Curracurrong Falls, Royal National ParkCredit: Destination NSW
Sunrise at Curracurrong Falls and Eagle Rock in the Royal National Park, Sydney.
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New South Wales is home to some of the most beautiful and Instagrammable waterfalls in the country, so get out into nature and capture the magic.
Near Sydney
Plummeting more than 80m straight into the sea, Curracurrong Falls is located about an hour’s drive south of Sydney in the Royal National Park. To reach the top of these dramatic coastal falls, park at Wattamolla Beach and take the Coast Track along the cliffs. The return trip takes about 2.5 hours. Be sure to pack water, sunscreen and your camera. Note that there are no fences or barriers on the cliffs in this area, so take care when visiting.
Southern delights
The Southern Highlands, a 90-minute drive from Sydney, is the stuff of dreams for waterfall chasers. Fitzroy Falls, one of the state’s most popular waterfalls, is located in Morton National Park. A lookout only minutes from the Visitor Centre provides magnificent views of the falls and surrounding bushland. To explore further, walk the West and East Rim trails and enjoy the lush rainforest setting and more picture-perfect waterfall views. Heading toward the coast, discover ancient forests teeming with birdlife and fantastic native flora at the majestic Minnamurra or Carrington Falls in Budderoo National Park, between Jamberoo and the South Coast town of Kiama. Both falls are easily accessible via loop walks, making them great for kids but no less Instagrammable.
Finding your way
Situated along the appropriately named Waterfall Way, roughly halfway between the inland town of Armidale and Coffs Harbour on the mid-North Coast, Dangar Falls near Dorrigo is a beautiful example of a curtain waterfall (a ledge waterfall that descends over a height larger than the width of the falling stream). Take the easy walking track to the deep pool below the falls, where you can take a refreshing dip and impress your friends with that perfect ‘wish you were here’ selfie.
Other falls to check out on the scenic 191km drive along the Waterfall Way include Wollomombi Falls (NSW’s highest waterfall) and the twin Ebor Falls. The region offers plenty of opportunities to get back to nature at camping areas, bushwalking tracks and picnic spots, but remember to check with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service for park closures and safety warnings before you head off.
Carrington Falls, Robertson Credit: Kramer Photography; www.kramer.photography
Water flowing down Carrington Falls, Robertson in Budderoo National Park.
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Carrington Falls, Robertson Credit: Kramer Photography; www.kramer.photography
Water flowing down Carrington Falls, Robertson in Budderoo National Park.
Dangar Falls, near Dorrigo Credit: Destination NSW
Dangar Falls, Dorrigo located on the North Coast.
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Dangar Falls, near Dorrigo Credit: Destination NSW
Dangar Falls, Dorrigo located on the North Coast.
Singular vision
Roughly 90 minutes’ drive from the coastal town of Port Macquarie, spectacular Ellenborough Falls plunges a giddy 200m into the ravine below — it’s the second-highest single-drop waterfall in Australia, the highest in NSW and one of the highest in the southern hemisphere. Ellenborough Falls is accessed via a 17km dirt road and an easy walking track: the more adventurous might want to tackle the trail to the bottom, which is a series of seemingly never-ending stairs. Just remember the return journey is via the same track.
There’s more waterfall action to be found at Barrington Tops, a two-hour drive southwest of Ellenborough Falls. Visit magical mossy cascades in Antarctic beech forests or trek to the top of Gloucester Falls through sub-alpine woodlands of snow gums and mountain ash. You’ll be rewarded with views over the Gloucester River and the spectacular twin falls.
Take the high road
The Blue Mountains, a 90-minute drive west from Sydney, is home to some of the most spectacular waterfalls in NSW. You can’t go past the Wentworth Falls area for some show-stopping examples. Here the town’s namesake waterfall plunges some 100m down sheer sandstone cliffs into the Jamison Valley.
Walking trails lead to various lookout locations and to the top of Wentworth Falls where, if you’re feeling energetic, you can cross the stepping stones and take the historic National Pass track down a hand-hewn rock staircase deep into the aptly-named Valley of the Waters. The track passes through lush rainforest and visits a series of photo-worthy spots, including Empress Falls, a popular day trip for the wild at heart wanting to try their hand at abseiling into its icy waters.
For a truly photographic phenomenon in the Blue Mountains, head to the Narrow Neck Lookout along the Narrow Neck Peninsula, near Katoomba, on a misty morning to capture the phantom falls. This ethereal occurrence takes place when clouds, trapped in the valley by temperature inversion, flow up and over the top of the cliff like a reverse waterfall.
Beauty is guaranteed
If you’re looking for an outstanding nature experience on your waterfall quest, look no further than Falcon Falls, a 30-minute drive from the town of Griffith in the Riverina region. Located in Cocoparra National Park, this beautiful waterfall cascades over layered rocks and offers rugged woodland views. The falls are easily accessible from the Spring Hill picnic area — keep an eye out for peregrine falcons, as there’s a sizeable population in the area.
Ellenborough Falls, North Coast Credit: The Legendary Pacific Coast
Ellenborough Falls at Elands, North Coast
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Ellenborough Falls, North Coast Credit: The Legendary Pacific Coast
Ellenborough Falls at Elands, North Coast
Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
The scenic Wentworth Falls, Leura in the Blue Mountains.
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Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains Credit: Destination NSW
The scenic Wentworth Falls, Leura in the Blue Mountains.
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Look At Me Now Headland, Emerald BeachCredit: Destination NSW
See wildlife in a whole new way in New South Wales.
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NSW’s animals are as welcoming as its locals. From kangaroos to snoozing koalas — and everything furry or finned in between — Australia’s wild animals are as unforgettable as the land they call home. Here’s where to find these incredible creatures in their natural habitat across New South Wales.
