Ponytail Falls and Champagne Falls
Located along the Tully River, Ponytail Falls is the perfect place to visit on your way to Tully Gorge. Ideal to visit when it's hot, humid to have a refreshing dip.
Location - Tully Gorge National Park, Far North Queensland, Australia
Difficulty - Grade 3
Distance - 20 metres return
Time - Allow 20 minutes return
Located along the Tully River, Ponytail Falls is the perfect place to visit on your way to Tully Gorge. It's also called 'Lunch spot' by the paddlers. It's ideal to visit when it's hot, humid when you can have a refreshing dip the water is swift though. Note that there are crocodiles way downstream and you shouldn't swim near the camping area and downstream from there. Champagne Falls is approximately 100 metres downstream of Ponytail Falls and is worth the short rock hop.
How to get there
There are two ways to reach Ponytail Falls - drive or paddle. These falls, along with many others, are commonly seen when white-water kayaking or rafting the Tully River.
Driving to Tully Gorge (-17.807933,145.688779). When you're on Tully Gorge Road, look out for the number 11 painted on the road. Walk down the short track to Ponytail Falls. Rock hop downstream approximately 100 metres downstream Champagne Falls.
While in the area, be sure to also check out Cardstone Weir lookout - a natural formation with an impressive, swimmable shute - please do not try to swim it as the Cardstone Weir itself is an extremely deadly hazard due to its hydrology - similar to that of a low-head dam, a.k.a. the drowning machine.
Interactive Map
Notes
- Crocodiles are in the Tully River
- There are numerous whitewater hazards
- Enter the water at your own risk
- Tully is Australia's wettest town and although the falls run all year round, Champagne Falls is only a trickle in the dry season (May to October).
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