Jim Jim Falls

One of Australia's most spectacular falls when at its roaring best, Jim Jim Falls are both beautiful and frustrating at the same time; they're utterly gorgeous when tumbling in the peak of the wet season, however during this time they're also inaccessible by road and foot. Compare this to dry season when accessing them is feasible, however the falls themselves will have dried up. As a result, the time of year you visit will play a huge role in both how you experience the falls, and exactly what kind of panorama you're able to take in.

Listed on the Australian Natural Heritage List, the falls consist of a massive single drop into a plunge pool below, surrounded by a lovely gorge and billabong and bordered by majestic, tall cliff walls. It's a stunning oasis in a highly remote spot, and for this reason alone it's well worth a visit. The falls area is home to two individual pools: one plunge pool and one beach pool, the latter of which is child-friendly although unprotected from harsh sunshine. Water here is cold for swimming compared to other plunge pools due to the high degree of shade on the falls, however this makes for a refreshing prospect after the challenging walk in.

Getting to Jim Jim Falls requires a 4WD to reach its parking area, followed by a fairly tough walk and climb to access the falls that involves some rock jumping. As a result, scenic flights are both a popular access option as well as a spectacular way to take in views during the wet season and avoid the anticlimactic view during the dry season.