See kangaroos by the sea
Thrill to the sight of kangaroos, one of Australia’s most iconic native animals, in the wild all across Country NSW. Keep an eye out for eastern grey kangaroos at beautiful Diamond Head Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park on the Barrington Coast, a 3.5-hour drive north of Sydney. Let the unforgettable sight of a mob of ’roos backdropped by the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean put a spring in your step as you stroll along the 1.6km loop trail at the Look At Me Now Headland in the Moonee Beach Nature Reserve, at Coffs Harbour on the Mid North Coast. And refresh with a dip in the ocean as curious eastern greys look on from grassy clearings at Depot Beach and Pebbly Beach in Murramarang National Park, a four-hour drive from Sydney on the spectacular NSW South Coast.
Gaze up at koalas
Discover the eucalypt forests around eastern NSW and you may well spot a koala snoozing among the gum-trees. Marvel at these tree-dwelling marsupials from viewing platforms in the stunning bushland at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary, less than an hour’s drive from Newcastle, or three hours north of Sydney. Then settle into your four-star glamping tent, studio room or deluxe suite at the sanctuary for a night among these iconic creatures. Head to Guula Ngurra National Park, an easy two-hour drive south of Sydney in the Southern Highlands, to hike through some of the 3,358 hectares of protected koala habitat in the recently created park (Guula Ngurra means “Koala Country” in the local Gundungurra Aboriginal language). Or hone your spotting skills at Narrandera Koala Reserve, around an hour’s drive from the regional town of Griffith in the Riverina region in the state’s southwest, where more than 200 koalas live among river red gums.
Dive in with wild dolphins
Come fin to fin with wild dolphins with Dolphin Swim Australia in Port Stephens, just an hour’s drive north of Newcastle or three hours from Sydney. Feel a surge of adrenaline as a catamaran tows you through the ocean among these playful creatures. Prefer to stay dry? See Port Stephens’s resident pod of bottlenose dolphins, many of them so friendly that the locals know them by name, on an outing with Imagine Cruises. Or head south for close encounters with dolphins in sheltered Jervis Bay, on the NSW South Coast, with Dolphin Watch Cruises Jervis Bay and Jervis Bay Wild.
Shoal Bay, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens.
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Shoal Bay, Port Stephens Credit: Destination NSW
Dolphins swimming in Shoal Bay, Port Stephens.
Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.
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Whale watching, Sydney Credit: Destination NSW
A whale breaches out of the water off Sydney waters.
Let whales stir your spirit
Marvel at the majesty of humpback whales as they travel along the New South Wales coastline from May to November each year. Embrace the sublime as you witness some of the 40,000 humpback and southern right whales that make their way along on the ‘Humpback Highway’ from Antarctica to the warm waters of their breeding grounds in the north. Clamber aboard a boat for an unforgettable day of whale watching in Sydney, join a cruise from seaside towns or find the perfect vantage point on land to see these magnificent creatures leap from the water all along the NSW coastline.
Meet a Tasmanian devil
Get up close with free-roaming Tasmanian devils without leaving mainland Australia at Aussie Ark’s wildlife sanctuary in the rugged Barrington Tops, a five-hour drive northeast of Sydney. Feel yourself moved by the stories you’ll hear on Aussie Ark’s 2.5-hour guided Devils in the Wild tour — the team behind this conservation initiative is breeding a wild population of the endangered carnivores to ensure their survival. And be astonished as you see Tasmanian devils thriving in the wild and, if you visit in breeding season, dote on super-cute devil joeys exploring their surroundings.
Play with seals
Come alive with a sense of joy at Montague Island Nature Reserve, a revered wildlife destination that’s home to little penguins, a huge colony of Australian fur seals and 90 types of birds just 9km off the town of Narooma, in the South Coast’s Eurobodalla region. Be delighted by their playfulness as you discover why friendly fur seals are called the puppies of the sea on a seal snorkel with Narooma Charters. Or delight to the sight of penguins waddling back to their nests after a day of fishing on a sunset tour with Montague Island Discovery Tours.
Montague Island Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
Be immersed in wildlife experiences off Montague Island.
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Montague Island Highlight Selects Credit: Destination NSW
Be immersed in wildlife experiences off Montague Island.
Be captivated by a platypus
Be rewarded for your patience when you spot a platypus in the wild: while platypus inhabit a number of regions in NSW, these shy little icons can be very tricky to find. Increase your chances by visiting Bombala, about an hour’s drive from Cooma in the Snowy Mountains — it’s known as ‘Platypus Country’ because a large number of these mysterious monotremes (egg-laying mammals) live there. Practise mindfulness at the Bombala Platypus Reserve, 4.5km outside of town, where a viewing platform over the river makes spotting them easier. Or try a guided Platypus Walk with Vision Walks Eco-Tours near Byron Bay, on the far North Coast.
Bliss out with turtles
Discover the underwater wonderlands of the North Coast at Cook Island, less than 1km offshore from Fingal Head, just south of Tweed Heads on the far North Coast of New South Wales, to encounter astonishing numbers of green, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles. Deepen your respect for the incredible beauty of the underwater world on a memorable snorkelling tour with local operators such as Watersports Guru or Cooly Eco Adventures.
Take off to an island of seabirds
Look at the skies with awe as hundreds of thousands of seabirds wheel above you on Lord Howe Island, 700km northeast of Sydney in the Pacific Ocean. Fill your diary with sightings of the 130-odd permanent and migratory bird species found on the country’s premier bird-watching destination. Come in winter to see providence petrels circle in spectacular courtship rituals during their breeding season, while shearwaters return in awe-inspiring flocks at dusk each day from spring to late autumn (September to May).