Malanda Falls Swimming Pool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malanda Falls Swimming Pool |
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Malanda Falls, 2016
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| Location | Malanda Falls Park, Malanda, Tablelands Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1900 - 1914 (early 20th century) |
| Built | 1906 onwards |
| Official name: Malanda Falls Swimming Pool | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 5 February 2010 |
| Reference no. | 602733 |
| Significant period | 1906 onwards |
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The Malanda Falls Swimming Pool is a special place located in Malanda, Queensland, Australia. It's found within Malanda Falls Park, right next to the beautiful Malanda Falls Conservation Park. This swimming pool was built starting in 1906. It's so important that it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 February 2010.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The Malanda Falls Swimming Pool is on the North Johnstone River. It's part of the Malanda Falls Park, which is near the Atherton Tableland. This area first became a popular spot for locals to relax in the early 1900s. Later, from the 1920s, it became a key part of tourism on the Atherton Tableland. It helped make the Cairns area a big tourist spot in Queensland.
Early Days and Natural Beauty
When people first settled here, they were focused on using the land for farming and timber. But they also loved the natural beauty, especially the waterfalls. Early visitors were amazed by the waterfalls and the thick jungle around them. They described them as beautiful and grand. These natural features were, and still are, very important for attracting tourists to the region.
Because it was close to the town of Malanda, the Falls were always popular with local people. Over the years, the area has been changed to suit the community's needs. These changes also helped make it more beautiful for tourists.
In 1906, the Malanda Falls area was surveyed. It was described as having water lilies and jungle right up to the pool's edge. There were also many fallen trees in the water. In 1911, some water pumps were installed to supply water to the Malanda Hotel and steam trains. Other than that, the Falls stayed mostly untouched until 1918. That's when the local community cleared the logs from the pool. After this, the Falls quickly became a favourite place for New Year's Day picnics.
Making the Pool Better
More improvements were made over time. In 1924, a fence was put up around part of the Malanda Falls Reserve. This was probably to stop animals from damaging the area. In 1925, a retaining wall and a "turning platform" for swimmers were built. This led to the creation of Malanda's first swimming club.
Swimming competitions were held at the pool until 1930. Clubs from Malanda, Atherton, Mareeba, and Cairns competed. By 1934, both the Malanda Swimming Club and the Eacham Shire Council had helped improve the pool. The Council spent a good amount of money on it. More money was approved in 1934 for further improvements. The Council also planned to build a path with terraces and gardens down to the Falls.
How Tourists Arrived
Getting around Far North Queensland used to be hard because there weren't many roads or railways. But things changed. The railway from Cairns to Mareeba helped develop the Barron Falls as a tourist spot. Malanda Falls also benefited when the railway was extended to Malanda in 1910. A railway bridge was built over the Johnstone River, just above the Falls. This made it easier for people from other parts of the Atherton Tableland to visit.
Later, the Gillies Highway was built in the 1920s. This road made the Falls even more accessible to many people, especially tourists.
Tours and Popularity
Pictures of Malanda Falls started appearing in tourism books as early as 1920. By 1925, the Falls were part of a day trip from places like Herberton or Ravenshoe. These car tours also visited Lake Barrine, Lake Eacham, and Millaa Millaa Falls.
A local car service called Whitecars started offering tours around 1926. They had two tours that included Malanda Falls. One tour visited Glen Allyn Falls and Malanda town. The other included the Malanda Butter Factory and "The Jungle," which showed Aboriginal culture and the rainforest.
Whitecars was very important for tourism in the Tablelands. They started as a taxi service between towns. When the Gillies Highway opened in 1926, they expanded their business. They became The Cairns Tableland Motor Service Ltd. In 1927, they won a contract to transport passengers between Cairns and the Tableland. They also ran day tours. By 1934, Whitecars introduced a bus that could carry 17 passengers. Tourist guides at this time called the area "the land of waterfalls."
