Dinner Falls and Mount Hypipamee Crater Loop – Cairns

Dinner Falls and Mount Hypipamee Crater Loop – Cairns

A complete guide to visiting Dinner Falls Cairns and Mount Hypipamee Crater in the Tablelands region of tropical north Queensland. Explore the prehistoric rainforest landscape and swim at one of the best natural swimming spots in the Tablelands.

Whether you're planning a day trip from Cairns or exploring the Tablelands, a trip to Mount Hypipamee Crater and Dinner Falls is a great choice.

The excursion is a good half-day excursion that includes a scenic swimming spot and a view of the famous crater lake at the end of a short rainforest loop. In this quick guide, I'll cover everything you need to know about visiting Dinner Falls Cairns and Mount Hypipamee Crater, as well as what you can expect.

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Mount Hypipamee National Park

Both Dinner Falls and Hypipamee Crater can be reached on a short walking tour in Hypipamee National Park.

This park is located at over 900m on the southern Evelyn Tableland in the Hugh Nelson Range. Due to its altitude, Hypipamee National Park is a hotspot for high mountain birds and possums.

There are also signs for cassowaries, so keep an eye out.
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Featured in: 22 Great Things to Do in the Atherton Tablelands

How to get to Dinner Falls and Hypipamee Crater

Mount Hypipamee is approximately 1.5 hours drive from Cairns and approximately 20 minutes from Atherton. The waterfall and crater parking lot are easy to follow with Google Maps down to the pin below.

From Cairns you have the option of taking the shorter but much windier Gillies Range Road towards Malanda and on to Mount Hypipamee National Park.

Alternatively, you can take a longer drive (but of similar duration) by heading north on the Bruce Highway and the Kennedy Highway towards Mareeba, passing Kuranda along the way. From Mareeba, it is an additional 45-minute drive to the crater and waterfalls parking area if you follow the Kennedy Highway south. .

Dinner Falls and Crater Loop Walk

Hiking distance: 1.2 km loop
Duration: 30-40 minutes
Elevation Difference: Mostly flat with some short sections of slight incline
Difficulty: Easy

Once you arrive at the Mount Hypipamee parking lot, you will see a large sign next to the brush describing the short loop to the crater and Dinner Falls.

There are two hiking trails in this national park; the short 800m return trail to Mount Hypipamee Crater or the 1.2km Dinner Falls loop trail.

I would recommend taking the Loop Track as this way you can see Dinner Falls as well as Mount Hypipamee Crater on a relatively easy track. The trail is well marked, wide and easy to navigate, although a little steep in places. Overall, this circular hike is very easy and can be done by anyone.
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NEARBY: WINDIN FALLS HIKING AND WATERFALL GUIDES

Dinner Falls and Mount Hypipamee National Park Map

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RELATED: Tchupalla and Wallicher Falls – Cairns

The Hypipamee crater

The first stop on the 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 plunge into the 70 m deep crater lake.

The Hypipamee crater is actually a diatreme (volcanic pipe caused by a gas explosion) that was discovered in 1879 when a group of prospectors accidentally fell into it.

Now protected within the national park, it is a unique ecosystem that is home to a special species of freshwater shrimp found nowhere else on earth.
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Dinner Falls Cairns – waterfalls and swimming holes

From the Hypipamee Crater observation deck, turn around and take the immediate left path leading down the valley. This trail forms the Dinner Falls loop where you will see the different tiers of the waterfall along the way.

The first exit on the route is blocked by a steel barricade with Do Not Enter warning signs. There is no opportunity to swim at this point, so it's best to just take a look and move on.
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The second level of Dinner Falls is the most impressive and also the best swimming hole. The wide, 12m high waterfall cascades in multiple streams into a 1.5m deep pool. This pool has been supported by concrete walls around the edges, maintaining depth.
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As you continue up the Dinner Falls Loop Track you will soon reach the second swimming area. This is a little flatter and the waterfall is a little smaller. However, it's still a great place to hang out, especially when the larger level gets too busy.
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More Cairns & Tablelands waterfall and travel guides

I hope this guide to visiting Dinner Falls Cairns and the incredible crater Mount Hypipamee was helpful in planning your adventures in tropical north Queensland.

For more ideas and travel inspiration, check out this list of the best things to do in Cairns or start with this ultimate guide to the best Cairns waterfalls or the best Cairns hikes. You can also find other waterfalls nearby in the list below.

Enjoy!

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