Paddle At Your Peril

Kind Squares Photo Challenge #29 ~ Queensland: One of a Kind

Destination: Springbrook National Park

It would be tempting on a hot day to discard your shoes and go paddling in one of the many creeks at Springbrook National Park. Rainforest trees shade the little streams of crystal clear water and, in some parts, shallow pools form between smooth shelves of water worn rock.

But a refreshing dip would be foolish when, just a few metres downstream, the creek reaches the edge of the McPherson Range and falls 60 metres to the valley below.

Where Mundora Creek tips over the escarpment the falls are aptly named Goomoolahara, the Aboriginal word for big waterfall.

The scarlet flowers of giant spear lilies bloom on the cliffs in spring. They grow exclusively in these mountain ranges on the Queensland/New South Wales border.

Purling Brook looks deceptively pretty. It’s only up close that the sheer drop over the cliff is evident.

There are 265 steps down from the lookout to the walking track at the base of the falls.

Halfway down, delicate King orchids cling to the rock walls.

From Canyon Lookout, it’s easy to see where the waters of Rush Creek and Ee-jung Creek plummet over the edge of Springbrook Plateau to form Twin Falls and Rainbow Falls.

The pretty little creeks leading to all these falls might be tempting, but take heed of the signs. Paddle at your peril!

This month I’m joining in every day with Becky’s October Kind Square Photo Challenge over at The Life of B. The rules are simple: most photos must be square and fit the theme word “kind”. Look for #kindasquare