NERD BY DAY

Belmore Falls hike to the bottom

Vasily Shapochka -

Difficulty

Easy to Medium (4/10)

Time

1.5 hours return at a steady pace of 2 minutes / 100 meters

Gear

  • Your usual gym shoes and clothing will work (add a hoodie during winter time)
  • A towel and swimmers (only if you fancy a dip or want cross the water at the bottom)
  • Sun glasses
  • Snacks

Location

Belmore Falls is located just south of Wollongong, about 2 hours drive from Sydney. It is part of the Morton National Park in the Southern Highlands.

You'll be passing a small town - Robertson before turning off onto a narrow winding dirt road. Leave you car at the Belmore Falls Lookout carpark and head out onto the Belmore Falls Lookout Track, which isn't really a track but a 500 meter pathway contouring the edge of the cliffs.

There will be a couple of lookout points, one looking out on the valley and the second will give you a glimpse of the waterfalls (below).

Hiking

The actual track to the bottom isn't officially open and you will clearly see a fence with a scary "No Pedestrian Access" sign warning you to stay away. That is exactly where you want to go once you jump over the fence. Fear not, you will probably encounter a few families with young kids on the way so the track isn't that scary at all.

About 30 meters from the fence, turn left onto the steep and narrow stairs. Continue making your way through the various obstacles (fallen trees, branches, muddy puddles, etc) until you eventually reach the waterfall.

The actual descent from the point where you jump the fence only took about 25 minutes at a steady pace. Don't forget to slow down and look around, there will be a few openings in the greenery that will give you a closer look at the waterfall.

Once you reach the bottom, the view if quite breathtaking. If you're keen to cross the river to get closer (or under) the waterfall you'll need to get your feet wet. The water will be refreshing during summer and icy in winter. Spend at much time as you like here, relax, have a snack and take some selfies before heading back up.

Return

If it's still early in the day, stop by in Robertson to pick some fresh apples (depending on season) or get a pie at the Robertson Pie Shop