Guidebook
Lonely Planet Australia
Lonely Planet · 2024
The 22nd edition covers the Top End, Far North Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria and NSW in one volume.
Australia · Shire of Mareeba
Barron Falls
Barron Falls is a steep tiered cascade waterfall in Kuranda, Shire of Mareeba, Queensland, Australia. The falls are created by the Barron River descending from the Atherton Tablelands to the Cairns coastal plain.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Barron Falls drops over a series of steps on the Barron River. It is a tiered-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Kuranda, Australia. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a tiered waterfall, a series of distinct drops, one below the other.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Barron Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Kuranda are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Summer rains from December to March; peak flow lands in February to April, and late dry season (September to November) can be very low.
Getting there
- Base town Kuranda, Australia
- Country Australia
- Region Shire of Mareeba, Australia, Oceania
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Barron Falls
Australia
Height—Width—
Most similar
Russell Falls
Australia
Height45 mWidth—
Also a tiered waterfall and in Australia too
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
45 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
Russell FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
We don't have a reliable crest width for Barron Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
Lonely Planet Best Day Walks AustraliaLonely Planet
Walking guide
Lonely Planet Best Day Walks Australia
Lonely Planet · 2024
Short and half-day walks around Australia, useful for fitting waterfall hikes into a wider trip.
Places We Swim: Exploring Australia's Best…Caroline Clements and…
About this place
Places We Swim: Exploring Australia's Best Beaches, Pools, Waterfalls, Lakes, Hot Springs and Gorges
Caroline Clements and Dillon Seitchik-Reardon · 2018
A guide to Australian swimming spots including waterfall plunge pools; check the state of each pool locally before swimming.
On the map
-16.83444, 145.64361
Quick answers
Where is Barron Falls?
Barron Falls is in Australia (Shire of Mareeba). The nearest base is Kuranda, Australia. Its coordinates are -16.8344, 145.6436.
When is the best time to visit Barron Falls?
Peak flow is February to May. Summer rains from December to March; peak flow lands in February to April, and late dry season (September to November) can be very low.
What can you do at Barron Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Barron Falls?
The usual base is Kuranda, Australia. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
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Davies Creek Falls
Australia · 100 m · 20 km away
The Davies Creek Falls is a cascade waterfall on the Davies Creek in the Far North region of Queensland…
Malanda Falls
Australia · 4 m · 60 km away
The Malanda Falls is a cascade waterfall on the North Johnstone River, located in the Tablelands Region in…