Stop guide
Curtis Falls
The shortest way to feel properly inside the rainforest on Tamborine Mountain. A 1.1km return track drops through tall eucalypts into rainforest and finishes at a platform facing a waterfall over volcanic basalt columns.
The shortest way to feel properly inside the rainforest on Tamborine Mountain. A 1.1km return track drops through tall eucalypts into rainforest and finishes at a platform facing a waterfall over volcanic basalt columns.
The Curtis Falls track sits in the Joalah section of Tamborine National Park, near Eagle Heights. It's 1.1km return and Grade 3, so expect some slope and uneven ground. If that isn't enough, the Lower creek circuit adds 2.5km of Grade 4 track with rock-hopping creek crossings.
Crow's nest and staghorn ferns grow high in the trees, and strangler figs line the track. In the pools, look for turtles sunning on logs, fish and eels. Platypus live in the creek too, if you're patient and quiet.
The rock pool at the base of the falls and the area around it are off limits at all times. It protects glow worms and platypus, and penalties apply. Enjoy the view from the platform.
The falls look different through the year, from a heavy flow after rain to a thin curtain in drier months. There are no picnic tables here, so plan to eat in town before or after.
| Visit time | About 30 minutes for the falls track. Add about 1 hour for the Lower creek circuit. |
| Distance | 1.1km return, Grade 3. Lower creek circuit 2.5km, Grade 4. |
| Location | Joalah section, Tamborine National Park, Eagle Heights. Access from Dapsang Drive car park or Eagle Heights Road. |
| Facilities | Toilet block at Dapsang Drive car park. No picnic facilities. |
Check hours and prices with the venue before you go.
Curtis Falls is one of the stops on the Nature Link mountain shuttle, so you can ride there from wherever you are on the mountain. A 400m access track from Eagle Heights Road also links the falls with nearby cafes and shops.
No. Entering the rock pool and surrounding area is banned at all times to protect glow worms and platypus.
It's a Grade 3 track, so it suits most people with reasonable mobility. It isn't described as wheelchair accessible.
No night hike needed for this one
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Stop guideEleven hectares of native and exotic plants, arranged in themed gardens around a lake and looked after by volunteers
Stop guideIf a gentle rainforest stroll sounds too gentle, this is the other option