So you’re sitting behind the wheel of your iconic Mustang hire in Cairns and with so much to do and see – you’re not sure where to start. Well, Cairns is a great choice because it’s a thriving tropical city where the Great Barrier Reef and World Heritage rainforests provide a stunning backdrop for your holiday. From diving, snorkelling and fishing to white water rafting, bungy jumping, paddleboarding, sailing, shopping and dining, there’s plenty of excitement in and around Cairns.
If you want to get the most out of your luxury car rental in Cairns, however, how about a few short road trips? One of the best ways to spend a spare day or two is to drive around our ancient rainforests and discover some of our hidden gems – waterfalls!
Just imagine heading off from Cairns car hire in your Mustang convertible car rental cairns, leaving the tourist rush behind you and entering the peace and quiet of our beautiful mountain ranges. Maybe stopping for a fabulous lunch along the way and then spending a few idyllic hours at one of our stunning waterfalls and swimming holes. It can’t get better than that!
So where are these waterfalls and swimming holes?
Hop into your car rental cairns and head over to Redlynch on the western side of Cairns car hire, the turn south onto the Redlynch Connection Rd and after about 20 minutes, you’ll find yourself at the Crystal Cascades in the Lamb Range. Perhaps one of the most popular secrets in far north Queensland, the Crystal Cascades offers a series of tantalisingly small waterfalls that flow gracefully into large swimming holes surrounded by ancient rainforests. On the return journey why not stop off at the Red Beret Pub in Redlynch for lunch to top off your day!
A 40 minute drive north-west from Cairns car hire in your Mustang hire cairns brings you to Barron Falls in the Barron Gorge National Park, near Kuranda in the Atherton Tablelands (follow the Captain Cook HWY onto the Kennedy HWY). At Barron Falls you’ll find a raised boardwalk that lets you stroll through the rainforest canopy taking you to the Barron Falls Lookout, where you can enjoy spectacular views over the gorge and waterfalls. The best time to visit is when the river is in full flow during the wet season, but it’s still spectacular at any time of the year. Stop off at the Barron Falls Hotel for a spot of lunch on your way back to Cairns.
Want to visit more than one waterfall in a day? Well, welcome to the Waterfalls Circuit! If you head south from car hire Cairns in your cairns car rental, it’s a 2 hour drive via Mareeba or 100 minutes via Gordonvale and Yungaburra to Theresa Creek Road where these falls are located. First, there’s Milla Milla Falls, then Zillie Falls and last Elinjaa Falls, all three are spectacular spots to visit with crustal clear swimming holes and rock pools.
Milla Milla Falls: With an 18 meter sheer drop that flows into a picture-postcard swimming hole, Milla Milla Falls are one of the most photographed falls in Australia. Surrounded by rainforest, tropical ferns and a lovely, grassed area (perfect for a picnic), Milla Milla Falls are definitely worth a visit.
Zillie Falls: These falls boast a spectacular lookout up top and a handy bush track that leads down to the rock pools below (perfect for a dip to cool down). Its 30 meter single drop is awe inspiring, particularly when it’s in full flow.
Elinjaa Falls: These falls are another fabulous spot to while away a few hours. The 15 metre drop flows into a rock pool that’s perfect for swimming and there’s a little ledge behind the waterfall where you can rest and enjoy the view.
Take a picnic or pop into the RSL at Malanda for a great lunch or evening meal on the way back to Cairns.
If you’re heading to the Waterfall Circuit at Milla Milla in your cairns rental car, it’s a great idea to stop at the Malanda Falls as well. That’s because Malanda Falls are just 20 minutes north of the Waterfall Circuit, so you could start at Cairns car hire and head towards Mareeba, stop at the Malanda Falls, then onto the Waterfalls Circuit and return to Cairns via Yungaburra and Gordonvale (or vice versa). The entire trip takes about 3 hours, excluding the time spent at the waterfalls.
Malanda Falls comes with a beautiful man-made swimming pool, rainforest walkways and a lovely picnic spot. It’s the easiest of the waterfalls to access directly from the main road (all the others require a fairly decent walk) and are truly spectacular – 30 metres wide and 4 metres high! These falls are a photographer’s dream!
If you’re doing the round trip to these falls, why not stop at Humpy in Tolga (20 minutes from Malanda Falls to stock up on local produce? You can also enjoy lunch or dinner at the Yungaburra Hotel who specialise in wholesome home cooked food and their dining room is truly spectacular!
To find out more about car rental in Cairns, contact us today on 0447 809 899.
