South Johnstone

South Johnstone is a delightful little town 11km south-west of Innisfail. While the tourism bandwagon rolls on all around, South Johnstone, with its old world charm, is a town where time has stood still - just the place to ease off the throttle and recharge the batteries in preparation for the next round on the sightseeing trail.

You'll find the Australian Sugar Industry Museum in nearby Mourilyan and while you are in this neighbourhood take the trouble to drive on to Mourilyan Harbour - the chief port for the export of local sugar products where the natural harbour is framed in a most dramatic setting.

Dramatic, too, is the sight of the Wallaman Falls as the water from Stony Creek tumbles 305 metres down a vertical rock gorge into the Herbert River. This is believed to be the longest sheer drop of any Australian waterfall.

The access road meanders through dense, scenic forest to a lookout positioned above the falls. There is a trail to the bottom of the gorge, but rangers request that all visitors keep to the confines of the defined walking track to prevent erosion.