The Simpson Falls walking tracks and picnic area are only 15 minutes from the city making it an ideal bushland area and trail walk for locals of those visiting the city who want to see another side of the Queensland capital.
Over the last few years, we have tried to explore at least one or two new places every month on day trips from the city. We are still finding great new locations right on our doorstep. The Simpson Falls picnic area feels like it is much further from the hustle and bustle of the city and urban areas than it actually is. For somewhere so close to the city it has a good diversity of birdlife, the potential to see koalas and large goanna and monitor lizards right from your picnic table.
This is a great add on to a trip up to Mt Coot-tha to see the view. Follow the signs from there through to JC Slaughter falls then continue on up the road a little more until you see the entrance to Simpson Falls Walk posted. Drive in the gate and unless it is extremely busy you can bypass the lower car park and follow the road up to the top where there are two more parking areas. Any of the three are fine but it’s nice to be walking the beautiful tracks rather than on the asphalt, particularly in summer.
Even if you don’t make it any further than the picnic area just down from the car park this is a relaxing and attractive nature spot for a day out. The picnic area has tables, wood barbeques, picnic shelters and toilet facilities, and there’s also plenty of shade from large trees to lounge or play under. The area is alive with birds and other wildlife like this gorgeous goanna we were watching while we had our coffee.
The walks are well-formed and signposted but I’d always recommend sturdy walking shoes and bug spray for any track in Queensland, you don’t want to ruin a fun day out. As for the falls themselves, even though we’re a good way through the traditional ‘wet season’ they are more dry river beds and rock formations than falls at this stage, the area is still beautiful though and well worth a visit and if we get some decent rains I’d make another trip out here to see them actually flowing.
If you’re interested in bird life there is a reasonable variety here, on a short walk we saw white-browed scrub wrens, tree creepers, kookaburra, pale head lorikeets and plenty of bush turkeys, and there were plenty more heard in the trees if you had the skill to spot and identify them.