Snapshot
| Where | About 445km and five to six hours' drive north of Sydney · About 20km east of Walcha off the Oxley Highway · Roughly 39km east of Armidale to the Wollomombi Falls precinct · Armidale Airport is the nearest airport, 40 minutes' drive from Walcha |
|---|---|
| Getting there | Sealed highway and Waterfall Way reach the main precincts in a 2WD — Apsley Falls is 1km off the Oxley Highway on a sealed road · Tia Falls is 6km off the Oxley Highway on an unsealed road, Budds Mare is 6km of unsealed road off Moona Plains and 2WD in dry weather only · NPWS lists the park's roads as unsealed and 4WD as required in wet weather · Riverside, Youdales Hut and Halls Peak need low-range 4WD, an access permit and a gate code, with no trailers or motorbikes at Riverside |
| Best time | March–May and September–November — NPWS nominates autumn for the longer bushwalks and river views, and spring for wildflowers on the heath along the gorge rims; days are mild and unsealed access roads are at their most reliable |
| Worst time | December–February — days average 17°C to 28°C against a recorded high of 42.2°C, summer storms close tracks and make the unsealed entries a 4WD job, and dry spells shrink the falls to trickles and the rivers to rock pools |
| Time needed | 2–3 days — a day for the Wollomombi and Apsley Falls rim walks, a day for Gara Gorge and Tia Falls, and a third for the remote gorge lookouts |
| Cost | Day-use vehicle permits are required only at Halls Peak, Riverside and Youdales Hut, bought online or on 1300 072 757 · Riverside day-use permits run 7am to 7pm · Tia Falls camping carries no camping fee but a $6 booking fee · Guided Green Gully Track trips are priced on application |
| Facilities | Toilets at Apsley Falls campground and picnic area, Blue Hole picnic area and Budds Mare; showers only at East Kunderang Homestead and on the Green Gully Track · Drinking water at Blue Hole picnic area and the Green Gully Track, and untreated water at Apsley Falls and Wollomombi campgrounds that must be boiled · Mobile reception is limited to none across much of the park · No fuel anywhere in the park |
| Best for | Waterfall and gorge watchers working the Waterfall Way and Oxley Highway · Self-reliant 4WD campers and hut-to-hut walkers · Birdwatchers and platypus spotters |
| Difficulty |
3 of 5 — Challenging
The headline walks are short rim tracks of 2.8km to 5.5km at Grade 3, but the remote walks (Salisbury Waters at 16km return, Grade 4) and low-range 4WD access to Riverside and Halls Peak lift the park well beyond easy. |
Driving there? Car hire and what to check →
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park protects the eastern edge of the New England Tablelands, where the Great Escarpment breaks into the Apsley and Macleay river gorges — one of Australia's largest gorge systems, with walls approaching 600 metres deep in places and waterfall drops of more than 100 metres common. The park's plan of management records the largest single drop at 240 metres at Wollomombi Falls, which NSW National Parks describes as the highest waterfall in New South Wales, and the park sits within the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.
This is Dunghutti country through the Macleay valley, with Anaiwan people on the tablelands above and Thungutti people recorded around Green Gully, where flakes, choppers, scarred trees and blade production sites show occupation over thousands of years. Most day visitors come for the rim walks — 4km return to the Wollomombi and Chandler river confluence, 2.8km past four lookouts above Apsley Gorge — and for the platypus in the Apsley River below.
