Baroon Pocket to Kondalilla Falls (return)

Getting there

The start of the walk is about 4 km from Mapleton.

Maps

See below

Route/Trail notes

From the carpark at Baroon Pocket Dam, walk under the 'Great Walks' portal/roof and you're off! The first 2 km of the walk is on clearly defined paths, with bridges and walkways at some parts - it's fairly level and accessible to almost anyone. The path wanders gradually uphill and after 30 minutes or so you will be at the Obi Obi lookout, which has fantastic views up and down Obi Obi Creek and towards the dam. Apparently there are marsupial frogs in this area, and one of the walkways is made of untreated wood in order to keep their environment pristine.

Keep following the path and you will see a sign with the standard warning about track conditions getting harder. Walk through the grass trees and make a steep descent of about 150m along a forest path to the level of the creek. This part of the walk is dense rainforest with lots of palms and strangler figs. After about an hour you come to Flat Rock, which is a good open spot for a rest. The path rises and falls and about 2 hours 30m after the start you arrive at Kondalilla Falls. This is a popular tourist spot with a swimming hole, and it's five minutes up the track to the car park if you only want to do the walk one way.

Return the same way, or arrange a pickup from Kondalilla Falls. Total return time is about 5 hours. Be prepared for leeches along the creek, especially in wet weather. Plenty of goannas, bush turkeys and the occasional snake (green tree snakes, carpet pythons and the occasional red-bellied black snake) are around, but all are very shy and usually make themselves scarce as soon as you come along.

Permits/Costs

None

Other References

http://www.epa.qld.gov.au/parks_and_forests/great_walks/sunshine_coast_hinterland/

This site has good maps in PDF format which can be printed out in B+W or colour.

GPS Tracks

No GPS available for this walk yet.

Comments

Great walk from Barron Pocket to Kondalilla Falls and back. Great swimming hole at Kondalilla Falls but very busy. The descent down on the way to Kondalilla Falls is a fairly arduous ascent on the way back but manageable and worth the effort for this walk. Be sure to stop at Flat rock for a swim or break.
Kay on Apr, 2016

An amazing walk. The first part of the walk is very quiet, almost no-one on the path, even on a Saturday afternoon. The Narrow Lookout and Baroom Lookout are very much worth visiting, the views are amazing. When getting to the falls and circuit track, the amount of traffic increases and there will be a lot of people on the track.
A great and interesting walk!
Nevele on 12 Mar, 2016

Did this walk starting from Kondalilla and back. Last hour and a half in the dark as started too late. Made a very interesting finish! Lovely peaceful hike
julieo on 10 May, 2015

Longish walk. Not sure if i did the full round 20 km... maybe. Nice and easy, just time consuming. Can dip in the pool at the falls. Water was freezing.
Philos on 25 Apr, 2015

Absolutely beautiful walk! Did this as part of kokoda training and loved it. Many leeches though
Kate on 24 Jan, 2015

The creek running alongside this creek is so beautiful and special :) Challenging hike but very rewarding :)
AmyKT on 2015

The views are amazing. stopped in a few locations to just take in the scenery.
Heavy rain and thunder came unexpectedly so had an exhilarating (long) run back to the car park. this was the second time coming here and will definitely be back soon.
wendyd on 27 Aug, 2014

Did this on same day as Mapleton National Falls as close by, easy walk !
J on 16 Apr, 2014

We walked from Baroon Dam to the base of the falls and returned. We didn't start till 1pm so we didn't stop too much and tried to walk fairly quickly. It still took us 5 hours though. No leaches today but we did see a green tree snake which slithered away very quickly when it saw us coming.
Ian and Sue on 8 Feb, 2014

A beautiful walk that at times I lost to the undergrowth. It travels through some spectacular country through many varying terrain, creek and forest types. well worth another trip.
Viking on 13 Apr, 2012

Very challenging but so beautiful!
AmyKT on 2012

Only went one way - to Kondalilla Falls. It was a lovely day for it. Part of the track to the base of the Falls was closed after the wet summer, but could still get there from one way. Nice views to Obi Obi gorge at lookouts along the way.
Sandra Godsell on 9 Jul, 2011

I did this walk last year but only went as far as Kondalilla Falls with a beautiful girl i met from England was a great way to shoe her a just how beautiful our county is.It would have been an easy walk but i had my 3 yr old daughter with me and carried her most the way there and back on my back with made it a bit challenging. but a fantastic day none the less.
donna on Apr, 2011