Waterfall Way NSW: 3-Day Itinerary with Every Stop and Waterfall

The Waterfall Way runs 183km from Armidale on the New England Tablelands down to Coffs Harbour on the NSW North Coast. The Waterfall Way passes at least eight named waterfalls on the route itself, plus a couple of worthwhile detours near Armidale if you have time. We spent three days driving this route, stopping at every waterfall and walking several of the trails. If you want to do more than tick the big names and keep driving, three days is the minimum we’d recommend.

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Along the Waterfall Way there are four NSW National Parks:

• New England National Park
• Guy Fawkes River National Park
• Oxley Wild Rivers National Park
• Dorrigo National Park

We explored the region as part of a longer 5-week trip covering the north and west of NSW.

We began in Armidale after driving from Forster to Tamworth on the first week of a 5-week road trip. You could do this trip in the reverse beginning at Coffs Harbour if you prefer.

We rented a motorhome for our journey and stayed in caravan parks, free camps, and showgrounds. The drive is along sealed roads and easily managed by a 2 wheel drive car, caravan or beast like this.

Here’s a taste of what’s to come.

Armidale: Where the Drive Begins

Armidale is the principal centre in the New England Tablelands and home of the University of New England. At 585km from Sydney and 494km from Brisbane, it makes a good halfway stop on a journey between the capitals and a natural starting point for the Waterfall Way.

Armidale claims the title of Australia’s highest city at 1000m above sea level and is one of the oldest towns in NSW. The university crowd keeps the place humming — cafes were busy with people actually talking to each other, and there was more nightlife on offer than any other country town we passed through on this trip.

Two nights here would be good, three better, and it would be easy for hikers and nature lovers to fill a week.

While most travellers stick to the coast, we decide to do a bit of a loop and cover as much of the region as we could over the course of a week. I am so glad we did as this gave us reason to slow down and really explore, and there is so much to see here.

Things to Do in Armidale

• Have a drink at the Imperial Hotel – a gorgeous old property with ironwork balcony
• Explore the collection at the New England Regional Art Museum (Neram)
• Take a drive out to see the Aboriginal rock art at Mount Yarrowyck
• Wander the gorgeous main street of nearby Uralla

Dangars Falls

Dangars Falls is worth a detour the day before you start the drive. It’s 19km from Armidale in the opposite direction to the Waterfall Way, in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. A short wheelchair accessible walk takes you to the lookout, then a 700m return walk with steps and well-built lookouts leads you to the top of the falls with excellent views over Dangar Gorge.

Stunning spot. Note that in dry seasons there may be little to no water — check before you go. And note the spelling: Dangars Falls near Armidale is different from Dangar Falls in Dorrigo, which you’ll visit later on the drive.

Where to eat in Armidale

We only had two meals out as we were self-catering much of the time to stay on budget, however, we treated ourselves to at least one meal in each town to help support the locals.

• Goldfish Bowl Bakery Cafe – We had a delicious breakfast here – a standard menu but very well executed. The sourdough was particularly good.
• Tattersalls Hotel Armidale – The mains are between $25-40 and there’s a kids menu.

Where to stay in Armidale

Tattersalls Hotel Armidale – If you want a proper splurge night, the Tattersalls is the obvious choice in Armidale. The art deco-styled design is very well done and the rooms are spacious. Located in the centre of town, you can easily explore on foot and give yourself a brief break from being behind the wheel.

Armidale Showground – The closest site to town for RVs and caravans, the showground offers necessary facilities with power and water for $25 a night. We chose to stay here based on the location alone, but the manager was friendly – full of local insight on walks and drives we should try to include. There was plenty of space, and the sunset view over the trees was a pleasant surprise.

After spending two days enjoying Armidale and its surroundings, we began making our way to the coast along the Waterfall Way.

The Route: Armidale to Coffs Harbour

We followed the most common route and while some people do this in one day we took a little longer, allowing us time to walk in a few of the parks. Ideally, we would have had an extra day and spent more time at Cathedral Rocks National Park.

Is Waterfall Way Suitable for Caravans and Motorhomes

Yes, but go in with your eyes open. The entire route runs on sealed roads and caravans, motorhomes, and trucks drive it regularly. The road is windy and steep in sections — take your time, use your gears on the descents, and pull over when faster traffic catches up. There are plenty of spots to do this safely. We drove it in a large hired motorhome in our fourth week of ever driving a motorhome and had no problems.

Two things to be aware of:

• Metz Gorge is on an unsealed road. If you have a rental vehicle with off-road exclusions, skip it and come back in your own car another time.
• New England National Park — the Point Lookout stop is fine for motorhomes, but much of the rest of the park is on dirt roads and not suitable if your rental has strict conditions about where you can drive.