Go if…
- You want gorge country at scale — walls approaching 600 metres deep, waterfall drops over 100 metres and a 240 metre single drop at Wollomombi Falls
- You like short walks to big views: the Oxley track is 2.8km return and the Wollomombi track 4km return, both Grade 3 and both finishing at lookouts
- You're set up for remote camping — low-range 4WD, an access permit, a gate code, and your own water and firewood at Riverside or Halls Peak
- You watch birds or rivers: more than 170 bird species are recorded and platypus live in the Apsley River
Skip it if…
- You're heading for Dangars Gorge — the whole precinct, including the campground, picnic area, lookouts, McDirtys and Salisbury Waters tracks, is closed for visitor facility upgrades until 31 January 2027
- You want dependable swimming holes in summer — dry spells shrink the falls to trickles and the rivers to rock pools
- You need phone reception or sealed roads the whole way — NPWS lists the park's roads as unsealed and 4WD as required in wet weather, and reception is limited to none in much of the park
- You want a multi-day walk where you carry a tent and go unbooked — the park's 65km Green Gully Track is hut-to-hut through declared wilderness and is booked ahead
What to expect
Reviewed
You reach the park on two sealed approaches: the Oxley Highway from Walcha, 20km east to Apsley Falls, and Waterfall Way from Armidale, about 39km east to the Wollomombi Falls picnic area. Everything NPWS lists as a park road beyond those precincts is unsealed, and 4WD is required in wet weather. From the lookouts you can see what the tableland edge is doing here: the Great Escarpment, which runs the length of eastern Australia, breaks into the Apsley and Macleay river gorges, and the plan of management puts the deepest gorge walls at close to 600 metres, with waterfall drops of more than 100 metres common and the largest single drop — 240 metres — at Wollomombi Falls. The rock tells the same story: metamorphosed sediments and volcanics on the western tablelands, deformed sandstones, siltstones, conglomerates and tuffs in the eastern gorge country, and a limestone karst system with 17 recorded caves draining into Kunderang Brook. Elevation runs from 200 metres at Georges Creek to 1,294 metres at Baynes Mountain, which is why one afternoon's drive can feel like two different climates.
The Wollomombi Falls precinct is the first stop most people make, signposted off Waterfall Way between Armidale and Dorrigo. The Wollomombi walking track leaves the gorge and falls picnic area and runs 4km return — 1hr 30min to 2hrs, Grade 3 — on a formed track with gentle hills, occasional steps and some obstacles, clearly signposted and needing no experience. What you walk out to is the confluence of two rivers: the Wollomombi and the Chandler both drop into the same deep gorge, and after summer rains the falls are at their most impressive. In drier months the water thins to a ribbon and the cliff walls do the work. Heath along the rim flowers in spring, and wedge-tailed eagles and peregrine falcons work the updraughts above the drop while you look down 240 metres to the creek.
Apsley Falls, 20km east of Walcha and 1km off the Oxley Highway on a sealed road, is the other easy day. The Oxley walking track traces the northern rim of Apsley Gorge on a formed 1.2-metre-wide bitumen path — 2.8km return, 1hr to 1hr 30min, Grade 3 — with three benches along the way and accessible parking and toilets at the picnic area. It passes four named lookouts: Apsley Chasm, Apsley Lower Falls, Apsley Slate Walls at the end of the track, and Oxley lookout above a rock amphitheatre at the upper falls. NPWS recommends the Lower Falls lookout in particular. Below you the Apsley River holds platypus, water dragons work the warm rocks, and brush-tailed rock-wallabies — with their distinct white cheek stripe — use the cliff faces. This is the walk to do with children or anyone who wants the gorge without the descent.
Gara Gorge, 18km southeast of Armidale off Waterfall Way, is where the park's human history shows. The Threlfall walking track is a 5.5km loop — 1hr 30min to 2hrs 30min, Grade 3 — that passes the route of an 1894 hydro-electric scheme and finishes at Gara Gorge lookout, with the Blue Hole picnic area nearby offering toilets and drinking water. Further out the country gets properly remote: Budds Mare is 43km from Walcha with 6km of unsealed access off Moona Plains and 2WD in dry weather only, and the lookout there opens over the Macleay gorge country. Riverside, Halls Peak and Youdales Hut all need low-range 4WD, an access permit and a gate code; Riverside has no phone reception, and NPWS expects self-reliant visitors there.
More than 170 bird species are recorded in the park, from wedge-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon and southern boobook to tawny frogmouth and spotted nightjar, and the mammal list includes dingo, spotted-tailed quoll and brush-tailed rock-wallaby. The Green Gully Track runs 65km through declared wilderness over six days of guided walking, sleeping in refurbished heritage stockman's huts with beds, water tanks, solar lighting and flush toilets rather than tents, through wild river, tall open forest and open grassy woodland. Thungutti people lived in these gorges for thousands of years — flakes, choppers, hammer stones, scarred trees and blade production sites are recorded here — and the gorges offered refuge into the early 1900s. NPWS does not publish the locations of Aboriginal sites, and the park asks visitors to treat all rock formations, scarred trees and ground features with care.
Where to stay
Most people base in Armidale or Walcha and drive out to the lookouts, or camp inside the park at Apsley Falls, Tia Falls or Wollomombi; the remote gorge campgrounds need a low-range 4WD and an access permit.
