A spectacular waterfall (after there has been some decent rain), Purling Brook Falls is the tallest waterfall in Springbrook National Park. It plunges 106m over the cliffs, into a deep pool at its base. The name Purling Brooks comes from the word “purl”, used to describe the sound of the water rippling down.
There are many vantage points from which to view Purling Brook Falls: it’s most impressive when seen from the base, which is reached by the 5km Purling Brook Falls Circuit. The track crosses Purling Brook below the falls and makes its way aroud the bottom of the large pool beneath the falls, offering slightly different vantage points of the tall waterfall.
From the top of the escarpment, the main lookout is located almost directly on top of the waterfall: you can’t see the entire drop from here, but there are some nice views out to the east over the valley.
The western lookout is a short walk from the Gwongorella Picnic Ground along the top of the escarpment, and provides a good view of most of the waterfall’s hundred-metre drop. There’s a significant difference between the waterfall after some good rain, compared to when it has been relatively dry and the the flow of water is very low.
Getting to Purling Brook Falls
The best way to see the waterfall is by doing the 5km Purling Brook Falls Circuit bushwalk, which drops to the base of the falls and passes both cliff-top lookouts. Alternatively, the two lookout platforms along the top of the escarpment are each about a 300m return walk (or 500m if you visit both) from the Gwongorella Picnic Ground.
The Gwongorella Picnic Ground, at the end of Forestry Road (off Springbrook Road) is the starting point for all the bushwalking tracks. There is a large carpark here (which can get full on holiday weekends) with picnic facilities and toilets. (You can also park at The Settlement Day Use Area and walk from here.) It’s about a 90-minute drive from Brisbane via the Nerang–Murwillumbah Road (State Route 97) and Springbook Road (State Road 99).
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