Barron Falls can be viewed and visited in three ways. You can either use the highway, narrow-gauge railroad, Kuranda Scenic Railway and through the aerial tram, the Skyrail. The train stops at a Barron Falls overlook, where passengers are allowed to disembark for several minutes. The Skyrail stops at two rainforest mid-stations, Red Peak and Barron Falls. The trail at Barron Falls Station leads through the rainforest to three separate lookouts providing views of the Gorge and Falls.
Barron Falls Water Fall
At the heart of the Australian rainforest, there exists a wonderful waterfall called the Barron Falls. The Barron Falls is where the Barron River makes its descent from the Atherton Tablelands to the Cairns coastal plain, in Queensland, Australia. It is being protected within the Barron Gorge National Park.
One of the best views of this 900 foot wide cascade waterfall is above the Barron Falls railway station. The waterfall that resides at Barron Gorge National Park in Kuranda, Australia within the large protected parkland is a suitable name for the park which exists solely to show off the falls and river. The height of the waterfall reaches 853 high.
It is a sad thing that much of the water to the Barron Falls has been diverted to the Barron Gorge Hydroelectric Power Plant. It is only during the wettest seasons from December through March in Australia can the waters manage to become magnificent again flowing at a much higher volume despite the diversion of water. The maximum recorded volume of the falls was at one time, 255,006 cubic feet per second.
The Barron River and falls is derived from the aboriginal name which was Bibhoora. Barron Falls flows from the Barron River on the Atherton Tableland. Similar to the tepuis that can be found in South America, the tableland is a high mountainous plateau. This river is has been helpful enough to erode the escarpment and carve out the Barron Gorge which many enjoy visiting. This gorge is said to be the traditional home of the Djabaguy who have a spiritual connection to the area.
Being a rainforest having full of lush vegetation and unusual critters, much of the land in the park and around the falls have Cassowaries. The Cassowaries are the second largest bird in Australia. They are about five and a half feet tall, flightless, with blue skinned neck and heads, a crest at the top of their heads. It is also said that these creatures are quite grumpy so it is not recommended for visitors to be so near to these creatures. Also found in the park is the ‘Stinging Tree’ otherwise known as the Gympie-gympie(meaning devil) tree whose leaves can sting you like those of the Nettle plant.
The falls are seen at its finest during the rainy season where they are a torrent of rushing water. But it is usually muddy due to the sediment that is stirred up during the rains. Where the water really starts to churn and usually spreads out over the area in a light foggy way, a good sized cloud of mist rises up from the cascades.