Dinner Falls and Mount Hypipamee Crater Loop - Cairns
Dinner Falls and Mount Hypipamee Crater Loop - Cairns
A complete guide for visiting Dinner Falls Cairns and the Mount Hypipamee Crater in the Tablelands region of the tropical north of Queensland. Explore the prehistoric rainforest landscape and swim at one of the best natural swimming spaces in the Tablelands.
No matter whether you are planning a day trip from Cairns or explore the Tablelands, a trip to Mount Hypipamee Crater and the Dinner Falls is a good choice.
The excursion is a good half -day trip that includes a picturesque bathing area and a view of the famous Kratersee at the end of a short rainforest loop. In this short guide, I describe everything you need to know about visiting Dinner Falls Cairns and the crater Mount Hypipamee, as well as what you can expect.
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Mount Hypipamee National Park
Both the dinner Falls and the Hypipamee crater can be achieved on a short tour in the Hypipamee National Park.
This park is located at over 900 m in southern Evelyn Tableland in the Hugh Nelson Range. Due to its altitude, the Hypipamee national park is a hotspot for high mountain birds and opossums.
There are also signs for Kasuaras, so keep an eye out.
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presented in: 22 great things that can be done in the Atherton Tablelands
How to get to the dinner Falls and the Hyppamee crater
Mount Hypipamee is about 1.5 hours of car from Cairns and about 20 minutes from Atherton. The waterfall and the crater parking lot are easy to track with Google Maps to the pin below.
From Cairns you have the opportunity to take the shorter but much more curvy Gillies Range Road Road towards Malanda and on to Mount Hypipamee National Park.
Alternatively, you can take a longer trip (but of a similar duration) by driving north on the Bruce Highway and on Kennedy Highway towards Mareba and driving past Kuranda on the way. It is an additional 45-minute drive from Mareba to the crater and waterfall parking lot if you follow the Kennedy Highway south. .
Dinner Falls and Crater Loop Walk
Hiking route: 1.2 km loop
Duration: 30-40 minutes
Mostly with a few short sections with a slight slope
difficulty: Simple
As soon as you arrive at the parking lot of Mount Hypipamee, you can see a large sign next to the bushes that describes the short loop for the crater and the dinner.
There are two hiking trails in this national park; The short 800 m long way back to Mount Hypipamee Crater or the 1.2 km long circular route Dinner Falls.
I would recommend taking the Loop Track, as you can see Dinner Falls and the Mount Hypipamee Crater on a relatively simple track. The hiking trail is well marked, wide and easy to navigate, albeit a bit steep in some places. Overall, this circular hike is very easy and can be done by everyone.
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Nearby: Windin Falls Hiking and Waterfall leader
Dinner Falls and Mount Hypipamee National Park Map
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Related: Tchupalla and Wallich-Cairns
The Hypipamee crater
The first station on the hiking trail is a viewing platform directly above the Hypipamee crater, about 400 m from the parking lot.
From here you have a clear view of the steep granite walls that immerse yourself in the 70 m deep crater lake.
The Hypipamee crater is really a diatrem (volcanic tube caused by a gas explosion), which was discovered in 1879 when a group of gold searchers accidentally fell in.
It is now protected within the national park and a unique ecosystem that is home to a special freshwater shrimp that is nowhere to be found on Earth.
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Dinner Falls Cairns-Waterfalls and bathing spots
Turn off the viewing platform of the Hypipamee crater and take the directly left path that leads down the valley. This path forms the Dinner Falls loop, where you will see the different stages of the waterfall on the way.
The first output on the route is blocked by a steel barricade with warning signs that may not be entered. At this point there is no way to swim, so it is best to just look at and move on.
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The second level of the Dinner Falls is the most impressive and also the best swimming point. The width, 12 m high waterfall pours into a 1.5 m deep pool in several streams. This pool was supported by concrete walls on the edges, which means that the depth is preserved.
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If you go up the Dinner Falls Loop Track, you will soon reach the second swimming area. This is a bit flatter and the waterfall is a bit smaller. However, it is still a great place to hang out, especially if the larger level is too busy.
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More Cairns & Tableland's waterfall and travel guide
I hope this travel guide for visiting Dinner Falls Cairns and the incredible crater Mount Hypipamee was helpful in planning their adventures in the tropical north of Queensland.
More ideas and travel savings can be found in this list of the best activities in Cairns or start with this ultimate guide to the best Cairns waterfalls or the best Cairns hikes. In the following list you will also find other waterfalls nearby.
enjoy!
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