Platypus Pool and Stairway Falls is a 14.1km, grade 4 hike located in Lamington National Park, Queensland. The hike should take around 7 hours to complete.
Hike overview
This is a walk through off track (largely) scramble, rock hop and hike. It is meant for late spring - early summer walking so you can keep cool by swimming whenever you want along the way.
From the look out, navigate down to a tributory into Canungra Creek and essentially rock hop up to Blue Pool and out. You hit a path at the end for a bit and then take a detour up a ridge which has a footpad and is flagged.
It is easy to navigate and loads of fun. I rate this moderate but I am an experienced hiker. I have seen some comments on other hiking pages about parts of this walk stating that it is difficult etc. so ensure you are well prepared and have good navigation skills.
Route and GPX file
Max elevation: 933 m
Min elevation: 321 m
Total climbing: 2368 m
Total descent: -2227 m
Contributed by Andrew Taylor
Tips
- Swimming gear. You will probably see some pythons and maybe a red belly black snake or two.
- This is a walk through off track (largely) scramble, rock hop and hike. It is meant for late spring - early summer walking so you can keep cool by swimming whenever you want along the way.
Trail location
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Getting there
The Kamarun lookout is in the Green Mountains section of Lamington National Park, 110km south of Brisbane. From the entrance travel 2.7km along Lamington National Park Road. Turn left into Kamarun Lookout Road and follow it for 850m to the lookout.
Lamington National Park is made up of two sections€”Green Mountains and Binna Burra. Green Mountains section is located on the western side of the Lamington Plateau. The Binna Burra section encompasses the rest of the park to the east.
Getting to Green Mountains section
From Broadbeach, drive 40km to Canungra via Nerang. From the north, take Pacific Motorway exit 34 to Beenleigh, route 92 to Tamborine, and route 90 to Canungra. The 36km winding and often narrow bitumen road from Canungra requires care and takes at least 50min. This road is unsuitable for recreational vehicles (RVs) longer than 4m and vehicles towing caravans and camper trailers.
Getting to Binna Burra section
Allow 70min from Broadbeach. Drive 38km to Beechmont via Nerang. From the north, take Pacific Motorway exit 69 and follow the signs west to Lamington National Park€”Binna Burra section. The final 1.8km of the drive is very narrow and winding.
There are many commercial tour operators that conduct tours to Lamington National Park. There is no public transport to the park and getting taxis and ride share operators to pick up from the park can be difficult.
Gallery
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About the region
Lush rainforests, ancient trees, spectacular views, extensive walking tracks, exceptional ecological importance and natural beauty make this Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area an outstanding place to visit. Declared in 1915, Lamington National Park covers 21,176ha and boasts extensive walking tracks along the McPherson Range, which allow visitors to explore the area's forests, creeks and waterfalls. Dramatic lookouts in Lamington afford views over the Gold Coast, south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales.
Lamington is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area, which includes the most extensive areas of subtropical rainforest in the world, most of the world's warm temperate rainforest and nearly all of the Antarctic beech Nothofagus moorei cool temperate rainforest.
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Explore Safe
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Gear to consider
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Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.