Killen Falls | guidetobyron.com | Water, Rainforest, Ballina, Falls

Killen Falls

Killen Falls

Killen Falls is located 10 mins from the nearby town of Ballina (which is 30 minutes drive south of Byron Bay using the Pacific Hwy or coast road through Lennox Head) - just below the Emigrant Creek Dam*, near the tiny village of Fernleigh. Killen Falls is a spectacular waterfall dropping into a large, cool waterhole within a rainforest gully. Ferns and mosses thrive in this moist location, which is a well hidden jewel of Northern Rivers region.

2.7 hectares of rare sub-tropical rainforest remnant surrounds the waterfall. Once a part of the Big Scrub - a continuous tract of sub-tropical rainforest that stretched from Byron Bay to Ballina and to Lismore, now less than 1% of the original rainforest exists. This particular location remained out of reach due to its steep and rugged terrain.

Killen Falls An opportunity exists to walk down to the waterfall and explore behind the waterfall in the dark realms of a large cave. Beware though as the cave is valuable habitat to several species of bats, some of which are threatened species so please be quiet. Back outside the cave, the rainforest is home to a large diverse selection of flora species local to the area.These include fig trees, birds nest ferns, red kamala trees and many more. There are also many threatened species of plants that thrive in this protected gully. Some protected and threatened species of fauna exist here too that include the platypus, water dragons and rainforest pigeons.

Today many people explore the area. One side of the creek is privately owned and the other side is Council owned. Just upstream from the falls, Rous Water look after the dam for drinking water purposes. Rous Water, Ballina Council and the Big Scrub Rainforest Landcare Group have all combined their resources and knowledge to rehabilitate the riparian zone of Emigrant Creek and suppress the weeds threatening this valuable rainforest remnant. Rous Water are also currently building a walkway and viewing platform for the public to view the dam while Ballina Council has erected a safety fence to steer people away from the dangerous and unstable sections of the cliffs. The vegetation rehabilitation works will also help improve the water quality of the catchment.

Activity: Flora, Swimming, Walking.

*Emigrant Creek Dam is an 830 megalitre water storage located on Emigrant Creek, just upstream of Killen Falls, near Tintenbar in the Ballina Shire, which currently supplies water to a population of approximately 15,000 people in Ballina and Lennox Head.

[ Back ]