Blencoe Falls and Herbert River junction

[bauplenut]

On the weekend hiked from Blencoe Falls lookout area on western side, down into the junction of Blencoe Creek and Herbert River. One hour hike, 400 metre altitude descent, about 1 km distance, on a rough track. Set up overnight camp. Then explored up Blencoe Creek to base of the bottom falls, about one hour hike rock hopping, spectacular scenery. Looked for future options to get up onto middle shelf below top falls (next trip). Next day hiked / rock hopping upstream in Herbert River Gorge for 2 hours, past the HV powerlines crossing the gorge (longest span in Southern Hemisphere I am told), good river and gorge scenery. Back to camp, pack up, then the tortuous one hour climb back up the foot track to our cars. Then drive around to start of the great walk on eastern side , hike thirty minutes to top of the top falls on eastern side, then drop into the creek above the falls, for awesome veiws of the falls and downstream. A very good two day trip. Be better as a three day trip. Good camping in the gorge.

To get to the foot track, just before the main lookouts there is a rough vehicle track on the right, this goes to the edge of the escarpment and start of the foot track that descends the ridge line closet to the Herbert River. Room for several cars to park here. The foot track is well worn (visible on google earth), very steep with loose surface.

[nq111]

Thanks bauplenut,

I went down there a couple of months ago, but headed pretty much straight down from the lookout carpark. Which was a mistake as it was very steep and loose in some places! I came back up further down towards the way you went, but didn't realise there was a rough track a bit further down again.

I camped right up Blencoe creek near the big pool towards the falls. Stunning camp and as the sun went down I could watch the rock wallabies scampering around the cliffs from my hammock.

What has been your experience been of the great walk - is a day in, day out from Blencoe (eastern side) for an overnight worthwhile or better just to drop straight down the gorge to explore for a quick overnighter (like you did this trip)?

Definitely need to get back there and do some more of the gorge into the Herbert River.

[eggs]

I loved the day visit out of Cairns a few months ago, but staying longer would be great. What was the flow like?

[bauplenut]

Eggs - water flow was good.

nq111 - going down the gorge to Blanket Creek is good. Or come out of the gorge earlier on eastern side of Blenco somewhere. There is a small creek left side about 2.5 km down from Blencoe Creek that we camped at last year, might be able to get out up that creek line. But I would go further down until blocked by a cliff on left side then up ridge line and cross country back to top of falls, would be good.