Beautiful freshwater swim holes, fun rock slides, smooth boulders, waterfalls, ancient rainforest, mini turtles and giant blue butterflies. These things are to be found in and around the Big Crystal Creek.
The Crystal creek is located in Paluma Range national park about 80km north of Townsville in Queensland on east coast of Australia. The Paluma national park itself deserve much time for exploration but if your time is limited then a short stop to the Crystal Creek is totally worth it!
Unfortunately during our visit in 2014, I was not blogging so I don’t have much information or photos provided but I hope that this post will inspire you somehow to one day visit Crystal Creek and the surrounding area.
Due to the time constraints we only had a day and a night in the park and with our clumsy camper van we weren’t able to go further than to the Big Crystal Creek. To reach the Big Crystal Creek, it is an easy drive off the Bruce Highway and then into the unsealed Spiegelhauer Road.
By the Big Crystal Creek there is a Camping area where we spent our night. Only a few meters away you will find this peaceful Paradise swim hole.
If you are lucky like we were, you will have the freshwater swim hole all for yourself!
A Kookabura that kept his eyes on me. I couldn’t tell if he was friendly or angry but I let him fly away before I dared to pass by.
Paradise swim hole, it is paradise indeed!
I wish my photos could make more justice to this place showing perfectly the big blue butterflies flying above our heads and the sound of the nature!
In this crystal clear water we swam with cute small turtles..tortoises? Unfortunately no photo proof !
About 1-2km walk away from the camping site you can find beautiful waterfalls, the swimming holes filled with clear water and natural water slides surrounded by one of the oldest rainforest in the world!
And yet again we were the only one there!
If only we would have taken more time to discover other waterfalls and do some hikes in Paluma national park. But I guess we just have to return!
What do you guys think? Is Crystal Creek a great place to chill?
43 Comments
The first picture got my eyes. This looks like an unspoiled treat for those who love swimming and having fun, far away from the maddening crowd.
The natural colors of the surroundings and the clear water of the creek looks absolutely inviting. I will keep this in mind whenever I visit Queensland.