We’re always a bit sceptical about how long it takes to get to the bottom of waterfalls in Australia. It is actually the first waterfall that I ever swam under. Most are just a few steps, an easy hike or a short drive off main travel corridors. Bellingen is located on the scenic Waterfall Way alongside the Bellinger River and is geographically located 19 kilometres due west from the coastal town of Mylestom on the Coffs Coast. My Waterfall Way offers the famous World Heritage Gondwana Rainforests The Waterfall Way was recently voted as one of the best scenic drives in NSW, winding through five National Parks starting from beaches at Sawtell and Valla through Bellingen with lush green farm paddocks to the Dorrigo Plateau. Another great place is Bristol Falls in Bristol. → Click here to see the pin location on Google Maps. Two waterfalls flow right beside the road as it meanders up to Dorrigo. Sometimes when we go exploring around Australia to find waterfalls or hiking spots, driving in our normal car can be a bit tricky and worst of all it can take ages to get to. Known as being one of the highest single drop waterfalls in Australia, we wanted to find out how difficult it would be to reach the bottom of Ellenborough Falls. 8. Dorrigo National Park is located on the famous Waterfall Way Drive, a scenic road trip from Armidale to Coffs Harbour. Cathedral Falls Considered to be one of the most photogenic waterfalls in Southwest Washington, Cathedral Falls is a great family-friendly destination near Riffe Lake. To help, here are the top 20 hikes and walks around Bellingen — so you can just get out and go. Ellenborough Falls is the third highest waterfall in Australia at 160m, after Wollomombi Falls near Bellingen in NSW (220m) and Wallaman Falls in Queensland (300m). Other highlights of the drive include the granite tors in Cathedral Rock National Park, Point lookout in New England National Park, and the Wollomombi Gorge and Falls picnic area, near Armidale, which has one of the state’s highest drops. Qudo Japanese restaurant. You don’t need to be a professional writer, we just want to hear from like minded people who like to have fun. The lagoon is located at the top of the falls and has a rope swing and crystal clear water. I’m sure in the height of summer, this would be an awesome swimming spot. You can find it along the Panther Creek Trail in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The park includes the magical Crystal Showers Falls walk, the breathtaking Skywalk lookout, and Dangar Falls. Ebor Falls should not be missed. All this is just a few minutes walk from Ebor Falls car park. Bellingen & surrounds (14km east) Bellingen is a thriving, exciting town, offering a great blend of cultural heritage, arts, crafts, cafes, restaurants, sporting activities … in addition to friendly and interesting people. Waterfalls marked as Unknown are either suspected to exist based on heresay or a hunch, or we have received unverified information suggesting a waterfall may exist near the location provided but cannot corroborate it in any way. Find out more about how you could be sent on free trips around Australia for Londoner In Sydney! Walk through lush rainforest to reach Crystal Shower Falls in Dorrigo National Park near Coffs Harbour. Park at Cascade Park's main parking lot. Just an FYI – there are also clean toilets located at Ellenborough Falls as well so you won’t need to pee in the bush 😉. Bellingen. Each waterfall offers a unique experience. The secret lagoon is located just a few minutes walk to the left of the car park. The vibrant and bohemian town at the end is packed full of funky eateries within its heritage streetscape. When he went to investigate, he found the lagoon. We only found out about it from someone in the car park. Although there is 641 steps to climb on the hike down to the bottom of Ellenborough Falls, we saw everyone on this hike – from families with young kids to old people. We met an Aussie guy at the bottom of the falls and he told us he had swam in Ellenborough Falls twice before in Summer and he said it was just as cold as it was when we visited on a cold day in October. It’s the first waterfall we’ve been to in NSW that actually has a kiosk! The main lookout and viewing platform take just a few minutes to walk to. These spectacular waterfalls are easily accessible, yet in a beautiful, remote location. Be prepared to bring some warm clothes because it was much colder here than I was expecting! Hiking around Bellingen is one of the best ways to experience more of the landscape, although finding the right route is not always easy. I always wear my trusted SCARPA boots I wore when I hiked to Everest Base Camp last year which I bought from HERE. There’s the main lookout over the top of the falls, the viewing platform and The Knoll which takes you opposite the falls. As it’s quite a short walk, there are some seats throughout the walk so you can rest. Stunning scenery We spent a day travelling from Armidale to Port Macquarie and stopped in at Wollomombi Falls, Ebor Falls, the Point lookout, Dorrigo and finally Bellingen. As we’re big fans of hiking in NSW and love finding some of the best waterfalls in Australia, we were lucky to explore Ellenborough Falls recently. It is administered by the Bellingen Shire Council. 