•••••  MORIALTA : THREE FALLS GRAND LOOP •••••

Circuit : 2 hours 10 minutes, 8 km
THREE FALLS


Detailed Map:   

The Three Falls Grand Loop is an interesting hike which visits each of the three waterfalls.  There is some overlapping with the First Falls Plateau Walk and the Second Falls Walk.  For variation, we walk this loop in an anti-clockwise direction.  The track begins with stone steps up from the right at the beginning of the Main Valley Track.

At the top of these steps is a mystery sign.  My estimates of time and distance are 2 hours and 7.3 km. Now it may be that the given information applies to the track when followed all the way up to Colonial Drive, but even then the allowed time seems excessive.  We take the (steep!) track to the left.

A stone sentinel guards the way.

We ignore small trails off to the right, and then the path down to the Giant’s Cave, and soon reach Kookaburra Rock Lookout.  The clouds this morning meant that the view was not obscured by early morning sun glare.

Past the Lookout we take the lower trail to cross the stream just above First Fall.  We can visit the nearby lookout above this Fall if we wish.  Take the right path here and follow up alongside the stream.  The track is narrow and infested with blackberry bushes!

After a bit we reach the main trail up to Second Falls.  Even in mid-January this white flowering Christmas bush is a picture.

Continue up past Second Falls, heading for Third Falls.  The Gorge narrows here, becoming more intimate, but the rock formations continue to delight.

Occasionally the path needs some help.

We pass a rocky fortress to the right across the stream, followed by a branch track heading back to the left.

Crossing the stream ...

... we soon come to an unnamed fall which has a certain charm of its own.   On one of my walks, the heavens opened about here, and I completed the track in something of a deluge!

Just beyond this fall the track rises steeply, and we proceed to the signposted Third Fall. The track does continue beyond this, but we don't continue any further.  This Fall marks the end of the Gorge; beyond this the stream descends down a gentle valley.

We retrace our steps, recross the stream, and turn right along the branch track mentioned previously.  This delightful track gives views across the valley to daredevil rockclimbers,

and views of the cliffs of the upper gorge.

After a while our track meets up with the fire track known as Centre Track, coming in some distance from Moores Road.  We follow this down around the valley and back to the Upper Car Park past Deep View Lookout.  If you happen to be walking on a rainy day, Morialta is still beautiful:

So back to Stradbroke Road and home.  If your weather judgment is really bad, you may finish up like me, feeling like a drowned rat!   Oh, the joys of bush walking!
THREE FALLS