Malanda is a rural Queensland town with scenic drives, a beautiful waterfall, and a place to spot wildlife.
Malanda Falls is just over an hour’s drive from Cairns, where you experience a scenic drive going through different towns and the rainforest. The waterfall itself is incredible with it being 30 metres wide and four metres high. The waterfall also provides a freshwater swimming spot and a picnic area. The only time it is not safe to swim here is after heavy rain.
What else to do nearby?
Looking for other things to do near Malanda Falls? Thankfully there is plenty to do!
Malanda Falls Visitor Centre
The Visitor Centre provides information and history on the local area. The staff here are very helpful and knowledgeable and can help you spot a kangaroo or two.
Stay in Malanda
Maybe you want to stick around for a little bit longer and stay in Malanda! There are a few places to stay in Malanda including the Malanda Lodge, the Malanda Hotel Motel, and the Malanda Falls Caravan Park.
Go for a walk
Close to Malanda Falls, there are walks available to explore some of the rainforest.
The Rainforest Walk is easy and is about 45 minutes long with a walk along the North Johnstone River. The walk takes you through the rainforest with a lot of the trees being labelled.
The Tulip Oak Walk is a bit shorter, taking around 35 minutes to complete. The short walk includes going through the rainforest and stopping to overlook the North Johnstone River. Read the signs along the route to learn about the Ngadjon-Jii culture.
Majestic Theatre
The Majestic Theatre is the longest operating picture theatre in Queensland, which was built in 1928. This is also the only theatre in the world that still continuously screens silent films. There are a limited amount of movies that run, but certainly worth seeing if you can.
You can spend a day or two days in Malanda to see the panoramic views, spot the wildlife, and do plenty of walks through the rainforest.
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia
Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.