Post-War Tourism
In the 1950s and 1960s, Malanda Falls was part of the "Grand Tour" or "Tropical Wonderland Tour." These tours were promoted by the Queensland Government Tourist Bureau. During winter, large ships would arrive in Cairns. Passengers could join the Tropical Wonderland Tour. Whitecars would take them to see attractions like Malanda Falls, Millaa Millaa, Zillie, and Glen Allyn Falls.
During World War II, many Australian and American troops were stationed on the Atherton Tablelands. Malanda Falls was a popular spot for swimming and picnics for these soldiers. Australian troops even improved the pool and built a three-level diving tower during the war.
After the war, travel became easier, and more people owned cars. New tours were created, and places like Malanda Falls became even more popular. In 1961, a caravan park was built next to the Falls. It had space for caravans, campsites, and cabins. People staying at the park often visited the Falls. In the 1960s, the facilities were upgraded. A new concrete two-tiered diving platform was added. There was also a steel climbing frame for swinging into the water, plus grab rails and ladders. The Malanda Swimming Club also started up again.
Malanda Falls was featured in travel books until the 1970s. It is still a well-known tourist spot today. The "Malanda Monsoon Festival" holds its welcoming ceremony at Malanda Falls. Here, the traditional owners, the Ngadjon Jii people, invite good spirits into the town. A Waterfall Ceremony is also held at dusk, with lanterns lit beside the Johnstone River.
What it Looks Like
The Malanda Falls Swimming Pool is inside Malanda Falls Park. It's next to the Malanda Falls Conservation Park. You can find it on the western edge of Malanda, along the Malanda-Atherton Road.
Rainforest trees line the road and the park entrance. Near the highway, there are picnic tables and barbecues. There's also a colourful mosaic that honours the local Aboriginal people. Malanda Falls is very important to them. A large car park, a shelter shed, and a toilet block have been built more recently.
The rainforest behind the Falls is beautiful. However, the river banks above the pool have been flattened and mostly cleared of plants. The western side of the pool is very structured. It has stone-walled terraces, neat lawns, concrete paths, fences, steps, and handrails. The terraces have three main levels. They are built from rough stones set in cement, with a concrete top. The lowest terrace has three more concrete levels, often used as seating.
The Malanda Falls Scenic Reserve includes the North Johnstone River. The river flows through dense rainforest and over the basalt rock of the Falls. It then goes into a swimming pool that was partly made by people. The Falls are about four metres high and about 30 metres wide. The long pool at the bottom is surrounded by concrete paths. These paths make it easy and safe to get into the pool. They also let visitors cross the pool. At the base of the Falls, on the western side, there's a metal sign on the rock with a red diver image.
A concrete bridge is at the north end of the pool. It's about 30 metres long. This bridge leads to more concrete paths. Behind these paths is a low stone retaining wall. About halfway between the bridge and the Falls, there are pool steps with a metal handrail on the concrete path. On the north-eastern bank, steps with handrails lead to the Malanda Caravan Park. Further past these steps, near the base of the Falls, you can see old concrete foundations, pipes, and parts of an old boiler. This boiler is made of riveted steel. It was probably used by the Railways Department for pumping water.
Why it's a Heritage Site
The Malanda Falls Swimming Pool was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 5 February 2010. This means it meets certain important standards.
Showing History
The Malanda Falls Swimming Pool shows how tourism has grown in North Queensland. It's a great example of how the Far North has used its natural environment to attract visitors. At first, it was just a swimming hole for locals. But improvements like terraces and gardens changed it into a more organised recreation area and swimming pool. Since the 1930s, it has been a very popular tourist spot.
Beautiful to Look At
Malanda Falls Swimming Pool is valued for its beauty. Since the 1920s, it has been shown in tourism photos and books. It's known as a picturesque place that's part of Far North Queensland's waterfall and picnic circuit. The well-kept swimming hole is surrounded by terraced gardens and thick rainforest. Water tumbles over basalt rocks into the pool below. This creates a strong feeling of calm and peace.
