Carrington Falls
How good is the sound of millions of litres of water crashing over rocky cliffs into the water below? We went on an adventure to Carrington Falls in Budderoo National Park and it was sooooo much fun. Here’s what you need to know if you’re going to chase some waterfalls for yourself.
Family Friendly :: Yep, but not great for prams
Easily Accessible :: Car park at the start of the walk
Dog Friendly :: Nope, a no go for doggos
Stairs :: There are some steep stairs to get from the Falls View to the Valley View lookout
Time :: The walking track is a 570 metre loop which only takes about 15-20 minutes to stroll around – longer if you’re oohing and aahing at the view.
Where is it?
Carrington Falls is in the Budderoo National Park which is a 30 – 35 minute drive from Kiama. Head up Jamberoo Mountain Road and turn left at Cloonty Road into Budderoo National Park.
If you want to go to the top of Carrington Falls and do the 570 metre loop walk, bear left and head down to the picnic area. Or if you want to explore the Blue Pool and Nellie’s Glen, bear right. If you fancy having a swim at the top of the falls, park in the main car park on the north side of the falls. Parking is free.
There are a few different picnic areas so pack some snacks or some lunch and make an afternoon of it!
The walk….
We did the 570 metre loop walk which guides you to two lookouts with some gorgeous views of the falls. If you’re after an easy walk just head to the Falls View – this is a very easy, fairly flat walk. You could probably take a pram on this one if you had someone to help you lift it up and down a few stairs that are on the track.
If you’re okay with some steeper stairs, keep heading up the pathway to the second lookout platform which is the Valley View lookout.
Walk a little further on from there and you’ll come to the Kangaroo River. This is a fave swim spot in the warmer months for locals. It’s at the top of the waterfall and very slippery so kids definitely need to be supervised and monitored closely. On a hot day, it’s a great space to plant yourself on a rock and cool off with a float or a dip. On a cool day, it’s just fun to walk around through the water. It IS super slippery though so hang onto the kids!
We definitely recommend good walking shoes – socks and shoes always recommended when bushwalking seeing we share the great outdoors with our wriggly and slithery snake friends!
Why should you do it?
The view of the Carrington Falls is amazing, and the sound is deafening (and oh so fabulous) after heavy rain. It’s a fun adventure day out for the kids and a favourite with nature photographers too.
It’s a great spot to park yourself on a hot day too with Nellie’s Glen and Blue Pool just a short walk away from Carrington Falls.
And it’s an awesome place to take visiting friends and family to watch Mother Nature show off! We love that it offers up a few options – just take a peek at the falls, go for a longer bushwalk or spend a few hours there cooling off.
What’s close by?
The Illawarra Fly Walk is just up the road if the Carrington Falls walk has got you feeling adventurous! And the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre is a short drive away too if you’re keen for some more bushwalking and exploring.
