cascades (Order this image)

Beyond these two access points, there is clear signage that swimming is not permitted further upstream. This includes at the main cascade, which has a viewing platform and access to the water's edge down the steps leading from the platform.

Despite the signage, there were several people swimming in this reach of the river when I visited, including in the main pool as well as a harder to access spot downstream of the main pool. On my visit under relatively low flow conditions, I could see people swimming in the main pool without any difficulty, but I also understand the river conditions can change quickly here. Irrespective of what I might or might not think of the risks of swimming in this reach at any given time, the managing authority spells out the risks fairly clearly on site, including past drownings. I could see from above that the river channel narrows considerably in some spots downstream of the main pool, with small vertical drops into areas with steep walled sides that would create some turbulence and make it difficult to exit, particularly when the river is flowing strongly.

It is not possible to walk further upstream than the main cascade, with the path leading to the reservoir upstream being fenced off.

Other Information Before You Go:

Location:At the end of Redlynch Intake Road, Redlynch, 19 km (approx. 20 minute drive) west of Cairns.
Latitude:-16.962008 Longitude:145.679664
Getting there: From Cairns, head north along the Cairns Western Arterial Road (route 91) to the Redlynch Connection Road. Turn left at the roundabout onto the Redlynch Intake Road and follow it all the way to the end, where you will find the Crystal Cascades car park. The swimming areas are approximately a 300-500 metre walk from the car park along a wide, paved path.

Facilities: Car park, change rooms, toilets, sheltered and unsheltered picnic tables, rubbish bins, drinking fountain, sheltered public bbqs, viewing platform
Entrance fee: None
Water temperature: Cool
Water clarity: Clear
Under foot: Rock
Maximum water depth: Greater than 2 metres
Minimum swimming proficiency required: Experienced swimmers only due to the current and variable depth.
Prohibitions including whether you can bring your dog: No dogs, no littering, no fires, no alcohol, no bikes, no motorbikes, children must be supervised. In the upstream section of the river (as designated by a sign on site), it is prohibited to swim, dive, or jump the fence.
Sun shade: Shade available in and out of the water.
Opening times: Always open
Wheelchair access: The path along the river is wheelchair accessible and there is a wheelchair accessible toilet. The path to the viewing platform is steep in parts, but the viewing platform is wheelchair accessible. The steps down to the swimming areas are not wheelchair accessible.
Managing authority: Cairns Regional Council
Nearby attractions: Fairy Falls, which can also be reached from the Crystal Cascades car park.

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 warns that there are strong currents, submerged objects, slippery areas, and steep dropoffs in the water, and that children must be supervised. This site is located downstream of Copperlode Falls Dam, with an emergency flood warning system in place signalling to evacuate to higher ground in the event of a failure of the dam wall, with instructions provided by signs on site.

Locality Map:

The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park at the start of the path to Crystal Cascades. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
View Larger Map

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can kids swim at Crystal Cascades? I do not recommend it, because there are a number of hazards in the water that would make it dangerous for kids to swim here, notably the strong currents and variable water depth. If kids were to swim here, it would need to be under strict supervision in the shallows when the river is low.

How long does it take to walk to Crystal Cascades? From the car park it is about a 5 minute walk to the swimming areas, then another 5-10 minutes to the cascades.

Can my dog swim at Crystal Cascades? No, dogs are not permitted here.

Are there crocodiles at Crystal Cascades? Crocodiles travel far and wide in far north Queensland. None had been reported here to my knowledge at the time of my swim, and the water was particularly cold which does not suit crocodiles well, but always keep a lookout and heed any warning signs on site.

Can I see fish in the water at Crystal Cascades? Yes, I saw various fish in the water here, so bring your snorkel mask.

Can I go fishing at Crystal Cascades? I did not see any signs indicating that fishing was not permitted, but access to the river is poor outside of the designated swimming areas, where you are more likely to catch a swimmer than a fish.

Can I have a picnic at Crystal Cascades? Yes, there are some picnic facilities close to the car park, but they are a long way from the swimming areas, so this spot is better suited to swimming than picnicking unless you are ok with walking back and forth along the path when you want to hop into the water.

If you have any other questions not answered above, leave a comment for me using the comment box below.

Comments:

If you would like to leave a comment about this swimming spot, please fill in the comment box below. I am particularly interested in your experiences after visiting, and any changes in conditions, etc. All fields are required if you would like to see your comments appear on this website.

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