At 109 metres, Purling Brook Falls is one of the tallest and most spectacular waterfalls in Queensland. The water drops in a single curtain off the plateau edge into a deep rainforest pool, and in wet conditions the roar is audible from the car park. A short track leads to the top lookout, where you can peer over the lip and watch the water vanish into the gorge below.
The full circuit walk (about 4 kilometres, allow two to two and a half hours) descends through subtropical rainforest to the base of the falls. From below, the scale is properly impressive — the cliff face soaked with spray, mosses and ferns thick on every surface. The track passes under a natural overhang behind a secondary waterfall and continues along the creek before climbing back to the plateau. The rainforest here is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, and the diversity of plant species is extraordinary.
The falls are best after rain, when the volume is high. In dry spells the flow reduces considerably, though the setting remains beautiful. Wear shoes with grip — the track gets slippery.