Cardwell Spa Pools; unique and stunning
The words spa pools conjure amazing images into my mind, and when we heard about the Cardwell Spa Pools we couldn’t help but call in and take a look. These are very different to anything we’ve seen before, and are really quite spectacular.
Are they worth a look? Find out below!
Where are the Cardwell Spa Pools?
As the name suggests, these are not too far out of Cardwell itself. By car, you’re looking at around 10 minutes drive.
Do you need a 4WD?
The road to Cardwell Spa Pools is gravel, but in good condition and you certainly do not need a 4WD. If you do the whole forest drive just take it easy, and watch for other vehicles. There’s certainly no need for extra clearance, or traction and a 2WD or AWD vehicle is fine.
Can you tow a caravan?
At the start of the road, there’s a sign that says ‘caravans not recommended’, or words to that effect. I’m always curious as to how bad a road is going to be when it says this, and we proceeded with our Hybrid Camper, which does not classify as a caravan. The road is good, fairly wide and perfectly OK for towing something.
That said, there’s a crossing near the spa pools that is fairly sharp and if you had a van with limited clearance, you could be in trouble really quickly. That, and there’s limited parking options at the spa pools, and if you met someone else towing you could have a hard time passing each other.
I probably wouldn’t take a big van on this road, but if it’s a small hybrid you won’t have any issues.
What makes the Cardwell Spa Pools Water Colour?
There’s some pretty incredible water colours around the country, but the Cardwell Spa Pools are unique, and really stunning to look into, and from a distance. Scientists believe there are three contributing factors that cause the colour; the plants, minerals and then the way the light refracts when its shining on the combination. Either way, its pretty neat to see!
Camping nearby
If you want to camp nearby, Murray Falls aren’t too far away, or there’s a number of caravan parks in Cardwell, and a couple of Hipcamp options nearby too.
Can you swim at Cardwell Spa Pools?
I often laugh at the signage at different places, and Cardwell Spa Pools is no different. On the main sign, it says that swimming is not recommended, and then there’s another sign underneath that warns you of submerged objects when your getting into the water. Right. Which one is it?
We saw people swimming here, and it’s a pretty common thing. The risk is bacteria, which occurs when the water stops flowing, or it gets too warm. I probably wouldn’t swim here unless we were dyeing to cool off, but either way if you do, keep your head well out of the water, and weigh the risks up for yourself.
Is it worth a visit?
I was pleasantly surprised by the Cardwell Spa Pools. They are beautiful in the photos, and equally as beautiful in person. We only pulled in for a short visit on the way through, but it was certainly worth a look in our opinion.
Have you been to Cardwell Spa Pools? What did you think of it?
