I started counting how many NSW waterfalls we’ve visited in the last year and got to 89 (you have to make the most of a La Nina year!). Whilst I am aware that sounds very obsessive, you know it means that when we say this list contains the best ones, that we have really done our homework!
We used to dread long rainy spells when it was hard to get out hiking, but that all turned around when we realised just how spectacular the waterfalls become.
Now when we get a good rainy spell we always head out looking for new ones - so whether you’re looking for a huge towering waterfall you can admire from above, or one you can swim underneath, we have you covered in this post.
Here are the most beautiful waterfalls in NSW.
A note on waterfalls in NSW
Although the majority of these waterfalls are permanent, you ideally want to visit all of them after some good rainfall. Avoid long dry spells when many will be reduced to a shadow of their former selves.
The most spectacular waterfalls in NSW
1. Minyon Falls, near Byron Bay
Minyon Falls tumbles for over 100m down the cliff side and is a real sight to behold. Whilst you can get a good look at the upper part of the falls from the lookout (which is just 150m from the car park), the real wow factor comes when you see it from the base.
Not only is it jaw droppingly beautiful, but the walk to get there is also one of our favourites in NSW, taking you through pristine rainforest. Once you get there you can swim in the pool at the base of the falls (provided the spray is not too strong) or the jungle cascades a few hundred metres before the falls.
Everything you need to know about both routes you can use to hike to the bottom of Minyon Falls is in this post.
2. Red Cedar Falls, Dorrigo National Park
Red Cedar Falls is majestic. I had no idea what it looked like before visiting and as I rounded the corner and got my first glimpse, it literally stopped me in my tracks.
Who knew one of the most fabulous waterfalls in Australia was lying deep in the rainforest in NSW and no one really seems to talk about it?!
I’ll never forget trying to get close to the pool at the base and having to settle for a shower from the spray as the water was just too powerful! If you don’t want to go for a dip, sitting on the rocks close to the falls and having a picnic is a very close second.
The walk to get to Red Cedar Falls is one of the longer and steeper ones in Dorrigo but it’s worth every last step and you’ll probably get the falls all to yourself. We did even in the Christmas holidays!
Here’s more details on visiting the falls, including both possible walking trails.
3. Carrington Falls, Southern Highlands
Carrington Falls is another huge waterfall that cascades into a large gorge. It’s a real beauty and can be admired from a variety of different lookouts located along a short walking trail. You can also walk along the plateau close to the top of the falls - but not too near the edge as it is unfenced and a ginormous drop!
Although you can walk to the bottom of Carrington Falls the route is difficult and unmarked. It’s on our bucket list, but we haven’t made it yet!
As well as the gorgeous waterfall there are also a number of other walking trails located just minutes away, as well as two fabulous wild swimming spots (one of which is a small but fab waterfall worth visiting in its own right). You can read all about them in this post.
4. Crystal Shower Falls, Dorrigo National Park
You’ve probably seen many photos of Crystal Shower Falls if you’ve ever considered a trip along the Waterfall Way. It sits surrounded by ancient rainforest and the whole setting creates a fairytale like scene.
You can walk right the way behind the falls, which is fun if you don’t mind a bit of a soaking! Our overall favourite view of it is from the suspension bridge just in front of the falls, as you get a great perspective of the whole waterfall.
There are two different walking tracks to get here. The shortest is the Crystal Shower Falls Track, and the longest is the Wonga Walk. Both are fab, but if you don’t mind a slightly longer walk (just over 6km) then you should do the latter. It is in our top 5 walks in the whole of Australia, and we do A LOT of walks!
If you’re feeling adventurous, Crystal Shower Falls hides a secret by day…. come back at night and prepare to be dazzled by a secret glow worm colony! You won’t find that in the tourist brochures : )
5. Curracurrong Falls, Royal National Park
A waterfall that drops straight into the ocean less than an hour from Sydney city centre? That’s right, Curracurrong Falls is one of the most unique on this list, as it cascades not into a pool but the ocean! It truly is a wonderful sight and no matter how many times we’ve seen it, it never loses its magic.
It’s located right beside the famous Eagle Head Rock which is the iconic rock formation on the National Park signpost.