Overnight options for vans and motorhomes along the route:

• Wollomombi Falls: small NPWS campground just off the road with BBQs, picnic tables, water and toilets.
• Ebor Hotel: sites with and without power.
• Dorrigo Mountain Holiday Park: powered sites with views over farmland.
• Dorrigo Showground: $15 unpowered, $25 with power and water.
• Dangar Falls: private campground in town.

Stop 1 – Metz Gorge

Metz Gorge and Lookout were supposed to be our first stop along the route to Coffs Harbour, but we had to give it a miss. I didn’t read the part about it being on an unsealed road and the insurance on our vehicle was voided if we went off-road so… next time. If you have your own car, I suggest you pull in here.

Bakers Creek Falls is nearby and has the same problem for motorhome and caravan travellers — it’s on a gravel road not far off the highway. We skipped this one too for the same reason. If you’re in your own car it’s worth a look, though there’s not a lot of water in the dry season.

Stop 2 – Wollomombi Falls

The first stop of the day for us was Wollomombi Falls, 38km east of Armidale. While the fall was not gushing, even after some recent rains, the gorge is breathtaking.

If you are lucky enough to be here after some serious rain, you will be treated to an even more impressive view as water can rush over the escarpment in three falls with the right rainfall.

We parked in the car park, about five minutes in from the main road, and took a couple of short walks. The walk to the main lookout is only 75m, and it is wheelchair accessible. There is a huge new viewing platform and a clear view across the gorge and of the falls as shown below.

Oxley Wild Rivers National Park has 1100+ recorded plant species – more than any other NSW National Parks.

From here, there are two more short walks, Checks Lookout and Chandler Viewpoint. We took both, Checks Lookout offers a view that is a little further away but is more or less facing the falls. Chandler Viewpoint has stunning views over the gorge.

There are two longer walks you might like to try if you have time:

• Wollomombi Walking Track – 4km return
• Chandler View Circuit Walk – a 6km loop walk

It is not possible to walk to the bottom of the falls here because of very unstable land.

Chandler Falls are also accessible from the Wollomombi car park via an easy 2.5km walk along the ridge. We skipped this one — there wasn’t much water around on the day and we were short on time. If you have the time and conditions are good, it’s worth adding to your Wollomombi visit.

Tip: There is a small, rustic NPWS campground with ten sites just as you head in off the road. It would be a nice place to camp if you prefer not to stay in Armidale. There are BBQs, picnic tables, water, and toilets.

Stop 3 – Point Lookout

Just 35km further along is our next stop, Point Lookout. No waterfall this time, but a stunning lookout over the escarpment. At 1500m above sea level with views out to the Pacific Ocean on a clear day, it reminded me of the view into the Grose Valley from Evans Lookout at Blackheath, but even more vast. If you’ve stood at Evans Lookout, that should tell you everything.

If you are short of time, the Point Lookout Walking Track is an easy 500m (wheelchair accessible) walk with huge rewards. Only 8km off the main road it will not add much time to your journey.

If you have time to extend your visit, we suggest you take a couple of these walks:

• Eagles Nest walking track – an easy 2.2km walk
• Weeping Rock walking track – 2km return
• Tea Tree Falls walking track – 4km return

This is one park we are keen to return to in the car. There is some good accommodation in the park and some parts of the park are more suitable for cars than motorhomes.

After a quick stop and just a stroll along the Point Walking Track, we moved on to Ebor Falls.

Stop 4 – Ebor Falls

We are now about an hour (77km) east of Armidale and 30 minutes (36km) from Cathedral Rock National Park. This is park number three for the day and it’s not even lunchtime yet!

The Guy Fawkes River plunges 100m over two drops at Ebor Falls, with four lookout platforms along the gorge edge giving you different angles on the falls. A 360m loop walk takes you from the car park to the lookouts. The Gumbaynggirr people traditionally called Ebor Falls Martiam, meaning “the great falls.”

If you’re visiting in the warmer months, look out for golden everlasting daisies blooming around the upper falls. As conditions can change, check the current alerts on the NPWS website before you visit.

We had lunch at the picnic area here. If you have not bought your lunch along, there is a walking track from the falls car park into the Ebor village where you will find the Ebor Hotel and Motel. The bistro offers lunch and dinner seven days. There are also a couple of cafes.

If you have done a few of the walks at the stops above, you might like to call it a day here. The Ebor hotel offers sites for RVs with and without power and also motel accommodation is also available.

