Waterfalls in or near Brisbane?

matt · #1 21-02-2009, 09:16 AM

Hi all.

After seeing some of the great shots of waterfalls by some of the folk here....I'd like to take some of my own to get some practice ahead of a trip to NZ later this year.

Would anyone be able to recommend some good locations in/near Brisbane to head to with my trusty 40D?

Many thanks.

Dennis · #2 21-02-2009, 09:36 AM

Hi Matt

There is a (small) waterfall in the City Botanic Gardens that is useful just to experiment with slow shutter speeds, so you can get that ghostly, smooth looking effect.

Other than that, O’Reilly’s is a good place to go although the walk to e.g. Elabana Falls is approx an 8 to 9km round trip.

I’m not too sure which water features are turned on at the Roma Street gardens, but before the drought, there were at least a couple of waterfalls operating there.

Cheers

Dennis

matt · #3 21-02-2009, 09:43 AM

I was hoping you'd chime in, Dennis

I bought myself the L series 17-40mm last weekend to go with the 24-70mm...and am really keen to try them out.

Thanks for the suggestions.

astro_south (Andrew) · #4 21-02-2009, 09:58 AM

Hi Matt

I know of a few around Mt Tamborine (Cedar Creek and another one close to one of the main intersections up there - Curtis Falls). I have also been to other creeks around Brisbane such as Cedar Creek (yeah - same name but this one is to the north of Brisbane) north of Samford where I have taken some flowing water shots but these aren't big falls.

I also remember there is a part of Mt Cootha called Slaughter Falls - could be a chance of some water falls there

I would also think there would be some up around Mt Glorious / Mt Nebo way.

If you want a slightly longer drive then there are a few up around Maleny and Mapleton (Kondalilla rings a bell).

Dennis · #5 21-02-2009, 10:25 AM

Hi Matt

Here is a link to a photo I took of the waterfall in the City Botanic Gardens. It was a 1 sec exposure.

The photo below is of Elabana Falls at O’Reilly’s in the Lamington National Park. I suspect that with all the recent rains, most of the falls should look quite spectacular right now.

It’s good to see that you’re keeping our economy chugging along, with the purchase of those new L lenses!

Cheers

Dennis

matt · #6 21-02-2009, 10:38 AM

Thanks guys

Dennis - that was my thinking...the falls should look quite nice with all the rain.

WRT to 'L' Series lenses? Hey...it's the least I can do

StephenM (Stephen) · #7 21-02-2009, 01:00 PM

Hi Matt,

Springbrook (and Natural Bridge) in the Gold Coast hinterland also has some great waterfalls if you're heading down that way.

Cheers,
Stephen

StephenM (Stephen) · #8 21-02-2009, 01:34 PM

Hi again Matt,

The Tooloona circuit at O'Reilly's (Lamington) is also very good with about 30 waterfalls from memory, but it is pretty much a full days walk. Here's a scanned print I took about 10 years ago. If you havent been to O'Reilly's, I highly recommend a visit. It's a great place for photography, and the campground is very good.

Cheers,
Stephen

acropolite (Phil) · #9 21-02-2009, 03:30 PM

Matt you may find a neutral density (ND4 or ND8) filter handy to allow longer exposures.

Dennis · #10 21-02-2009, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acropolite

Matt you may find a neutral density (ND4 or ND8) filter handy to allow longer exposures.

Excellent point Phil!

I don’t yet have one and for my two previous attempts, I ran out of shutter speed leeway; even shooting at ISO100 with the lens stopped down to the min of F32, I could only go as slow as 1 second, whereas 2 to 4 seconds would probably have produced a more pleasing result.

Cheers

Dennis

matt · #11 21-02-2009, 09:35 PM

Thanks for the suggestion, Phil.

I don't have a ND filter in my kit. I have UV and circular polarisers...just no ND.

I'll add that to my 'to buy' list

astro_south (Andrew) · #12 21-02-2009, 10:31 PM

Hi Matt

Your CPL combined with some heavy stopping down will do just fine.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #13 22-02-2009, 09:06 AM

Matt you might want to think of places up on the Sunshine Coast like Kondalilla Falls. Mapleton Falls (about 100m falls I think). There is one in the Nambour at the end of Waterfall Road

in Celento Park that would be a cracker. When the water is flowing well it has a great side shoot as well as the broad falls.

There is also a frantastic set of rapids and falls just before you go into Maleny As you head into Maleny and you come up from Landsborough, at the top of the range you go past the Maleny - Monteville Rd intersectin and about 1 km or so past that on the right is Obi Lane. Go right to the carpark at the end and follow the creek down. There is more than 100 meters of different types of falls, riffles and rapids before reaching the main falls. Its very nice there.