Kondalilla Falls Sunshine Coast – The Ultimate Guide

Kondalilla Falls is one of the best and most popular waterfalls on the Sunshine Coast.

Located near the small village of Montville, this awe-inspiring natural attraction is not to be missed when visiting Kondalilla National Park.

There is not just one but two epic waterfalls that can be explored via a moderate walking trail known as the Kondalilla Falls Circuit. The circuit trail is a 4.8km return hike that takes the average person approximately 1½ – 2 hours to complete.

I have put together this ultimate guide on how to get to Kondalilla National Park, the best time to visit, and what to expect on the circuit trail. 

Also, at the bottom of this guide, I have included some useful information on where to stay on the Sunshine Coast, a list of recommended tours, and links to my other east coast Australia travel guides that you might like to check out!

 

 

WHERE IS KONDALILLA FALLS?

Kondalilla Waterfalls is located in Kondalilla National Park just 35-40 minutes drive inland from Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast.

→ Click here to see the location on Google Maps.

 

HOW TO GET THERE

There are no public transport options available to reach Kondalilla National Park so you will need to have your own vehicle to visit.

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BEST TIME TO VISIT

The best time to visit is between 8 am and 12 pm for the best lighting from the sun.

If you’re not a morning person, you can still visit the falls at any time during the day, just make sure to allow yourself enough time to complete the Kondalilla Falls walk before dark which takes 1½ – 2 hours.

Kondalilla Waterfalls is a very popular tourist attraction and it can get quite busy on the weekends. If you can time your visit for a weekday, you’ll most likely get to enjoy it with fewer people.
 

ARRIVING AT KONDALILLA NATIONAL PARK

When you arrive at Kondalilla National Park, you’ll find a large parking lot with plenty of free parking spaces available which is conveniently located at the entrance to the Kondalilla Falls Circuit.

There are also toilet amenities and picnic areas near the parking lot that you can make use of before and after your adventure.

The parking lot

The trail head to the falls

 

KONDALILLA FALLS CIRCUIT TRAIL

The Kondalilla Falls Circuit trail is clearly signposted with a number of viewpoints along the way that offer spectacular views of Kondalilla National Park.

The circuit is a 4.8km moderate hike that leads right down to the base of the main falls and back up again, taking around 1½ – 2 hours to complete.

If you don’t want to do the entire 4.8km circuit, there are shorter trails available such as the Picnic Creek Circuit, 2.4km return (45 minutes) and the Rock Pools Walk, 3.2km return (1 hour).

Kondalilla Falls Circuit is a combination of concrete steps and dirt trails that will lead you through the lush sub-tropical rainforest in Kondalilla National Park.

There are some fun obstacles on the way down to the falls that you will encounter such as hanging tree vines, flowing streams, and small bridge crossings, all of which add to the exciting experience!

RELATED ARTICLE → BUDERIM FALLS SUNSHINE COAST

Kondalilla Waterfall Circuit information 

Kondalilla Falls walk

Clear signposts

Creek crossings

Kondalilla National Park Lookout

The trail down to the falls

 

ROCK POOLS

The first spot you’ll come to on the walk is a large natural rock pool and swimming area. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a rest, rehydrate and go for a refreshing dip. 

At the top end of the rock pool is a small waterfall that can be explored and the discharge of water is not too powerful so you can swim directly beneath it which makes for the perfect outdoor shower.

This set of falls sometimes gets mistaken for Kondalilla Falls, but this is just the halfway mark of the circuit.

Please note that the natural swimming hole is quite shallow so I wouldn’t recommend doing any rock jumping at this particular spot.

There’s also an epic viewpoint here that overlooks a fair chunk of Kondalilla National Park so be sure to get your camera out for some happy snaps.

The rock pools and waterfall 

The freshwater swimming hole

Taking a refreshing dip

The view of Kondalilla National Park

 

THE MAIN FALLS

Once you’ve enjoyed some time at the rock pools, continue along the circuit trail for another 20 minutes or so until you reach the base of the main falls.

Kondalilla Waterfall stands tall at 80 meters and the flow of water from the above stream gushes down a slate rock face and into a shallow basin below. The aboriginal meaning of Kondalilla is in fact ‘rushing water’.

It’s not recommended to go swimming here but you can spend a moment marveling at the falls and hear the calming sounds of the forest around you. 

The hike back up the ridge takes around 20 minutes to reach the rock pools again (you may want to take another dip to cool off) and from here, the Kondalilla Falls Circuit trail leads back to the parking lot which completes this epic adventure!

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Falls lookout

Deep in the rainforest

Signposts in Kondalilla National Park

The main falls

The circuit trail

 

 

BEST SUNSHINE COAST TOURS

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BEST TIME TO VISIT SUNSHINE COAST

The Sunshine Coast is one of the only places on the East Coast of Australia that sees glorious sunshine almost all year round.

If you want the best of the best conditions weatherwise, I recommend visiting the Sunshine Coast between May and October (Autumn – Spring) which is most ideal for beach bumming, nature walks, and water sports. 

Summer on the Sunshine Coast is between December and February which sees hot temperatures and a lot of rainfall.