3. West Falls are wider and taller but they both are amazing to see. It had been raining for two days continuously before we did this hike. How fit do you have to be to walk to the bottom of the waterfall? Whenever you go walking in the bush in Australia, always wear hiking boots no matter what. Starting at 730 metres above sea level and ending at 15, the 30-minute drive from Dorrigo to Bellingen takes on steep and winding proportions as it spirals down through rainforest, past waterfalls and along the Bellinger River. The Knoll is a bit further on and takes 10 minutes to walk around to the opposite end of the falls. For day visitors, please plan ahead and visit outside of peak periods (11am and 2pm). Don’t Forget To Watch Our Ellenborough Falls Video! Water sports include kayaking or canoeing on the many local rivers, fishing, swimming, or boat cruises at Urunga. We couldn’t believe there’s a cafe at Ellenborough Falls because it … We went to visit Wollomombi Falls during our trip to Bellingen HERE which is absolutely incredible. YOU COULD BE SENT ON SOME AWESOME FREE TRIPS! Overview The 185 kilometre Waterfall Way scenic drive links Coffs harbour and Armidale, passing rainforest, river valleys and waterfalls, including New England and Dorrigo National Parks. The Promised Lands and Never Never Creek is located near Bellingen Town in northern New South Wales. Check Availability & Book Now . You could cover Waterfall Way scenic drive in about two-and-a-half hours, but with so many amazing stops along the way, it could take you all day. Your email address will not be published. If it wasn’t for our amazing host at the Bellingen YHA, we probably … East Falls and West Falls at Cascade Park Easily Accessible. There are three lookouts at Ellenborough Falls. You can definitely drive to Ellenborough Falls in a 2wd car. To be honest, we only found out about Ellenborough Falls as we’re currently staying in the nearby beach town of Old Bar. Required fields are marked *. Stunning scenery We spent a day travelling from Armidale to Port Macquarie and stopped in at Wollomombi Falls, Ebor Falls, the Point lookout, Dorrigo and finally Bellingen. I doubt you’ll see anywhere else like it in Australia and best of all it’s located just off Waterfall Way. Immerse yourself in nature as you enjoy breathtaking views over the Bellingen Valley all the way back to the Coffs Coast, walk through ancient Gondwana Rainforest in Dorrigo World Heritage Listed National Park, visit waterfalls and taste the local wine and delicious brandy cremes at Raleigh Winery. The old parking area was upstream of the falls, and a steep concrete stairway led to the base of the falls. VisitNSW.com is the official tourism site for Destination NSW, a department of NSW Government. Ask for details at Dorrigo Rainforest Centre Dome Rd Dorrigo Ebor Falls – Guy Fawkes River National Park along the Waterfall Way between Dorrigo and Armidale It is only a twenty minute drive to the nearby town of Tintenbar and it's easy to see why this place gets so crowded. Photo credit: Exotic Hikes Bare in mind there are 641 steps! Such lovely spots to pull off the highway and explore the area and views. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website. You’ll also need them to climb over the boulders to get to the base of the falls when you reach the bottom. If you’re Australian based and you love exploring new places, we want to hear from you! If you’re looking for things to do in Port Macquarie, here’s everything you need to know about visiting Ellenborough Falls so you’ll be totally prepared. Waterfall Way Visitor Information Centre Hyde St, Bellingen NSW 2454 Ph: 02 6655 1522. You could cover…, As one of the oldest, largest and most diverse, Bellingen Community Markets is abuzz every third Saturday of the month in…, Bellingen Shire celebrates its creativity with more than 100 arts and music activities, exhibitions, workshops and…, The Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival is unique among Australian writers’ festivals in being situated in the…, By signing up, I have read and agree to the, Destination New South Wales (Corporate site). Dorrigo Visitor Information Centre Hickory St, Dorrigo NSW 2453 Ph: 02 6657 2486. 30 Best Day Trips From Sydney Everyone Will Love! I also wore my trusted Nike leggings from HERE and my Marmot windproof and waterproof jacket I also wore on the hike to Everest Base Camp from HERE. Bellingen … Here, you will find a refreshing and fun place to cool off from the summer heat. © Copyright 2020 Destination NSW. Do you need a 4wd to get to Ellenborough Falls? Waterfall Way: Bellingen, Ebor Falls and Wollomombi Falls are the highlights - See 343 traveler reviews, 128 candid photos, and great deals for Armidale, Australia, at Tripadvisor.