Aussie adventurers adding Cardwell Pool Spa near Cairns to their travel bucket list: Hidden gems

Adventurers discover a ‘strikingly blue’ swimming hole in the middle of a lush rainforest – but you’ll have to be quick if you want to see it

  • Travellers are raving about a stunningly vibrant natural pool in the rainforest
  • Cardwell Spa Pool is a natural swimming hole two hours south of Cairns
  • It is best visited from May to September as summer rain flushes out its colour
  • The bright aqua hue is due to the chemistry between the water and the rocks

A secluded vibrant-blue natural pool in the middle of the rainforest is attracting visitors from all over Australia – but you’ll have to be quick if you want to see it at its best. 

Cardwell Spa Pools is a naturally-fed swimming hole in tropical Far North Queensland that is a spectacular turquoise colour thanks to the chemistry between the rocks and the water. 

The enchanting seasonal pools are two and a half hours’ drive south of Cairns and are best seen between May and September.

Cardwell Spa Pools is a naturally-fed swimming hole in tropical Far North Queensland that is a spectacular milky turquoise colour thanks to the chemistry between the rocks and the water

The enchanting seasonal pools are two and a half hours' drive south of Cairns and are best seen between May and September

The enchanting seasonal pools are two and a half hours’ drive south of Cairns and are best seen between May and September

Its incredible waters are naturally fed from underground reservoirs and encased by the lush rainforest and rock formations that create a natural pool and trickling creeks

Its incredible waters are naturally fed from underground reservoirs and encased by the lush rainforest and rock formations that create a natural pool and trickling creeks

Social media is filled with picture-perfect images of the stunning Cardwell Pools that have been dubbed a ‘must-visit’ by travellers. 

Its incredible waters are naturally fed from underground reservoirs and encased by the lush rainforest and rock formations that create a natural pool and trickling creeks. 

The stunning swimming hole’s water levels fluctuate throughout the year, sometimes drying up completely, and heavy rainfall in the wet summer months can flush the pool out and get rid of its glowing blue colour. 

Social media is filled with picture-perfect images of the stunning Cardwell Pools that have been dubbed a 'must-visit' by travellers

Social media is filled with picture-perfect images of the stunning Cardwell Pools that have been dubbed a ‘must-visit’ by travellers

The stunning swimming hole's water levels fluctuate throughout the year and heavy rainfall in the wet summer months can flush the pool out and get rid of its glowing blue colour

Geological experts have guessed the pool's aqua colour is due to minerals the water picks up from sedimentary rocks resulting in high levels of magnesium and calcium

The swimming hole’s water levels fluctuate throughout the year and heavy rainfall in the wet summer months can flush the pool out and get rid of its glowing blue colour

The unique colour often varies through out the day from a clear baby blue to a cloudy turquoise depending on the time of day and sunlight

The unique colour often varies through out the day from a clear baby blue to a cloudy turquoise depending on the time of day and sunlight

Why are the Cardwell Spa Pool so blue?

The science behind the colour can get a little complicated but our team of geological experts suggest that the blue colour is from the chemistry of the rocks and water. 

Much of the water that flows to the creek comes from underground, where it picks up minerals from the sedimentary rocks, resulting in high levels of dissolved magnesium and calcium in the waters. 

Depending on the time of day and available sunlight, the colour can vary from a bright, baby blue to a more milky-blue colour. 

Source: Tropical North Queensland 

While still something of a mystery, geological experts have guessed the pool’s aqua colour is due to minerals the water picks up from sedimentary rocks resulting in high levels of magnesium and calcium. 

The unique colour often varies through out the day from a clear baby blue to a cloudy turquoise depending on the time of day and sunlight. 

One visitor said Cardwell Pools is a ‘gem off the beaten track and the colour is ‘nothing like you have ever seen before’.

Another warned despite being called a ‘spa pool’ the water is not warm while a third said it was a ‘beautiful blue mineral oasis hidden in Cardwell’s outskirts’. 

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