Stoney Creek Falls is a cascading waterfall on Stoney Creek, where the river flows down from the Atherton Tablelands to the Cairns coastal plain in Queensland, Australia.
Stoney Creek Falls is in Barron Gorge National Park, where Stoney Creek flows down in steps from the sides of the gorge. The falls are famous for the curved railway bridge that crosses in front of them.
Passengers on the Kuranda Scenic Railway and The Savannahlander trains get a great view of the falls as they pass over the creek.
There Are Three Main Waterfalls Along Stoney Creek
Old Weir Falls – This is the most popular waterfall at Stoney Creek. It’s easy to reach by walking along a short, well-marked rainforest trail. There’s a deep swimming hole here, perfect for a swim.
Small Waterfall – This small cascade is located upstream of Old Weir Falls, on the way to the main Stoney Creek Falls.
Stoney Creek Falls – This is the main waterfall on Stoney Creek, next to the Kuranda Scenic Rail line. There’s also a swimming hole at the bottom, but getting there is more challenging and requires more experience.
How do you get to Stoney Creek from Cairns?
Stoney Creek is just a 20-minute drive from Cairns city center, along Western Arterial Road. You’ll turn onto Stoney Creek Road in Kamerunga, which takes you through the rainforest to the car park. The car park can hold about 15 cars. Parking is free, but it can fill up quickly!
From the carpark, you’ll see the track on the right. It quickly takes you onto a concrete footbridge. You can either head to the nearby swimming hole or keep going to Old Weir Falls or the Stoney Creek Falls walking track.
Stoney Creek isn’t served by public transport. The nearest bus stop is on Impey Street, near Lake Placid Road, about a 2 km walk away.
Directions to Stoney Creek Carpark
How do you get to Stoney Creek Swimming Hole?
Stoney Creek is a fantastic spot to cool off near Cairns, with a deep swimming hole just a few minutes from the car park.
To reach the waterhole, you can either cross the concrete footbridge and take the left path right after the fork or walk under the bridge and follow the shallow creek for about 3 minutes.
The swimming hole is wide and around 2 metres deep at its deepest point.
This place is popular, especially during summer weekends, so try visiting early or on a weekday to avoid the crowds.
Stoney Creek Walk to Old Weir Falls
If the main swimming hole is busy or you want a peaceful spot, take the trail to Old Weir Falls. You can reach it by following the straight path from the footbridge.
This trail, called the Stoney Creek Walking Track, leads to Old Weir Falls in about 20 minutes. The path follows the creek along a hillside and ends just above the waterfall.
A large fallen tree frames the 8-metre waterfall, which flows onto a sandy shore. While the water here isn’t as deep, it’s still a nice place to cool off. There’s also a deeper swimming spot above the falls and more along the trail.
A Longer Hike to the Kuranda Scenic Rail Waterfall
- After crossing the concrete footbridge, look for a sign directing you to the “Douglas Track” and Glacier Rock. Turn right here.
- Walk about 100 meters on this track, then take a mostly overgrown, unmarked path into the rainforest on your left.
- After 1.2 kilometers, the track crosses a creek and continues into the forest, marked with pink markers.
- Follow the track as it winds up to the ridgeline and then steeply ascends to the railway line.
- Further along, the track becomes clearer and easier to follow, with occasional pink markers.
- You’ll reach “Small Waterfall,” a small cascade with a pool for swimming. The track continues up the rocky section on the left side of the waterfall.
- After another 1.2 kilometers, cross the creek again, following the pink markers through the forest to the ridgeline and up to the railway line.
- From here Stoney Creek Falls is just a few hundred meters away and view is spectacular.
