Mapleton Falls

Mapleton Falls National Park is a compact reserve on the Blackall Range in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, about 5 kilometres west of the village of Mapleton and roughly 100 minutes north of Brisbane. The park centres on a 120 metre waterfall where Pencil Creek drops off the basalt escarpment into the deeply forested Obi Obi Valley below. The falls are best viewed from a fenced lookout platform at the top of the cliff, which also gives panoramic views across the valley to the ranges beyond.

The Mapleton Falls Circuit is a 1.3 kilometre loop walk that starts at the car park and passes through subtropical rainforest and open eucalypt forest to the falls lookout and back. The walk is mostly flat with a gentle descent to the lookout and takes about 30 minutes. It is suitable for all fitness levels and is one of the most accessible waterfall walks in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. The Wompoo Circuit, a longer 2.4 kilometre track in the same park, passes through taller rainforest and is named for the wompoo fruit-dove, a large and colourful pigeon that is heard more often than seen.

The falls are seasonal - they flow strongest after rain, particularly during the wetter months from December to March, and can slow to a trickle during extended dry spells. Even when the falls are low, the lookout is worth visiting for the valley views, which extend for kilometres across unbroken forest canopy. Early morning visits often catch mist rising from the valley floor, which adds drama to the scene.

Mapleton Falls is part of the broader Sunshine Coast Hinterland Great Walk network, which links the park to Kondalilla Falls and Montville to the south, and to the Obi Obi Creek trails to the west. The village of Mapleton, a short drive east of the park, has a couple of cafes, a pub, a heritage-listed school and a quieter atmosphere than the busier hinterland villages of Montville and Maleny.

The park has no camping facilities and no swimming access (the base of the falls is not accessible from within the park). Picnic tables and barbecue facilities are available at the car park. The park is open daily, free of charge, and is a popular weekend morning walk for locals from the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane.