David Taylor - Master Jeweller - Cairns Jeweller

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Beyond MacKenzie Falls

21st December 2021

I was in Atherton for work this week and after my meetings I went for a walk into MacKenzie Falls. The water is flowing quite slow at the moment which allowed me to walk right into sections of the the multi tier waterfall that I normally cannot.

The first photo above is from the slow flow this week and the second is the same spot when the water was flowing stronger back in September 2020.

The top pool 20th June 2020.

Back in June 2020 the water was roaring when I visited. If the water is flowing that strong it limits my access to some of the sections below that I will share with you today. You can faintly see under the water surface in the middle of that top pool a rock. I was standing on that rock when I took the next photo this week.

The top pool 21st December 2021.

The top pool was so low and slow flowing this week that I could venture out into a rock in the middle that would normally be under water. I could also very comfortably swim in it without worrying about being swept away.

Bottom tier of the top section 12th September 2020.

When the water is not flowing too heavily as shown above from 2020 you can cross the falls at the bottom of the first section where I took this photo from. This allows you to explore the not so often visited second section and a huge swimming hole at it’s base.

Top of the second waterfall into the large pool 21st December 2021.

You then need to walk about 100 metres to the top of the second waterfall. There you have to cross the water one more time to make your way to the base of the second waterfall section and the large swimming hole.

The rocks I find are amazingly shaped and coloured from thousands of years of water hitting that bend before descending down the waterfall into the pool below.

Looking back up the second section waterfall from the large pool below, 21st December 2021.

That top pool directs water down this very pretty waterfall and flows into a very large swimming hole.

Top of the second waterfall looking into the large pool, 21st December 2021.

The photo above you can only take when the water is flowing slowly. Please be careful if you decide to explore this section of McKenzie Falls.

Remember you need to cross flowing water twice to get to the base and access the pool. The pool below is an amazing bit of hidden paradise which I had all to myself.

Sunset over the large pool, 21st December 2021.

I had a photo for sunset planned at the large swimming hole but Mother Nature put the sun in the wrong place. As that beautiful colour appeared over the hill top it marked the time for me to make my walk out of MacKenzie Falls.