The best waterfalls in New South Wales

Somersby Falls is located about 70 km from Sydney by car. It sits in the western outskirts of Gosford in the Central Coast region.

If you want a quick escape from the city without a long drive, Somersby Falls is a great option. It’s a small waterfall where you can bring a blanket and chairs and spend a quiet, relaxed time surrounded by nature. You can enjoy the sound of the water, spot wild birds, and walk through lush rainforest.

Somersby Falls is about a 1-hour drive from Sydney CBD.

Ellenborough Falls is about a 3.5-hour drive from Sydney. It is one of the tallest waterfalls in New South Wales, with a drop of up to 200 meters, making it the second tallest in Australia.

It is located around 1.5 hours from Forster. The route includes about 30 minutes of unsealed dirt road, so driving carefully is important. It is not recommended to visit in rainy weather.

You can view the waterfall from the top lookout, which gives a full panoramic view of the falls, or walk down the 600+ steps to the base. The descent is quite steep, around a 45-degree slope in parts, and the path can be narrow.

Walking around Ebor Falls is really relaxing and enjoyable.

This waterfall is located in Guy Fawkes National Park in New South Wales, and the natural scenery here is excellent. Ebor Falls has two levels. The Upper Falls is powerful, with water dropping straight down from a high basalt cliff. The Lower Falls is wider and more open, like a long natural landscape painting.

It is currently autumn in Australia, and walking along the trail feels very comfortable with cool breezes. The leaves are also starting to change color, giving the whole place a quiet and gentle atmosphere.

Wattamolla Falls is a perfect day trip.

Last weekend, we finally visited one of Sydney locals’ favourite “backyard escapes” — Wattamolla Falls.

It is only about a 50–70 minute drive from Sydney CBD (depending on traffic). After entering Royal National Park and paying a $12 vehicle entry fee, you arrive at this stunning spot that combines a lagoon, waterfall, and beach in one place.

Curracurrong Falls is one of the few waterfalls in the world that flows directly into the ocean, with a drop of 82 meters.

On windy days, you can even witness the rare "reverse waterfall" phenomenon, where strong winds blow the falling water back up toward the cliff.

Today's coastal hike took us from Wattamolla Beach to Eagle Rock and Curracurrong Falls. The round-trip distance was 8.8 km and took about 4 hours.

Sydney Hiking | Wentworth Falls + Darwin’s Walk

A light recommendation for this Blue Mountains hiking route.

The full loop is around 10 km. It’s not extremely difficult, but there are quite a few ups and downs, so beginners should take it slow on the climbs and allow enough time.

The drive takes about two hours, and there is also a hike involved, so it’s not very beginner-friendly. However, it is truly beautiful.

Set your navigation to Belmore Falls and drive directly to the forest park area. There is a nearby parking area, and it is recommended to park near the lookout sign, which is free.

Once you enter the forest park, there is a sign that shows you how to reach the lookout.

Fitzroy Falls is not far from Bowral, and it is only about 150 meters from the car park. There is also a walking track along the cliff where you can get a more distant view of the waterfall.

We only stayed at the main lookout, and were lucky enough to see a rainbow over the falls.

About 2.5 hours’ drive south of Sydney, this hidden waterfall is considered one of the most beautiful in the Blue Mountains region.

I didn’t expect there to be proper waterfalls around Sydney.

Surprisingly, the waterfalls around Sydney actually have quite impressive drops.

Carrington Falls is located in Robertson, New South Wales, Australia. Plunge falls in Budderoo National Park. Visit guide and safety information will be added soon.

Govetts Leap is the closest and most easily accessible of the spots I’ve visited to Blackheath Station and Wentworth Street. Starting from Wentworth Street, you simply follow Govetts Leap Road north to the very end—about 3 km away, a 5-minute drive or roughly a 40-minute walk.

At the site, there are parking spaces, picnic areas, public toilets, and a large viewing platform. The lookout, car park, and facilities have recently been upgraded, with the original gravel surfaces replaced by concrete and asphalt, and the railings renewed. From the viewing platform, the panoramic scenery opens up immediately, with the waterfall visible on the right side.

There are also multiple walking tracks for hiking enthusiasts. For example, heading right along the Cliff Top Track leads to Barrow Lookout, and further on to Evans Lookout.

Empress Falls – Valley of the Waters Track (Blue Mountains)

Recently discovered a really enjoyable and high-reward hiking rout. Valley of the Waters Track (Blue Mountains)

Starting from Conservation Hut This trail links together three waterfalls along the same valley.

We set off early in the morning to Apsley Falls, about a 1.5-hour drive from Tamworth.

The waterfall itself is quite impressive in person, and the surrounding mountains shaped by years of natural erosion are also very unique. Of course, you also get the classic Australian bush scenery along the way.

Personally, I don’t think it’s a must-visit destination on its own—it’s more of a nice stop if you’re passing through the area. On the way there and back, we also drove through a small town called Walcha, which is very small but has some surprisingly nice scenery.

Wollomombi Falls: a combination of canyon and waterfall—it’s quite nice overall. We completed both walking tracks in about two hours in total. The trails are very well maintained, and there weren’t many people around.

For the past few days, I had this strong feeling that I wanted to go to Dorrigo to see the rain.

Maybe it was because it had been rainy and cloudy at home lately, or maybe because I had visited the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre before but didn’t have time to walk the trails, and felt like I had left something unfinished.

But one after another, strange little things started happening.

Rainforest waterfall hike in Australia — Crystal Shower Falls Coffs Harbour nearby trip Dorrigo National Park (national forest park)

First stop: the stunning Skywalk lookout (adults $2, kids $1) Then we chose a hiking trail suitable for both adults and kids with little experience

3.6 km return, about 1–1.5 hours The waterfall is the destination, and you can even walk behind it to view it The path is easy to walk, and it’s like a natural oxygen bar — breathe in as much fresh air as you want~

Minyon Falls

One of the biggest waterfalls in Australia. About 2.5 hours return.

Minyon Falls, Whian Whian NSW Minyon Falls Lookout Track Overlooks the waterfall — short and easy track, no difficulty. After parking, it’s about a 10-minute walk. The view is wide and open.

Set off early in the morning with my roommate for Apsley Falls. It’s about a 1.5-hour drive from Tamworth.

The waterfall does look pretty impressive in person, and the mountains shaped by time and nature are quite unique. Of course, there’s also that classic Aussie bush scenery.

Personally, I don’t think it’s worth making a special trip just for it — but if you’re passing by, it’s definitely worth a quick stop.

We Went to Katoomba Falls on a Whim, and the Water Wasn't Even Running That Hard

A friend suggested Katoomba Falls the way people suggest things when they've already decided for you. "It's close to the car park, we'll be back in half an hour." That part turned out to be more or less true, which is rare enough that I'm writing it down.

Katoomba Falls sits just outside Katoomba, near Echo Point, inside Blue Mountains National Park. It's fed by the Kedumba River and drops in stages down into the Jamison Valley — Wikipedia lists it as a segmented waterfall, and the total drop gets quoted anywhere from about 150 metres to over 200, depending on whether the source is counting the upper cascades too. I didn't measure it myself, obviously. I was too busy watching my feet.