Canyoning around Townsville, North Queensland
We at Wanderstories have spent the last few years exploring many of the creeks around Townsville, some being a hit and miss. Sometimes, reading a topographical map and looking at aerial imagery can be challenging, and you expect to find non-scramblable cliff faces ending in an abseil. Still, other times, you end up carrying all the heavy equipment to no avail.
After doing plenty of canyoning, definitions of canyoning can change. Some think it is only when you're going down an actual slot canyon, like in the Blue Mountains. Still, others consider abseiling/rappeling down waterfalls and creeks canyoning, as most people do.
There are several places around Townsville where people can go canyoning that many people don't know about. Several of the creeks around Townsville have been bolted where there are no safe, natural anchors to rappel from.
Find your local canyoners and ask for beta on the NQ Canyoning Facebook group. Note that most canyons listed are all-natural (no bolts).
Here's a listing of canyoning places to explore around Townsville:
Bowling Green Bay National Park
Alligator Creek Falls
Grade - V4 A1 III
This is more of a hike out there just to do the abseil. It's not really a journey like the others above. There is only one major pitch in this Alligator Creek. It involves a four-hour hike out to the base and a 30-minute climb to the top of the falls. The good thing is that you can climb up the waterfalls (right-hand side) and then abseil down. No bolts have been placed.
The Terraces
Grade - V3 A2 IV ***
The Terraces is an idyllic trip with stunning waterfall after waterfall located in the Palm Creek area of Bowling Green Bay National Park.
The Cascades
Grade - V4 A2 IV
The Cascades is just that! Cascading water over rocks, waterfall after waterfall. They are located in the Palm Creek area of Bowling Green Bay National Park.
Paluma Range National Park
Crystal Canyon
Grade - V4 A3 IV ***
Wow! What a beautiful place we have on our doorstep. Crystal Falls and its gorge is one of the most beautiful creeks I've been down around Townsville. Massive cliffs and untouched, pristine swimming holes make this trip a must-do. This trip starts at Paluma Dam, where you walk on the track to Big Crystal Creek Falls and abseil down to the Water Inlet. Then, you exit at Mango Tree Car Park (the rock slides car park). Has a mini slot canyon about mid-way down. There are a few trees and boulders to rappel from, but no bolts have been placed.
Gold Canyon
Grade - V4 A2 IV ***
Wet, mossy, and fully shaded! This route will take you down myriad waterfalls.
Gold Creek is very mossy and untouched. It has king ferns which, in my experience, are not so common in PRNP. As usual, you'll need to be sensitive to vegetation. No bolts have been placed, as there are plenty of suitable natural anchors.
Jourama Canyon (Lower Waterview Creek)
Grade - V4 A3 III ***
It is considered one of the best creeks in the Townsville vicinity to rappel down. To do a half-day trip, hike up the track and cut across to the top of the main falls. It's a granite creek bed that drops quickly off and provides views of the valley below and out to the ocean. The slide into the infinity pool at the top of the main drop is my favourite part of this trip and is a must-do.
Blackhole Canyon (Upper Waterview Creek)
Grade - V4 A3 IV *
This is a full-day, one-way trip starting from the Jacobsen Track or Station Creek.
Waterfall Canyon
Grade - V3 A2 IV *
One of the well-known waterfalls for canyoning and often used by Defence for training. This trip starts at Paluma Dam and ends at the Bruce Highway. None of the raps have been bolted but there are plenty of natural anchors like trees to rappel from. You will need sacrificial slings or use rope retrieval techniques to ghost it.
Nolans Gully Canyon
Ropes are not needed, but they come in handy. Rock hop, jump, and swim your way down this creek.
Little Crystal Canyon
Grade - V1 A1 I
A beginners' play creek; easy to access and exit. Mainly a rock scramble, there are only a couple small cliffs that can be abseiled but can also be easily walked around or scrambled down. The last waterfall at the base of the range is quite an excellent area to hang out at. It's a good abseil or cliff jumping area and offers a few good climbs, including deep water solos. There are plenty of natural anchors to be used if you want to do the optional rappels. There's only one set of bolts just above the last waterfall at the base of the range for easy access to the mini-slot canyon.
Mobile Canyon
Grade - V3 A2 III
This is an Ollera Creek tributary.
Chock Canyon
Chock Canyon is more of a hike than a canyon.
Hillary Creek Falls
Grade - V2 A1 V
Hillary Creek is a beautiful creek with little flow. With a long and hard return trip, the Hillary Falls abseil is not known to have been repeated.
Ethel Creek Falls
Grade - V1 A1 I
This short waterfall is an easy walk-in and great for beginners with some abseiling experience.
Ollera Creek Falls
Grade - V4 A2 IV
Girringun National Park
Garrawalt Canyon
Grade - V4 A4 IV ****
Garrawalt Falls is impressive enough to look at, let alone rappel down. This majestic canyon offers long drops, rappels through water, and plenty of pack swims.
Flagstone Canyon
Grade - V5 A4 V ***
Flagstone Canyon is a fantastic big drop and a challenging canyon for advanced canyoneers. It features the impressive, multi-terraced Flagstone Falls, which has an elevation drop of approximately 300 metres in 200 metres.
Tinkle Canyon
Grade - V4 A3 IV *
One of the larger systems that drop off the Sea View Range.
Disaster Canyon
Grade - V4 A2 IV *
Disaster Falls is a remote gem, but it's a mission to get to. The significant drop off the range and the gorges make for a picturesque place to appreciate nature.
Raspberry Canyon
Grade - V4 A1 III
The now-popular Raspberry Falls provides grand views across the landscape. This canyon is for those who love a good view and an open and sunny canyon.
Stony Creek (Wallaman Falls)
Grade - TBA
Wallaman Falls
Wallaman Falls is a 268-metre single-drop waterfall that has also been rappeled, based-jumped, climbed, and highlined. Below Wallaman Falls, along Stony Creek are several waterfalls that have also been rappelled. Outward Bounds used to run a 9-day li-lo and abseiling trip down the creek.
Butterfly Canyon
Wisp Canyon
Black Adder Canyon (Burgoo Canyon)
White Adder Canyon (Black Adder Canyon)
Sword Canyon
Yammine Falls
Yammine Creek flows into the Herbert River and has a stunning waterfall. These have been abseiled.
Blencoe Falls
The longest drop is 230m. There are several anchors for rappels and rope swings.
Herbert River Falls
The Herbert River is also a remote whitewater kayaking/paddle trip.
Return Canyon
Narke Canyon
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