There are several routes you can take to reach the falls, our favourite is from Wattamolla, not only is it relatively easy but it’s our number one coastal walk in all of Sydney. The views will dazzle you before you even reach the falls. We love going close to golden hour for maximum wow factor.
6. Wollomombi Falls, near Armidale
The gorge at Wollomombi Falls is dramatic. There’s no other word for it. It’s a giant, and both Wollomombi Falls and Chandler Falls can be seen from the viewpoint, which is just 200m from the car park.
However, if you’re up for walking a little further, there are several lookouts which offer far closer views of both waterfalls, and into other parts of the gorge.
However, not all lookouts are created equal and we visited each and every one to show you what the view looks like and whether we thought it was worth the walk - spoiler alert, not all of them were!
Here is the full lowdown on visiting Wollomombi Falls.
7. Fitzroy Falls, Southern Highlands
Pretty much everyone who visits the Southern Highlands will visit Fitzroy Falls. It’s a fabulous waterfall that thunders down the mountain side.
There are two walking tracks that show you around the Fitzroy area. The West Rim Track, which is the most visited, and the East Rim Track.
The main lookout for the falls is just 150m from the car park, but if you walk further along the West Rim you’ll get to see different perspectives of the waterfall, including the lower falls which can’t be seen from the main viewpoint.
The East Rim also has a couple of good viewpoints, but they don’t compare to those from the West Rim - especially if you’re limited on time.
We have a full guide to all walking trails, plus the best viewpoints with distances here.
8. Cooleman Falls, Snowy Mountains
Cooleman Falls is probably one of the least well known waterfalls on this list, but it really shouldn’t be! Not only is it stunning, but it’s shape is quite unique due to the shape of the rocks it flows over. Added to that, the trail that takes you there is one of the most fun in NSW!
You’ll walk through a towering gorge with electric blue water creating a scene unlike any other. At times the trail takes you into the river itself which makes it feel like a proper adventure.
Getting down to the base of the waterfall itself does involve a short scramble, but you can view it from the top if you don’t like the look of the path down.
You can read all the details on the incredible walk to Cooleman Falls here.
9. Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains
Wentworth Falls is a Blue Mountains icon, but if you view it from the Wentworth Falls Lookout, you’re going to be disappointed. You can only see the top of the falls at quite a distance, which gives no indication of what an amazing waterfall it really is.
To appreciate its true majesty you need to walk just a little further. If you don’t mind walking for 2.4km return, we’d recommend heading for Rocket Point. This gives you a wonderful, fairly close up view of the upper falls in all their glory.
We’ve spent a lot of time exploring this area and have lots of other suggestions for lookouts of the falls in this guide to Wentworth Falls (which also includes some great secret spots).
10. Protesters Falls, near Byron Bay
Protesters Falls is one of my all time favourite waterfalls. To reach it requires a very short walk through atmospheric Gondwana rainforest before you’ll suddenly see it looming ahead of you - and what a sight it is!
It’s another really tall and dramatic waterfall which you can get really close to if you can handle the spray - which begins many metres before you reach the falls!
Please admire it from the rocks, but don’t swim in the pool which is home to the endangered Fleay’s Barred Frog. There are many other wonderful falls nearby you can swim in, which don’t harm the ecology of Protesters Falls.
Beyond the glorious waterfall and rainforest, there is another reason why I love it here so much. Visit at night and prepare to see the rainforest as you’ve never seen it before. You’ll be surrounded by blue twinkling lights and splashes of fluorescent green.
Not only will you be walking through a glow worm galaxy, but also beside glowing mushrooms! It was our first experience of bioluminescent fungi and we couldn’t believe our luck!
All the details on experiencing the falls by day and by night are in this post.
11. Dangars Falls, near Armidale
Not to be confused with the more well known Dangar Falls in Dorrigo - Dangars Falls is a huge waterfall that thunders into a deep gorge. It tends to have a large amount of spray, which often creates a beautiful rainbow, which really adds to the majesty.
There are a number of different viewpoints you can admire it from, and the similar names of the lookouts can make it quite confusing to work out which is which, and whether they are worth the walk.
The easiest one to get to is just 100m from the car park and offers a fantastic, if slightly distant view of the falls.
