Thundering and churning its way through the Wet Tropics World Heritage area, in the Barron Gorge National Park, Barron Falls puts on a spectacular display during the height of the wet season. At other times, the mighty roar of the Barron can be reduced to little more than a trickle.
However, what sets Barron Falls apart from other cascades of its calibre, is its lush setting, and the fact it can be viewed from a stop on a scenic rail journey, or the dizzying heights of a cable car. There’s also access points for motor vehicles, from which easy walks lead to prime viewing spots.
Travellers on the scenic railway stop at Barron Falls lookout, where passengers can alight for several minutes to spy the falls and the surrounding area. The skyrail also stops at two points, where visitors can walk through easy forest trails to lookouts at both Red Peak and Barron Falls. For the drivers, elevated rainforest boardwalks are accessible from the falls’ carpark.
Trails include the Barron Falls lookout walk, which traverses forest just below the canopy, offering sublime views of the falls and Barron River, which flows through the tropical, rugged landscape below. The walk, which is shrouded in mist during the wet season, provides several lookout points and is accessible to all. There’s also information on Aboriginal and European history at the walk’s beginning and end.
The falls itself were once the construction base sight for hydroelectric development during the 1930s. The machinery from this era can be viewed at the nearby Rainforest Interpretation Centre, which was partly developed by the CSIRO. The centre also hosts an interactive display, with touch screen computers, videos and pictorials to immerse you into the unique world of the Barron Gorge rainforest.