Recon to Echo Falls and Topside of Thunder and Lightning Falls (Lamington NP)

YouTube video of this hike: https://youtu.be/EiKqDVGsWOU

CAVEAT: I trail ran the majority of this track, so ensure you factor this into your planning. It took me 4hrs to do 21 kms trailrunning, and included some filming along the way, a very short morning tea (like 5 mins), and meeting a nice fellow on my way back and walking/talking with him about 500m. I would estimate this to be a 6 hour return hike if you walk it.

My aim was to do a reconnaissance of this track to prepare for a hike to the base of Thunder and Lightning Falls in Black Canyon (Albert River Left Branch section)... which is one of Lamington National Parks most remote waterfalls. At the right angle, you get two falls converging into an iconic sight.

From the startpoint of O'Reillys carpark, follow Border track all the way. At the first Albert River Circuit sign, turn sharp right and follow this track counterclockwise. You will come to a section that looks like a track, but is blocked off by some angled logs (if you go this way, it is severely overgrown with a 'track closed' sign). Look behind you and follow the main track that continues upwards.

Several km's on you will come to a section where there has been some foot traffic leading downwards to the right, and if you looked carefully at the large tree, there is an arrow that has been etched into it. This is the track that will take you to the rocky creek gorge below (Albert River Left Branch), and you can then rockhop upstream to Thunder and Lightning falls base. I DID NOT DO THIS ON THIS RUN DUE TO A LACK OF TIME - NEXT TIME THIS IS WHERE I'LL BE EXPLORING.

I continued on and came to the higher side of Lightning Creek, a light creek crossing and a small waterfall below. Turn right and continue on the trail which will be upon the right side of the creek.

Further down I came to another larger cascading rocky pool. Kept going and came to a much larger waterfall further down on Lightning Creek - quite stunning but very slippery rock. Really need to watch this. Kept going further down the switch back zig zag trail here. At the bottom of this segment I came to the very edge of Lightning Creek - extremely high - this was the topside of Lightning Falls (how I wish I could have seen it below).

Kept going on further until I came to Echo Falls which also was stunning. This was about 10.5 kms to here and I decided that this would be my turnaround point. Just behind the 'Echo Falls' timber sign I went off track down a small section down stream (not that far) and came to the topside of Thunder Falls (couldn't see the edge where this comes out which would cascade further downstream.

Simply returned the same way I came. This track is not difficult, just very slippery on the rocks near any falls obviously, and just very long.