The Spillway Full Day Canyoning Tour
Are you ready to take yourself to the next level of adventure?
This blog aims to describe one of the most adventurous canyoning trips in Australia. It may gives a clue if suits for you.
The spillway canyoning trip starts at Lake Morris, a beautiful recreational area and the major water supply for Cairns (Copperlode Falls Dam) located 50 minutes driving from Cairns CBD. The narrow and winding road has several lookouts to enjoy the view of the city and surroundings. Some days, it is possible to see the Green Island which is settled 27.3 km offshore.
Your Journey
After picking you up from your accommodation about 6:30am and sorting the paperwork out, your guide (s) will provide all the personal gear needed for the trip such as wetsuit, shoes, lifejacket, helmet and harness. Once you are ready, the next step is driving you up to the hill and the general information of the trip is given. The next step is start putting the canyoning gear on and training you before enter in the wild canyon. All your belonging will be locked on the bus and will be waiting for you in a different location at the end of the day.
The Canyon
Dinden National Park, a very restricted area where people cannot access without advanced rope, swiftwater skills and permit. The trip itself presents lots of abseil sections up to 50 meters high, several cliff jumps, rockslides, swimming and many more. Deep in the rainforest you may see Platypus, Cassowaries, turtles and other species amongst waterfalls. Your first abseil starts 8:30 am and the last one will be about 5pm (7 to 9 hours trip).
What to bring
You basically need to bring some snacks to eat during the trip and possible personal medication that will be placed in a drybag and barrel. The water of the stream is possible to drink so, you do not need to take extra weight to carry along the stream.
Cameras
Go-Pro and waterproof cameras are allowed (your own risk) once they are attached on the helmet. You should have your hands always free to use when required for your own safety. Note that mobile phones are not allowed.
Your guide (s) will take photos of the trip and offer you for purchasing at the end of the day if you do not want to take the risk or damaging or losing your camera.
Essential
To be part of this adventure, you must be minimum 12 years of age, present at least medium fitness level, be able to swim, not panicking on heights (be afraid is normal) and being able to walk on slippery rocks.
Rail Slide
The first rockslide of the day is about 10 meters long in a sort of gap/rail landing in a shallow pool.
The Deep
A narrow gap between a big rock and cliff creates a perfect body shoot leading into a deep pool. The lifejacket loses part of the buoyancy in this place due to the bubbles presenting in the pool. It is usually necessary to hold the breath for about 5 to 8 seconds before reaching the water surface again.
Rooster Tail
A 20 meters waterfall cascade that presents a sort of ramp at the end, propelling the water back up in shape of Rooster Tale. It is hard but super fun to cross from river right to the left accessing the slide area due to the powerful water pressure.
The Handline
Couple of ropes placed on the wall that leads to a 50 to 60 metres waterfall. To go across the wall, is necessary attaching the harnesses safety lines on the handlines, avoiding falls.
Mimi Falls
The giant waterfall that makes the water disappear as it falls and reappear back through a hole. This is the highest abseil of the day, just on the side of the drop. At the bottom of the waterfall is usually where the break is taken to have lunch and relax.
The Cave
An interesting rock formation accessing by crawling among narrow passages that become bigger in a shape of cave. There is a little waterfall and rockslide formation inside the place.
Dom’s Slide
The biggest slide of the trip seems like will brake people’s body in two parts. However, it presents a little impact, Dom’s slide is safe to go in the right water levels.
Wang Falls
The aboriginal name that means steaming due to the cloud formation seen while coming close to it. This place is one of the favourites abseils listed from people who has already experienced several different canyons. To access the 40 meters waterfall is necessary crossing a sort of natural rock formation bridge. The abseil is done in two stages. The first stage is about 12 meters ending in a small ledge where the rope is pulled down and placed back into the anchor points again. The second part of rappelling is nearly into the loud waterfall surrounded by high, wet and dark canyoning walls ending up in a deep and stir water.
There are many of other amazing places to describe on this trip, but the blog would become too big.
What do you think? Does it suit for you? If you are not 100% sure about that, have a look at Crystal Cascades or Behana Half Day Canyoning Trips. The guides will focus on your training to participate on Spillway Canyoning Trip.
It is worth it to get to know this beautiful place.
Marcio Garbuio