Mitchell Falls

A stunning day and a stunning walk. Any description about the difficulties is a rumour started by the helicopter crowd to drum up business. The fact is it could be done easily in an hour each way, and 90% of it is flat and easy walking. The hardest parts you still need to do even if travelling by helicopter.

In addition, those that choose to fly in for their $100 each way for 6 minutes, would miss Little Mertens Falls, Mertens Falls and gorge, and two rock art sites. Quite good bang for your walking buck really.

Little Mertens Falls was running nicely, and houses and extensive collection of rock art. The falls actually go over an overhang, and the gallery is on the walls of the gorge below, and also under the overhang. Apparently in the wet season, when the creek is in full flood torrent, this overhang under the falls is the only viable creek crossing for accessing that part of the park between Mertens Creek, and the Mitchell River. As our ranger said, it’s like walking in a washing machine, but you do survive.

The track continues down Mertens Creek , which eventually falls over Mertens Falls proper, and joins the Mitchell River downstream of Mitchell Falls. Apparently in a good wet season the Mitchell River breaks its banks on the final bend into the falls and goes overland and goes over Mertens Falls as well. Quite a sight I would say.

Mitchell Falls did not disappoint. I was surprised at the amount of water going over. The whole countryside up here absorbs water in the sandstone and bauxite layers during the wet season and releases it slowly through the dry, providing year-round flows. It is possible to walk quite a way around the gorge rim below the falls, so you get a number of views, but the magnitude of the whole system is hard to comprehend. One of the vantage points is really on a high overhanging rock and you look straight down into the water, probably close on 100m below. I only did it once and ran away when I saw what it was. The gorge below around the corner too is quite impressive, but not open to the public.

For the majority of our party, the swim was the main attraction, and a powerful walking incentive. It did not disappoint. The swim is above the falls, well away from danger, but in good pools with good flow.

More rock art on the way back which we had missed on the way down. This shows spears and fighting, which our ranger assumes indicates a time of conflict which was unusual in the area. Most of the paintings are of more ceremonial nature, perhaps indicating an easier life. The conflict may have been caused by population pressure and lack of food, perhaps by climatic changes. A topic of further investigation for our ranger.

A little wildlife today too.