Browns Falls is a waterfall on Spring Creek, a 15 metre waterfall over basalt columns, along The Falls Drive in the Darling Downs region.
Unlike other falls along The Falls Drive, to see them requires walking on a rough track along Spring Creek. The walk starts deceptively easy, with a concrete path leading under the road from the parking area at Browns Falls Park.
The path doesn’t last long before you are walking on the banks of the creek. It is easy going for a short while, then you need to cross the creek, or climb over a minor obstacle. As you get closer to the falls the track is not as clearly defined, and the obstacles become larger and more difficult to navigate.
Occasionally we spotted markers away from where we were, realising we were not following the original path. Sometimes this was necessary, and we backtracked a couple of times, but only 10-20 metres. You can’t get lost, you follow the creek until you see the falls, or see the tunnel under the road on the return walk.
One of our group decided not to continue at about half way, but for my sons 12 and 8, they thought it was a great adventure. There were some places we helped them rock hopping crossing the creek or navigating an obstacle, but predominately they were capable to do the walk. Size (and age) helped them a couple of times taking options of going under when I had to go over.
On the whole, the walk is beautiful along the creek, and there are a couple of smaller falls along the way. Reaching Browns Falls however is the prize at the end of the walk, as it appears after going around a bend near the end.
You first see the top of the falls, dropping passed the basalt columns that have broken underneath. The tops of the columns still remaining creates the overhang the falls drop from, so the water drops away from the edge of the drop.
The last part requires you to scramble over large blocks of rock to see the water pool below. At the back of the falls are block pieces of rock that have broken from the columns above them.
While the walk is only 600m, you should allow plenty of time. With the boys and taking our time it took us 70 minutes return, spending around 15 minutes at the falls.
There is a good chance your shoes will get wet or muddy. We managed to get in and out without stepping in water or mud. How much water is flowing will impact how easy or difficult it will be to make it in and out dry and clean.
Browns Falls Park, where the walk to Browns Falls starts, is a nice spot to have a picnic. There are picnic tables, BBQs, playground for the kids, and toilets. It is also somewhere to spend time if part of your group is unable or not wanting to walk to Browns Falls, as the person from our group did after deciding not to continue the walk.