When bookings open: NPWS publishes no booking window for these campgrounds: book online for up to 12 people or 2 sites, or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757 between 7am and 7pm daily. Riverside and Youdales Hut bookings come with a gate code and are only for low-range 4WD vehicles. Official booking page. Checked 7 November 2026. Booking dates for every state.
| Stay | Guest rating | Best for | Distance | Style | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apsley Falls campground (NPWS) | 4.7 / 5 (81 ratings, Google) | Walkers wanting an easy, sealed-road base at the park's best-lookout walk | In the park at Apsley Falls, 20km east of Walcha and 1km off the Oxley Highway | Bush camping, 14 marked unpowered sites for tents, camper trailers and caravans · toilets, barbecues, picnic tables · untreated water — boil at least 10 minutes before drinking | Book now |
| Tia Falls campground (NPWS) | Not rated | A quiet night after the Tiara walk, at the cheapest camping in the park | 43km from Walcha, 6km off the Oxley Highway on an unsealed road | Bush camping, 6 sites for tents, camper trailers and caravans · toilets and barbecues · no camping fee, $6 booking fee | Book now |
| Wollomombi campground (NPWS) | Not rated | An early start on the Waterfall Way, walking distance from the gorge rim | about 39km east of Armidale, signposted off Waterfall Way | Bush camping, 10 sites for tents, camper trailers and caravans · one toilet only · water available but not treated | Book now |
| East Kunderang Homestead (NPWS) | 5.0 / 5 (5 ratings, Google) | Families or groups who want a roof and showers deep inside the park | In the park on East Kunderang Road, Jeogla | Heritage homestead lodging with showers, booked through NPWS · no phone or internet service | Book now |
| Tattersalls Hotel | 4.7 / 5 (68 reviews, TripAdvisor) | A town base with cafes and galleries, close to both the Wollomombi and Gara Gorge entries | In central Armidale, about 39km from the Wollomombi Falls precinct | Heritage pub with hotel rooms in the middle of Armidale · walking distance to services | Check rates |
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What to do here
7 walks & sights
Wollomombi walking track
The track leaves the Wollomombi Gorge and Falls picnic area, signposted off Waterfall Way between Armidale and Dorrigo, and follows the rim on a formed track with gentle hills, occasional steps and some obstacles. It is clearly signposted and NPWS requires no experience. What you walk out to is the confluence of two rivers — the Wollomombi and the Chandler both drop into the same gorge — with the falls at their most impressive after summer rains. In dry months the water thins to a ribbon and the cliff walls do the work; wedge-tailed eagles and peregrine falcons work the updraughts above the drop.
Oxley walking track (Apsley Falls)
A formed 1.2m-wide bitumen path along the northern rim of Apsley Gorge from the Apsley Falls picnic area, with three benches, accessible parking and accessible toilets. It passes four named lookouts: Apsley Chasm, Apsley Lower Falls, Apsley Slate Walls at the end, and Oxley lookout above a rock amphitheatre at the upper falls. Platypus live in the Apsley River below and brush-tailed rock-wallabies use the cliff faces.
Threlfall walking track (Gara Gorge)
A loop from the Gara Gorge area that passes the route of the 1894 hydro-electric scheme and finishes at Gara Gorge lookout over the river below. The Blue Hole picnic area nearby has toilets and drinking water, so it is the natural lunch stop. NPWS places the trailhead in the Gara Gorge area, 18km southeast of Armidale off Waterfall Way.
Tiara walking track (Tia Falls)
From the Tia Falls picnic area, 43km from Walcha with 6km of unsealed access off the Oxley Highway, this Grade 4 walk climbs to the Tiara lookout over the Tia River with an optional detour to Tiara View lookout on the way. It is the shortest of the park's harder walks and a good warm-up for anything remote. Camp at the 6-site Tia Falls campground beside the picnic area afterwards.
Green Gully Track
The Green Gully Track runs 65km through declared wilderness over six days of guided walking, sleeping in refurbished heritage stockman's huts with beds, water tanks, solar lighting and flush toilets instead of tents. NPWS rates it hard: a high level of fitness, steep hills and creek crossings, suitable for ages 12 and over. Two licensed operators run it — a six-day version meeting at Port Macquarie Airport and a five-day version of the same 65km — with guides, meals and satellite communication included. More than 170 bird species are recorded in the park, so binoculars earn their space in the pack.
