Cedar Creek Rainforest Tour from Airlie Beach with Guide

Rock pools and rainforest canopy in a half-morning, with a guide who knows what moves through the bush.

A 3-hour eco tour from Airlie Beach to Cedar Creek waterfall combines a guided rainforest walk, swimming in rock pools and Aboriginal cultural history of the landscape. The group stays under 30 people, transport and entry are included, and morning or afternoon tea with homemade banana bread is served at the falls. Your guide is with you throughout, and the operator provides water shoes and pool noodles so you can move between the water and the walk at your own pace.

Step-by-step itinerary

Cedar Creek Eco Half-Day Tour

• Depart from Airlie Beach
• Enjoy morning tea with banana bread
• Swim and explore rock pools
• Take short rainforest walk
• Spot wildlife and learn Aboriginal history
• Return to Airlie Beach

The experience

You have a free afternoon or morning in Airlie Beach and want something beyond the town. The tour picks up from the blue bus stops behind the Deck cafe and drives a short distance into the rainforest behind the coast. Cedar Creek was carved by water over millions of years, and what you find when you arrive is already set up: chairs and a table for the group, water shoes in all sizes, pool noodles, and fresh homemade banana bread waiting with morning or afternoon tea, biscuits, fresh fruit, cake, tea and coffee.

The time at the falls is yours to shape. You can swim in the cool, clear rock pools, explore the smaller pools around you, take a short walk up through the canopy toward the top, or stand still and watch for wildlife moving through the bush. Your guide is beside you throughout, sharing the Aboriginal cultural history of Cedar Creek and the surrounding country. The story behind what you are standing in. The guide knows what is there and where to look, so the landscape becomes readable instead of just green.

The terrain is rocky, and the walk threads upward through the forest, but the pace is yours. The operator provides water shoes in all sizes and pool noodles to make moving between the water and the walk easier. After the time at the falls, the group returns to Airlie Beach in an air-conditioned small vehicle. The whole tour runs three hours, which fits a free afternoon or a port call if you are arriving by cruise ship.

What’s included

• Eco-certified guide in English throughout the tour.
• return transport from Airlie Beach in an air-conditioned small vehicle.
• water shoes in all sizes and pool noodles.
• all entry fees and taxes.
• morning or afternoon tea with fresh fruit, biscuits and cake.
• homemade banana bread made fresh before each departure.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00, 11:00, 12:00 and 14:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (15 and older) · Child (2 to 14 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Airlie Adventure Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you are spending a free afternoon or morning in Airlie Beach and want a guided walk with swimming built in, rather than navigating the rainforest alone. The small group size (under 30 people) and the guide's knowledge of the landscape and wildlife make it work for first-time visitors who want the story behind what they are seeing.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 14 years); Infant (under 2): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Aboriginal history the guide shares at Cedar Creek?

Your guide shares the Aboriginal cultural history of Cedar Creek and the surrounding country, explaining the story behind the landscape and the waterfall itself. This is part of every departure, and the guide is with you throughout to point out what the country holds.

Can I swim in the rock pools, or is it just a walk?

Swimming is entirely your choice. The rock pools are cool and clear, and you can spend the time at the falls swimming, exploring the smaller pools, taking a short walk up through the canopy, or a mix of all three. Water shoes and pool noodles are provided so you can move easily between the water and the walking trails.

What if the waterfall isn't running when I visit?

Cedar Creek's waterhole is there year-round, though the waterfall itself may not be running during the dry season from August to October. The rock pools remain cool and clear regardless, and the rainforest walk and wildlife spotting continue as normal.

How does the tour work if I'm arriving by cruise ship?

The three-hour duration and flexible departure times fit Whitsundays port schedules, so you can book a departure that gets you back to the ship on time. Transport from Airlie Beach and return are included, and all entry fees are covered.

What do I need to bring, and what's provided?

Water shoes in all sizes and pool noodles are provided. Bring your own swimwear, towel, sunscreen, hat, camera and water bottle. Morning or afternoon tea, fresh fruit, biscuits, cake and homemade banana bread are included. You just need to bring what you'll wear and protect yourself from the sun.

Is Cedar Creek accessible if I have mobility concerns?

The terrain at the falls is rocky and the walk threads upward through the canopy, so it is not wheelchair accessible. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, but the uneven ground and incline mean it is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health or conditions like high blood pressure or epilepsy.