A full guide to visiting Josephine Falls, one of the cleanest and most beautiful swimming spots near Cairns in Far North Queensland.
Josephine Falls is a beautiful waterfall located in the rainforest on Josephine Creek, inside Wooroonooran National Park in Far North Queensland.
The waterfall has three main sections and is a favorite spot for picnics and swimming. There’s even a natural water slide at the bottom.
Although it’s a bit of a drive from Cairns, it’s one of my favorite waterfalls in the area! After visiting many times, I’ve put together this easy guide to help you plan your trip.
Where can you find the Josephine Falls
Josephine Falls is in Wooroonooran National Park, about an hour’s drive south of Cairns in Tropical North Queensland.
The falls are on Josephine Creek, near other spots like Nandroya Falls and Babinda Boulders.
Water from Queensland’s tallest mountain, Mount Bartle Frere, which stands around 1622 metres high, feeds the falls. This mountain is popular with hikers for overnight trips.
The car park for Josephine Falls is also the starting point for the Bartle Frere trail and the nearby Broken Nose trail.
How to Get to Josephine Falls
Josephine Falls is about 75 kilometers south of Cairns on the Bruce Highway. The drive from Cairns to the car park at Josephine Falls takes around one hour.
Directions to Josephine Falls car park
At the car park, you’ll find some useful facilities, like a shelter, toilets, picnic tables, and BBQs that you can use for a small fee.
The car park is quite big and fits about 24 cars. This waterfall is a popular spot for swimming south of Cairns, so it can get busy and fill up fast.
Walk to the Josephine Falls
After you park your car, it’s just a quick 600-metre walk on a paved path to the waterfall. The Josephine Falls walk is a lovely place to enjoy the tropical rainforest and is suitable for everyone, including those in wheelchairs.
The path is paved all the way to the main waterfall, with paths leading to the Middle Creek viewing platform and the bottom pool.
What You’ll Find at Josephine Falls
Josephine Falls is a well-known waterfall in the area, alongside the famous Crystal Cascadesand Barron Falls!
It features three main waterfalls, each with a clear, deep pool of water. Because of sudden changes in water levels from heavy rain, only one large swimming hole is safe for swimming.
Waterfall from the viewpoint
At Josephine Falls, the biggest waterfall is found at the end of the trail. You can enjoy the view from a large wooden platform called the “top viewing platform.”
Even though it isn’t the tallest waterfall around, it’s still very impressive. The water falls 25 meters down a steep gully and then flows over a big, wide boulder.
For safety reasons, swimming at the top of the waterfall isn’t allowed because the area is restricted.
Bottom Pool Swimming Hole
Just before you reach the main waterfall, there’s a sign pointing to the river. This spot, called the Big Pool, has the best swimming holes at Josephine Falls and even a rock slide!
On one side, there’s a small waterfall that gently flows into a deep pool.
The main pool is a lovely green color and is deep enough for swimming (about 1.5 meters deep). Plus, there’s a natural rock slide for some extra fun!