Salisbury Waters walking track
The park's hardest named day walk, starting and finishing at the Dangars Falls picnic area: 8km down to the bottom of the gorge and an 8km steep ascent back, with optional detours to Mihi Falls and Sarum lookout. NPWS notes there is no mobile reception on the track and recommends a trip intention form, drinking water, snacks, sturdy shoes and binoculars. Dangars Gorge campground is the natural overnight base when the precinct reopens.
Budds Mare lookout and Blue Hole picnic area
Budds Mare, 43km from Walcha with 6km of unsealed access off Moona Plains, is the lookout for the Macleay gorge country and the Paradise Rocks valley, with toilets at the campground and the lookout. Blue Hole picnic area, near Gara Gorge, has toilets and drinking water — one of the few places in the park where you can refill. Both are good half-hour stops that make the drive between the western and eastern precincts worthwhile.
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park itineraries: 1, 2 or 3 days
3 plans
One day: Wollomombi Falls and Gara Gorge
- Morning. Wollomombi walking track from the Wollomombi Gorge and Falls picnic area, signposted off Waterfall Way about 39km east of Armidale (4km return, 1hr 30min to 2hrs, Grade 3). The formed track follows the rim above the confluence of the Wollomombi and Chandler rivers, with gentle hills and occasional steps.
- Midday. Picnic at the Wollomombi picnic area, then drive back towards Armidale and out to Gara Gorge, 18km southeast of the city off Waterfall Way.
- Afternoon. Threlfall walking track (5.5km loop, 1hr 30min to 2hrs 30min, Grade 3) past the route of the 1894 hydro-electric scheme to Gara Gorge lookout. The Blue Hole picnic area nearby has toilets and drinking water, one of the few places in the park that does.
Two rim walks in a day — the Wollomombi walking track and the Threlfall walking track. Base in Armidale: no day-use vehicle permit is needed at either precinct, so the only costs are fuel and food. Fill up in Armidale before you leave, because there is no fuel anywhere in the park, and carry drinking water apart from what you can collect at Blue Hole picnic area. NPWS lists the park's roads as unsealed and 4WD as required in wet weather, so check conditions before you drive the gorge entries.
Two days: add Apsley Falls and a night at Tia Falls
- Day 1. The Wollomombi walking track (4km return) in the morning and the Threlfall walking track (5.5km loop) in the afternoon, with a night in Armidale.
- Day 2, morning. Drive 65km from Armidale to Walcha, then 20km east on the Oxley Highway to Apsley Falls, 1km off the highway on a sealed road. Oxley walking track (2.8km return, 1hr to 1hr 30min, Grade 3) passes Apsley Chasm, Apsley Lower Falls, Apsley Slate Walls and Oxley lookouts on a formed bitumen path.
- Day 2, afternoon. Continue to Tia Falls, 43km from Walcha with 6km of unsealed road off the Oxley Highway, and walk the Tiara track (5km return, 1hr 30min to 2hrs, Grade 4) out to the lookout over the Tia River.
- Night. Tia Falls campground, 6 campsites beside the picnic area with toilets and barbecues.
One night at Tia Falls campground, which has no camping fee and a $6 booking fee; book online before arrival for up to 12 people or 2 sites, or call 1300 072 757. Base in Armidale for the first night, then Tia Falls. Carry all your drinking water — Tia Falls has toilets and barbecues but no drinking water — and fill up in Walcha, the last fuel before the gorge roads. The Tia Falls access road is unsealed and 4WD is required in wet weather; the park can close for poor weather or fire danger.
Three days: the remote gorge rim
- Day 1. Wollomombi walking track (4km return) and Threlfall walking track (5.5km loop), with a night in Armidale.
- Day 2. Oxley walking track (2.8km return) at Apsley Falls, then the Tiara track (5km return) at Tia Falls and a night at Tia Falls campground (6 sites).
- Day 3, morning. Drive to Budds Mare, 43km from Walcha with 6km of unsealed access off Moona Plains and 2WD in dry weather only. The lookout opens over the Macleay gorge country and the Paradise Rocks valley, and there are toilets at Budds Mare campground and lookout.
- Day 3, afternoon (low-range 4WD only). Riverside, 49km from Walcha: a day-use vehicle permit and a gate code are required, the descent is steep and low-range, trailers and motorbikes are not permitted, and there is no phone reception. Bring drinking water, cooking water and firewood.
