Heading on a road trip along The Falls Drive and exploring Browns Falls in Main Range National Park? After visiting recently, we felt like we needed to share some tips and advice so you can feel adequately prepared for this walk in the Southern Downs Region.
While many people go to the nearby Queen Mary Falls (you can read our guide to Queen Mary Falls), Brown Falls is a little hidden gem along the Spring Creek Rd.
In this guide, we’re going to share everything you need to know about completing this walk and whether it’s worth doing.
1. Where Is Browns Falls?
Unsure where Browns Falls is located? It is located 2h15m drive from Brisbane and 2h40m drive from Gold Coast on the Scenic Rim. It’s also just a 7min drive from the famous Queen Mary Falls along the Spring Creek Rd, and just 3min from Daggs Falls.
2. How Long Does It Take To Walk To Browns Falls?
When you reach the Browns Falls carpark, a sign says it’s 600 metres and will take 20 minutes. Now, I know Queensland parks do tend to put down times that usually won’t take as long, but with this one, it actually does take 20 minutes to walk one way.
This means, it actually takes longer to walk to Browns Falls than it does to walk the entire Queen Mary Falls Circuit. While it is deceiving because anyone would think 600 metres would take five minutes or so, it doesn’t.
3. What You Need To Know About The Walk
When you start the walk, you’ll pass underneath a bridge along a concrete path which is fun. But, before you know it, the path stops, and you’ll almost wonder whether you’ve gone the wrong way.
Just to note, there is no clear path on this walk.
You’ll need to follow the bright red markers stuck on the trees every so often to stay on track as you walk alongside the river. But, you’ll be rock hopping and will have to cross the river a few times, which will ultimately mean your feet will get wet.
You’ll be climbing over fallen tree trunks and under them, which is fun and a bit of an adventure. You’ll be balancing on slippery rocks and will be trying not to fall in, just like someone did that we passed by who was holding up a hanker chief to stop the blood from spilling out of his face.
With that said, the 600-metre walk feels much longer than you think it would, and as we timed it, it took us 20 minutes to get there.
But, when we reached Browns Falls, it is pretty amazing. This one felt super special, and we enjoyed it more than Queen Mary Falls (which is a fantastic waterfall too). Maybe we preferred it because we were the only people there at the time; maybe it was the incredible basalt rocks protecting the falls that we were in awe of. Whatever it was, we enjoyed the scramble to this Main Range National Park waterfall and loved the adventure that came with it.
4. Wear Hiking Boots
Although you won’t need hiking boots for visiting Queen Mary Falls, you will need hiking boots for Browns Falls. Trust us, so many people turned back on the walk once they realised their thongs weren’t going to cut it. And for the people who did the walk in trainers, they all warned us to be careful of the slippery rocks as we passed them by.
5. Don’t Take Kids
I wouldn’t recommend taking kids on this hike because accidents are likely to happen, especially if visiting after rain like we did.
6. Eat Your Picnic At Queen Mary Falls Instead
We had saved our food to eat at Browns Falls but the picnic area wasn’t nearly as nice as it is at Queen Mary Falls. There is a small playground here and toilet facilities but Queen Mary Falls is a much nicer spot to sit back and have a picnic lunch. Had we known, we would have eaten our lunch there instead of on the way home in the car.
7. Is Browns Falls Worth Visiting?
Browns Falls is absolutely worth visiting when you’re doing The Falls Drive. It was our favourite of the waterfalls we visited that day and felt like a little hidden gem that wasn’t anywhere near as busy as Queen Mary Falls.
8. Other Places To Visit In Killarney
If you’re going on The Falls Drive, make sure you stop off at the stunningly beautiful Carrs Lookout, Teviot Falls, Queen Mary Falls and Daggs Falls! If you’re not waterfall’ed out yet, make sure you put some of our favourite hikes in Lamington National Park on your list too! The Box Forest Circuit and Toolona Creek Circuit are home to some of the best waterfalls in Queensland!
9. Where To Stay Near Browns Falls?
- Queen Mary Falls Caravan Park & Cabins – location doesn’t get much better! Stay right opposite the famous waterfalls and enjoy camping amongst the Gondwana Rainforest.
- Killarney View Cabins And Cararvan Park – Just a few minutes down the road will bring you another cararvan park with beautiful cabins equipped with kitchen appliances and surrounded by nature.
Things To Know About Browns Falls In Main Range National Park
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