Our second favourite - if you are happy to walk a little further (850m each way) - is the Falls Look Down viewpoint, which gives a phenomenal and closer up view of the waterfall. From here you can really feel the power of it.
There are several more lookouts in the area as well as another waterfall, Mihi Falls, and we detail each lookout and how to get to Mihi Falls in this post.
12. Minnehaha Falls, Blue Mountains
Minnehaha is one of those waterfalls that is outstanding in full flow, but beautiful even when it becomes a thin ribbon trickling over the cliffs.
It’s just an incredibly picturesque waterfall and its setting, in towering sandstone mountains, is both beautiful and dramatic.
You can enjoy it from the top at a viewpoint along the walking trail, or head down to the bottom and swim in the emerald pool at the base. We’d highly recommend heading to the bottom if you don’t mind tackling a few steep staircases.
The walk to the base is just 2.5km return and easy going until the way back when you have a little bit of climbing to do. Your reward is not just the amazing waterfall views, but the chance to swim in one of the prettiest water holes in all the Blue Mountains.
13. Gerringong Falls, Southern Highlands
Gerringong Falls is a spectacular waterfall which drops over a huge cliff into the valley below. It’s a bit of an investment to visit because even reaching the top of the falls requires an 8.5km walk or cycle along fire trail, before you cover the last 1.1m on foot.
Swimming at the pool close to the top of the falls, or sitting at the magnificent viewpoint does make it all worthwhile though.
Getting down to the bottom of the falls, where you can take an icy dip, is a bit more of a mission. It involves 1km of rough track, and that’s if you don’t go wrong, as there aren’t any signposts. If you’re thinking about going to the bottom, all our hints and tips on what to expect on the trail are in this detailed guide to Gerringong Falls.
14. Paddys River Falls, Snowy Mountains
Paddy’s River Falls might not be particularly tall, but what it lacks in height, it makes up for in pure power. It’s a really easy waterfall to access, taking just five minutes to get down to the base of the falls from the car park, and even less if you just want to view it from above.
The only downside is that there is now a barrier to stop you from walking behind the waterfall, or swimming in the small pool at the base. It’s still very much worth going anyway, and to be honest, it didn’t stop anyone from skirting round the barrier and going for a dip when we visited!
If you’re interested in other attractions in the Snowy Mountains area, we have a guide on all the best things to do there.
15. Dangar Falls, Dorrigo
Dangar Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls along the famed Waterfall Way, and it’s for good reason. Not only is the waterfall wide and powerful (it’s one of the wettest parts of the state afterall!), but it flows into a ginormous water hole at the base.
Although many of the waterfalls we’ve mentioned so far can be swum in, none have a pool on the scale of Dangar Falls. It’s just breathtaking.
Normally to swim under a waterfall this good you would have to walk quite a distance and have a hefty climb back up after your dip, but that’s another great thing about Dangar, the walk is short and easy. The sign says 20 minutes each way, but it’s more like half that.
Even if you don’t want to swim it’s worth going down to have a paddle or just experience the waterfall close up.
16. Belmore Falls, Southern Highlands
Belmore Falls is easily one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the Southern Highlands, with two tiers that cascade into a dramatic valley.
It would be our favourite waterfall in the whole area. but for the fact that all the viewing platforms are quite far away from the falls. You never feel like you can really experience it in all its glory.
You used to be able to walk down to the base of the upper falls and take a dip, but sadly they have now closed the walking track.
Whilst many, many people do still go down, rangers periodically patrol the area and issue $450 fines if you’re caught.
Despite this, we still love visiting the Belmore Falls viewpoints, and console ourselves that we can’t swim there by heading to another small but stunning secret waterfall nearby. It’s un-signposted but we have all the details in this post.
17. Apsley Falls, near Armidale
Apsley Falls was another waterfall I had never seen pictures of before we visited and I didn’t know what to expect. It was so much more beautiful than I had imagined and much quieter than other waterfalls in the area - probably because it is close to, but not on the Waterfall Way.
The falls flow into a deep gorge and there are quite a few different viewpoints you can admire it from, across two different walking trails.
Both walks are easy and together are less than 4km, so we’d recommend doing both if you can. If you don’t have time, we have pictures of each lookout and how far they are from the car park in this post to help you choose which to visit. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way, we were lucky enough to see echidna along the trail.