- Day 3, the reason to come back. The Green Gully Track — 65km over six days of guided walking through declared wilderness, sleeping in heritage stockman's huts rather than tents.
Two nights, one of them at Tia Falls campground (no camping fee, $6 booking fee, book online for up to 12 people or 2 sites), with Armidale or Walcha as the base between walks. No day-use vehicle permit is needed at Wollomombi, Gara Gorge, Apsley Falls or Budds Mare; Riverside and Youdales Hut require one. Carry drinking and cooking water and firewood for the remote sections and fill up in Walcha. Check the NPWS alerts page before you leave — the Dangars Gorge precinct is closed for visitor facility upgrades until 31 January 2027, and the park can close for poor weather or fire danger.
Suggested gear for Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
18 items
- Water bottles or a hydration bladder Carry at least 2 litres per person on the walks.
- Water treatment tablets or a filter Treat creek and camping-area water before drinking.
- Sun hat, sunscreen (SPF 50+) and sunglasses
- Sturdy, broken-in walking shoes or boots
- Day pack (20–30 L)
- First aid kit, including blister care
- Insect repellent
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Personal locator beacon Mobile coverage is unreliable in remote parks.
- Water capacity of at least 3 litres per person plus a collapsible container Drinking water is listed only at Blue Hole picnic area and the Green Gully Track; the Apsley Falls and Wollomombi campground water is untreated and must be boiled for at least 10 minutes.
- A fuel stove and your own firewood Riverside asks campers to bring firewood in, there is nowhere to buy it near the gorge entries, and total fire bans can apply over summer.
- A tyre repair kit, full-size spare and a compressor The park's roads are listed by NPWS as unsealed and 4WD is required in wet weather, with sharp gravel on the Tia Falls and Budds Mare entries.
- A jerry can of spare fuel There is no fuel anywhere in the park, and Walcha and Armidale are the last outlets before the gorge roads.
- Paper topographic map or offline GPS mapping of the Macleay gorges Reception is limited to none across much of the park, including Riverside, and NPWS warns you need reception to call Triple Zero.
- Warm fleece, beanie and gloves The tableland runs from 200m to 1,294m above sea level, and winter days here average between 7°C and 17°C with a recorded low of 5.1°C.
- Swimmers, a quick-dry towel and water shoes NPWS nominates summer's warm river water for swimming and canoeing, and the Blue Hole area is the place for it when the rivers are up.
- Binoculars or a small spotting scope More than 170 bird species are recorded, wedge-tailed eagles and peregrine falcons work the gorge walls, and platypus are far easier to see with magnification at dawn.
How this compares
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park vs Dorrigo National Park
Dorrigo National Park, at the eastern end of Waterfall Way, is the rainforest answer — Crystal Shower Falls, a skywalk boardwalk out over an escarpment edge, and sheltered creek walking through World Heritage canopy. Choose Dorrigo for green, formed rainforest walks close to town; choose Oxley Wild Rivers National Park for 240 metre waterfall drops, big gorge walls and remote 4WD country.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5 — Moderate
- Access
- Sealed Waterfall Way; 2WD in all weather
- Best for
- Rainforest walks · waterfall boardwalks · families
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park vs New England National Park
New England National Park, on Waterfall Way near Ebor, is the escarpment park — Point Lookout for sunrise over World Heritage rainforest to the Pacific, and the Lyrebird walking track through basalt cliffs and cool temperate rainforest. Choose New England for cool rainforest and dawn views to the coast; choose Oxley Wild Rivers National Park for dry gorge country, waterfall lookouts and hut-to-hut walking.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5 — Moderate
- Access
- Waterfall Way then gravel roads; 2WD in good conditions, motorhomes fine at Point Lookout
- Best for
- Escarpment views · cool rainforest · sunrise
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park vs Guy Fawkes River National Park
Guy Fawkes River National Park, east of Armidale near Ebor, is the quieter gorge neighbour — Ebor Falls dropping over two tiers with four lookout platforms linked by a short loop, plus river camping and canoeing on the Boyd. Choose Guy Fawkes for a smaller, greener gorge park with swimming and easy lookouts; choose Oxley Wild Rivers National Park for the deepest gorge walls on the tableland edge and a full run of named waterfall walks.
