Gardners Falls on Obi Obi Creek near Maleny, Queensland: Swimming and picnics
Gardners Falls on Obi Obi Creek near Maleny offers family-friendly wild swimming, rope swings and a picnic area in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Gardners Falls near Maleny in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast hinterland is by no means the most spectacular waterfall in Australia. Try Ebor Falls near Armidale in New South Wales for powerful cascades, or Windin Falls in the Atherton Tableland for dramatic views.
But this Sunshine Coast waterfall does make for a good half day out with kids. Family-friendly Gardners Falls is a short, 800 metre return walk away from the car park. This Maleny waterfall also has a selection of pools for swimming in.
Gardners Falls swimming pools
Gardners Falls is part of Obi Obi Creek, which has a number of shallow rock pools for toddlers to splash around in. The falls themselves aren’t particularly high, but they have created a bigger, deeper pool at the bottom. This is fabulous for older kids and adults to swim in.
Unless there has been heavy rain, the water flow on Obi Obi Creek is pretty slow. This makes Gardners Falls a relatively safe spot to introduce a taste of wild adventure. As long as everyone watches their footing on the rocky bottom of the pool of this Maleny waterfall, there is little to worry about.
12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now
- Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
- Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
- Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
- Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
- Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
- Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
- Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
- Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
- Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
- Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
- Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
- Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.
Gardners Falls rope swings
Well, apart from the highly unofficial rope swings that have been set up over the deeper pool. Use the Gardners Falls rope swings at your own risk.
The setting, surrounded by native forest, is fairly idyllic too. There’s a grassy area to lay out a picnic on, and half a day by Obi Obi Creek makes a change from the Eumundi Markets or Mooloolaba Beach.
Top Maleny accommodation choices
The best places to stay in Maleny are:
- For luxurious pampering surrounded by rainforest: Spicers Tamarind Retreat and Spa.
- For rooms at a classic Aussie pub: Maleny Hotel.
- For charm and mountain views: Maleny Terrace Cottages.
Sunshine Coast hinterland attractions
Other good spots to visit in the Sunshine Coast hinterland include the Mary Cairncross Scenic Reserve, Maleny Botanic Gardens, Maleny Dairies, Yandina Markets, Wappa Falls in Yandina and the Buderim Forest Park. If national parks are your thing, try the Kondalilla National Park near Montville or Booloumba Creek in the Conondale National Park.
More things to do in Queensland
Go rock-climbing at Kangaroo Point in Brisbane.
Do a Great Barrier Reef tour from Cape Tribulation.