If you have more time in the area, another very pretty waterfall, Tia Falls, is just a 20 minute drive away, and even quieter than Apsley Falls.
18. Kariong Brook Falls, Central Coast
Kariong Brook Falls is one of my favourite waterfalls close to Sydney. It’s not the biggest by a long shot, but it’s one of the most enchanting.
With a deep swimming hole at the base and the tall cliffs and bushland surrounding it, it feels wonderfully secluded. I remember visiting and just feeling so incredibly lucky to live within easy access of somewhere this beautiful.
It’s requires a more lengthy walk to access at 6.4km return, (along the quickest route), but it’s more than worth it.
The walk is very easy going until you get close to the waterfall when you leave the firetrail and walk on a more uneven bush track. You can read more details on the walk and the falls in this post.
If you want to make a whole day of it, it’s easily combined with a visit to that trough waterfall that went viral on social media.
19. Ebor Falls, Waterfall Way
Ebor Falls is a true beauty. The upper and lower falls are both very different and each are gorgeous in their own right. The upper falls are the most famous, if you’ve seen pictures of Ebor Falls before, it’s almost always the upper falls.
They are very wide and make a beautiful shape as they flow over the cliff. It’s just a one minute walk from the car park to see them. I wish you could get even closer, but it’s still a spectacular sight.
You can then take the short, paved walking path over to check out the lower falls. Unfortunately the 2020 bush fires destroyed the viewing platform, so you can’t get an uninterrupted view, but you do still get some good ones along the trail.
You can also drive over to the lower falls viewing area, but it’s such a short walk that there isn’t really any point!
20. Somersby Falls, Central Coast
The most famous falls on the Central Coast is a multi-tiered waterfall in a gorgeous forest setting. It’s hard to choose whether the middle or lower falls are the most beautiful, but as they are only a five minute walk apart you don’t have to choose between which you should visit.
Neither the middle or lower falls are especially high, but there’s something about them and the way that the water flows that is just mesmerising.
The lower falls are more secluded as they are surrounded by more dense bushland and there are plenty of rocks and logs to perch on and enjoy the spectacle.
The walk from the top to the bottom of Somersby Falls is only around 10 minutes each way, and mainly on well formed staircases. You can read more tips for your visit in this post.
21. Sylvia Falls, Blue Mountains
Sylvia Falls lies along the jaw dropping Valley of the Waters Track which is an absolute must for waterfall lovers. If you’re feeling adventurous you can add on the Wentworth Pass Track, which is easily one of the best walks in all the Blue Mountains.
But back to Sylvia Falls, there’s just something about it that is so captivating. It’s a ridiculously photogenic waterfall, but it’s not one of those where the photos look better than reality.
The reality is even more beautiful, it’s just a truly enchanting place, from the shape of the water, to the view of the mountains as it tumbles over the cliffside. It’s a must do.
To reach Sylvia Falls via the quickest route, it’s just over 1km each way, and passes the canyoners favourite, Empress Falls. There are quite a lot of stairs to climb up on the way back but you definitely won’t regret it!
22. Ellenborough Falls, Elands
Ellenborough is not just the tallest single drop waterfall in NSW, it's also the second highest in the whole country. It's a jaw-dropping sight and easily one of the most magnificent on this list.
You can view the falls from the top which is less than a one minute walk, but the best views come a little further along the trail. If the flow allows then a swim at the very bottom will be a moment you will never forget!
The walk to all the lookouts and the base of the falls is on a well manicured track. There are quite a few stairs, but also plenty of benches and the rainforest keeps the trail shady.
You can read more, including details on another swimming spot that's un-signposted in this guide.
23. Rawson Falls, near Port Macquarie
It's hard to believe Rawson Falls is not more well known. The waterfall is incredible and the setting, utterly spectacular. The rainforest reminded us of Dorrigo yet we never saw another soul and that was on a public holiday! If water levels are high you will see the waterfall at its most striking, but it does mean the pool at the base is too crazy to swim in, so there are pros and cons to whenever you visit.
The walk to get to the bottom of the falls is surprisingly easy for such a big waterfall, it's maintained all the way, but does have some rocks and tree roots to contend with and gets muddy after heavy rain.
You can read all the details on the track in this guide.
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