- Difficulty
- 2 of 5 — Moderate
- Access
- Sealed Waterfall Way to Ebor Falls; rugged unsealed access to the wilderness sections
- Best for
- Waterfall lookouts · camping · river swimming
Before you go
- Check the NPWS alerts page before you leave — the Dangars Gorge precinct, including its campground, picnic area, lookouts and the McDirtys and Salisbury Waters tracks, is closed for visitor facility upgrades until 31 January 2027, and hazard reduction burns are listed from time to time
- Book campgrounds online before arrival or call the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757 (7am–7pm daily); online bookings cover up to 12 people or 2 sites
- Buy a day-use vehicle permit only if you're heading for Halls Peak, Riverside or Youdales Hut — the three areas that require one; at Riverside the permit runs 7am to 7pm and is included in the campground fee if you stay
- Riverside, Youdales Hut and Halls Peak need a low-range 4WD and a gate code, with no trailers or motorbikes at Riverside and no phone reception there — plan as if you cannot call for help
- Fill up in Walcha or Armidale — there is no fuel anywhere in the park, and the last outlets before the gorge roads are in those two towns
- Carry all your drinking water, and treat or boil campground water: the Apsley Falls and Wollomombi supply is untreated and NPWS says to boil it for at least 10 minutes
- Take a trip intention form on any remote gorge walk — NPWS notes there is no mobile reception on the Salisbury Waters track and recommends one
- Download the Emergency Plus app before you leave town: NPWS notes limited reception in the park and that you need reception to call Triple Zero (000)
When to go
seasons & the hard months
Autumn (March–May) is the season NPWS nominates for the longer bushwalks and river views, and spring (September–November) for wildflowers on the heath along the gorge rims. Days are mild, the unsealed access roads are at their most reliable, and the falls still carry flow into early autumn. Summer storms and winter frosts are both avoidable in this window, which makes it the sensible time to tackle the Tiara and Threlfall tracks or to plan a run at the Green Gully Track.
Summer (December–February) has the warm river water NPWS recommends for swimming and canoeing and the biggest falls after rain — January is the wettest month and the area's highest recorded daily rainfall is 234.6mm — but days average 17°C to 28°C against a recorded high of 42.2°C, storms close tracks and roads, and a dry spell shrinks the falls to trickles and the rivers to rock pools. Winter is cold on the tableland, with days averaging between 7°C and 17°C and a recorded low of 5.1°C; July is the driest month, when clear days suit brisk half-day walks but the waterfalls run thin.
Questions
6 answers
Day-use vehicle permits are required in only three areas — Halls Peak, Riverside and Youdales Hut — and are bought online or by calling the National Parks Contact Centre on 1300 072 757. If you are camping, the permit is included in the campground fee. Camping at Tia Falls carries no camping fee, just a $6 booking fee, and Riverside day-use permits are valid 7am to 7pm.
Not for the main precincts. Apsley Falls is 1km off the Oxley Highway on a sealed road, and Apsley Falls, Tia Falls and Wollomombi are all reachable in a standard vehicle, though the Tia Falls entry has 6km of unsealed road. Riverside, Youdales Hut and Halls Peak require low-range 4WD plus an access permit and gate code, and NPWS says 4WD is required in wet weather on the park's unsealed roads.
The Wollomombi walking track — 4km return, 1hr 30min to 2hrs, Grade 3 — for the gorge and the 240 metre drop, then the Oxley walking track at Apsley Falls, 2.8km return past four lookouts. If you have room for a third, the Threlfall loop at Gara Gorge is 5.5km and passes the 1894 hydro-electric scheme.
Apsley Falls (14 sites), Tia Falls (6 sites), Wollomombi (10 sites) and the remote Budds Mare, Riverside and Halls Peak areas, plus heritage accommodation at East Kunderang Homestead and Mooraback cabin. The Dangars Gorge campground (7 sites) is closed for upgrades until 31 January 2027. Book online in advance or call 1300 072 757.
After summer rains — January is the wettest month and the falls are at their most impressive then, with the area's highest recorded daily rainfall 234.6mm. In dry periods the falls often reduce to a trickle and the rivers shrink to rock pools, though the gorge walls and lookouts still hold up. Check NPWS alerts for flood or road closures after heavy rain.
NSW National Parks describes Wollomombi Falls as the highest waterfall in New South Wales, and the park's plan of management records the largest single drop at 240 metres. Waterfall drops of more than 100 metres are common throughout the park, so Wollomombi is the headline rather than the only big drop.
Nearby & next
Official information
Always check current alerts before you travel.