Cascade Falls is a gorgeous waterfall in a very atmospheric setting, located in Macquarie Pass National Park. It sits beside a huge knot of tree roots which give it a mysterious air. The easy forest trail to reach the falls is equally beautiful, with a mass of ferns, hanging vines and cabbage tree palms.
However, it’s after dark when the secret of Cascade Falls is revealed and there is more than a little magic in the air. Those willing to venture into the forest after dark will find an incredible little glow worm colony!
Here’s everything you need to know about visiting Cascade Falls, by day and by night.
The walk to Cascade Falls
The stats
Distance: 900m each way
Elevation gained: 20m
Difficulty: Easy
The walk to Cascade Falls takes you through a stunning stretch of pristine forest. The canopy is quite dense, so it’s fully shaded all the way to the falls.
You’ll meander along the well maintained trail which follows a crystal clear creek for part of the way, complete with huge mossy green boulders which give it Far North Queensland vibes.
The trail is predominantly flat, but does have the odd staircase and slope to climb - but it never takes more than a minute.
It’s a leisurely stroll where you can really take in the sights and sounds of the forest. As well as all the gorgeous ferns and cabbage palms, you’ll pass masses of hanging vines and even a huge knotted tree root, which looks like something out of Indiana Jones!
The trail only takes around 15 minutes before you head down a sloped metal walkway to the base of the falls.
Cascade Falls
The falls are slender but very pretty and they flow into a small pool at the base. It’s not big enough for a swim, but it’s actually quite deep and makes for a great plunge pool experience on a warm day.
Getting into the water is easy as there are just a couple of rocks to contend with. If you just want to relax, there are plenty of giant boulders to stretch out on.
There is a path off to the right of the falls which leads up to several more breathtaking waterfalls. It’s sadly been closed though, which is a real shame as the falls and swimming holes up there are incredible.
The path is quite steep with a little loose soil, but only takes a few minutes. We’re not sure why it’s closed but sadly that is currently the case.
Cascade Falls by night
Cascade Falls is the perfect night time adventure, it’s a magical spot but very easy to reach which is always a bonus when it’s dark. There are glow worms scattered along the river bank on the opposite side to the walking trail before you even arrive at the falls, but the biggest concentration of them is at the main dell.
To find the dell you need to walk to the sloped metal pathway, just before the falls, and look down to the right for a path, it’s just before the walkway (don’t head along it to Cascade Falls).
You’ll see a trail which leads to the old steps down to the falls. They aren’t used anymore but they are in pretty good condition - just take it slow if it’s been wet. It only takes a minute and then you’ll be standing at the creek and right beside the fabulous little glow worm dell.
It’s incredibly atmospheric because the glow worms are not only on the cliff wall, but also in the mass of tree roots, which look like something out of a fairy tale. There’s also a really great dense cluster of glow worms on the other side of the staircase, hugging a rocky crevice.
You’ll also see them across the water on the opposite riverbank, and on a windless night they even reflect in the water itself, which is pretty special.
This is definitely my favourite area for experiencing the glow worms, but you will also see them by the waterfall itself, there are loads there too, but they are a little obscured by all the trees.
If you want to explore some of the rocky crevices opposite the falls you’ll find many more, but go carefully in this area as it can be slippery and the terrain is very uneven.
All in all, the whole glow worm experience is magical and you don’t need to negotiate any tricky terrain to access them, as the best spot is the first place I mentioned, and not where all the boulders are!
Remember to turn all lights off around the glow worms and let your eyes adjust for at least five minutes to see a fraction of what is truly there.
Taking care of the glow worms and tips for the best experience
Make sure you leave it at least an hour after sunset. It can be tempting to head into the bush just after sunset, but you really need full darkness to see the majority of the glow worms. You’ll see some earlier but only a fraction of what’s really there. The darker the better.
As mentioned, you need to turn all light off to enjoy the glow worms, not just for your eyes to adjust but also because you shouldn’t shine light on glow worms. It can stop them feeding and also encourage them to stop glowing which in turn ruins the experience for you. It’s really important not to interfere with their natural behaviour, or there could be another disaster like at Helensburgh Tunnel when the colony was nearly wiped out. Please protect them and enjoy the experience as it should be, in darkness.
For photography bring a tripod and plan on taking long exposures. You don’t need any light to photograph them.
I’ve used a Sirui for the past 2 years and found it to be brilliant for photographing glow worms - light enough to carry, but sturdy enough for a crisp shot. You can find out all about the one I use by clicking here.
Getting to Cascade Falls
Cascade Falls are located in Macquarie Pass National Park. There’s a small car park just off the Illawarra Highway, 20km west of Shellharbour.
It’s roughly 115km and a 1 hour 40 minute drive from Sydney CBD and 30km and 30 minutes from Wollongong.
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