Kondalilla Falls
Kondalilla National Park, Montville, Queensland
The pool above Kondalilla Falls could be the perfect swimming hole: with the pool behind you, you look out over the top of the main waterfall and across to a panoramic vista of nothing but trees. The pool is deep and long enough for a proper swim and is fed by a small waterfall at the far end. This majestic swimming hole is surrounded by trees, native flora and rocks which are plenty flat enough for picnics. Because it’s so idyllic and conveniently close to the Sunshine Coast, it can get very busy in the summer. Kondalilla means running water in a local aboriginal language and it is easy to immerse yourself in the stuff at this idyllic swimming hole setup.
How To Get There: The track from the picnic area to the top of Kondalilla Falls is paved for 100m and then gravel and winds its way in a zig zag down the hillside. You can then either turn right to go down to the bottom of the falls and loop back up to the pool to cool off after your walk (around a 40-60 minute walk) or turn left to access the pool directly.
Difficulty of access: 3/10 – It’s a short walk along the trail from the picnic area to the pool.
Opening Times/Seasons: Daylight hours all year. Tracks may be closed in extremely wet weather. See the park alerts for details.
Entrance Fee: Free except for commercial or organised activities.
Facilities Nearby: There is a large picnic area where there are toilets and (non-drinking) water.
Other Activities:
Other Places of Interest Nearby:
Wildlife: There are loads of impressive antler ferns on the initial track.
Places to Eat:
Where to Camp:
Other places to Stay:
Nearby Towns: Montville, Flaxton, Maleny, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Coolum, Eumundi
Other Swimming Holes Nearby: Obi Obi Creek River Crossing Number 2, Serenity Falls, Booloumba Camp, Summer Falls, Booloumba Falls, Gardners Falls
Comments: Come off season or get here early to enjoy this special but convenient swimming hole free of crowds.
2 Comments
Ashley
We took the hike down to the greater falls area on a beautiful warm winter day. It was still too cool to swim, but we did beat the crowds (mostly) and get about 10 or 15 minutes to ourselves on the rocks at the base of the falls. We really couldn’t have asked for a more serene setting.
There are a lot of stairs to go up and down on this hike. We saw some families with small kids who were struggling to make it back up, so be careful when taking little ones! The rockpools may be a more suitable walking destination for children.
Rachel Lewis
Thanks for your comment Ashley. It doesn get cold in the winter here but if you’re acclimatised it’s never too cold to swim :) Maybe next time?