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Fairy Falls
Cairns, Far North Queensland

Tiny, mossy, and magical, the pool for swimming at Fairy Falls is a little secret world perched half-way up the waterfall, with a narrow entry for the water to enter and exit.

Swimming at Fairy Falls

Above: The pool at Fairy Falls (Order this image)

This swim was both easier and harder to get to than I thought it would be. Easier in the sense that the track from the Crystal Cascades car park was easy to find (see photo below) and easy to navigate along for most of the way to the falls. The track starts at the southern end of the car park, next to the "Beware stinging tree" sign.

I was a little bit worried about the stinging tree, and decided to wear long pants to avoid being stung. However, the track was fairly wide and open on my visit, with no nettles in sight. Compared to others walking to the falls in nothing more than bathers and a pair of thongs, I seemed overdressed.

The final section of the track was closed on my visit, with safety tape across the track but no signs to indicate why it was closed. The only way to reach the falls was to walk up or alongside the creek bed for about 100 metres. On the loose, slippery rocks, sometimes high above the creek, bathers and thongs were looking less appropriate for the conditions, with one young girl grazing her knee.

Swimming at Fairy Falls

Above: The start of the walk to Fairy Falls (Order this image)

At the falls, there is actually a cascade, a few metres high, that you have to climb to reach the pool. I climbed up one side and down the other. From experience, climbing up the right hand side of the cascade (from below) is much easier than using the left hand side.

You will also need to have both of your hands free to steady yourself on what is a tricky little climb if doing it for the first time.

Swimming at Fairy Falls

Above: The view from the pool outlet at Fairy Falls (Order this image)

Up in the pool, it is quite a magical little spot, that feels like it could easily be part of Middle Earth or any other fantasy realm. The chamber into which the water sprinkles down from above is quite narrow, with steep rock walls covered in vibrant green moss in between gnarly exposed tree roots. The water was amazingly clear, and I could easily see the loose shale on the pool floor. Then when you turn around, there is a window out to the forested gully beyond.

The only drawback with this swim is that the pool is big enough to fit a couple of friends, but not more. That means if someone is already in this fairy-sized pool, then there is unlikely to be enough room for anyone coming up from below, and you may not be keen on being in such an intimate space with a complete stranger. Fortunately the water is not warm enough to stay in for a long time, which helps to turn over the visitors.

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. From the southern end of the car park, follow the path next to the "Beware stinging tree" sign for a few hundred metres. At the fork in the path, take the path to the left that continues along the left hand side of the creek, rather than the path that leads down to the creek. As described above, at the end of the walk it is a short scramble along the creek bed and a climb up the cascade to reach the pool at the falls.

Facilities: At the car park there are change rooms, toilets, and rubbish bins. At the start of the walk to nearby Crystal Cascades, there are sheltered and unsheltered picnic tables, a drinking fountain, and sheltered public bbqs. There are no facilities at the falls themselves.
Entrance fee: None
Water temperature: Cool
Water clarity: Clear
Under foot: Rock
Maximum water depth: Less than 1 metre
Minimum swimming proficiency required: Inexperienced swimmers could swim here on the edge of the pool, away from the base of the waterfall, but you need to be an experienced climber to reach the pool.
Prohibitions including whether you can bring your dog: No dogs, no littering, no fires, no alcohol, no bikes, no motorbikes, children must be supervised.
Sun shade: Shade available in and out of the water
Opening times: Always open
Wheelchair access: None to the falls, but there is a wheelchair accessible toilet and the path to the picnic area on the way to Crystal Cascades is wheelchair accessible.
Managing authority: Cairns Regional Council
Nearby attractions: Crystal Cascades, which can be reached from the same car park as Fairy Falls, but along a different path.

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 the path to the falls and the falls themselves are not maintained by Council, so beware of hazards and your surroundings. There is also a warning about the stinging tree, which can cause severe pain and distress if stung.

Locality Map:

The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park at the start of the path to the falls. 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 Fairy Falls? Yes, because the pool is mostly shallow, however the scramble up the cascade to reach the pool is quite slippery and precarious, and would not be suitable for young children.

Can my dog swim at Fairy Falls? No, dogs are not permitted here.

Are there crocodiles at Fairy Falls? Crocodiles travel far and wide in far north Queensland. None had been reported here to my knowledge at the time of my swim, but always keep a lookout and heed any warning signs on site.

Can I have a picnic at Fairy Falls? Not at Fairy Falls, but there are some picnic facilities close to the car park on the way to Crystal Cascades.

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

Comments:

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