Stop 5 – Dorrigo Town and Dangar Falls

We decided to push on another 50km to Dorrigo and tick one last waterfall off for the day. You have been driving downhill all day and are now about 730m above sea level, so things are a little warmer.

The area surrounding the town is dairy and cattle country. In the 1840s timber cutters arrived, and many of the streets are named after types of trees. After World War 1, returning service members were offered land here for farming; many went on to become successful dairy farmers. Today, 1040 people called Dorrigo home.

Dorrigo is derived from the Aboriginal word, dondorrigo, meaning “stringy-bark” is part of the Gumbaynggirr Nation.

The town is compact, and the highlight for us was the old Dorrigo Hotel. Built in 1925, the hotel is in wonderful shape and the veranda is the perfect place to relax with a drink. Sadly, the street outside the pub was under repair at the time of our visit, so not a great photo. The restaurant is open seven days for lunch or dinner with hearty affordable meals.

While you are here, check out Griffiths Lookout. The turn-off is about 1km from town and then a 4km drive to the lookout.

Dangar Falls

Less than a km down the main street is the main drawcard for visitors. Dangar Falls tumble 30m to a swimming hole that gets busy on warm days, arrive early if you want a quieter swim.

There is a small viewing platform at the top of the falls where you will also find a picnic area, playground, and toilets. On the day we visited there was a coffee card (good coffee), but this is perhaps just on weekends.

The walk down to the falls is mainly along a well-marked track, with a couple of sets of stairs. The track is a bit washed away towards the end and was quite muddy but otherwise relatively easy. It should not take you more than 10 minutes.

Where: Coramba Road, Dorrigo

Where to Stay in Dorrigo

We spent the night at the Dorrigo Mountain Holiday Park on Dorrigo Plateau. We had been heading to the showground but could not get anyone to answer the phone to book. The park has a lovely view of farmland, and we enjoyed a fantastic sunset and a peaceful night’s sleep.
Where: 3991 Waterfall Way, Dorrigo

Alternatively, Dorrigo Showground offers RV parking for $15 per night or $25 with power/water.

If you are organised, you can book a site at the private campground at Dangar Falls where an early morning swim is a highlight.

The main benefit of staying the night in town is that you can arrive at Dorrigo National Park bright and early so you can hit the track before most of the visitors come.

Stop 6 – Dorrigo National Park

The two big highlights of Dorrigo National Park are Crystal Shower Falls and the Rainforest Skywalk. Visiting these two spots will take you about half a day.

If you want to do any other walks in the park, allow a full day or perhaps two half days with a lazy afternoon to recover.

Dorrigo is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage site, and by the time you leave, you will know why.

Walks depart from two main places, the Rainforest Centre and the Never Never Picnic Area. If this is your first visit, we suggest you head to the Rainforest Centre car park. Access most popular walks and the Skyway are here.

Over 150 species of birds are found in Dorrigo National Park – How many can you spot?

Tip: Many of the reviews we read suggested beginning your day at the Rainforest Centre and while this is not bad advice, it can confuse the fact that the park is open 24 hours, as the Rainforest Centre does not open until 9 am. Just bypass the centre and head straight to the trail.

There are a few accessible walks in Dorrigo National Park including the Skywalk, Satin bird Stroll, and Lyrebird Link; the park also has a trail rider available enquire and make a booking if you are interested.

Crystal Shower Falls – The Wonga Walk

Arriving just after 8am we began with the Wonga Walk, an almost 6.6km circuit that includes two waterfalls, 500-year-old trees and plenty of bird life. We passed only three other groups in the first 90 minutes, so starting early is recommended as this is one of the most popular walks in the country.

It’s not a challenging walk, although I did feel it in my quads a bit on the walk back out. The walk took us 2.5 hours at a pretty slow pace and lots of stops to take a ridiculous amount of photos.

The Wonga Walk is a loop track, and we decided to walk in a clockwise direction, meaning we covered a large portion of the walk before we reached the highlights. You come to the smaller Tristania Falls first, about 2.9km into the walk, and then it’s another kilometre before you will arrive at Crystal Shower Falls. It seems like a long way before the first waterfall, but I think this was the right choice – psychologically – I like to earn my rewards.

Walks in Dorrigo National Park

When we were planning our visit, we were a little confused about which walks to prioritise when we read there were ten walks in the park.

Five walks depart from this end of the park:

• The Wonga Walk – 6.6km walk that includes both Crystal Shower Falls and Tristania Falls. This is the must do walk in the park in our view and is suitable for anyone with an average fitness level.
• Crystal Shower Falls – 3.5km return – if you want to see the falls but are not keen on the full 6.6km Wonga track then you can reach the falls from the Glade Picnic area – basically do the Satinbird stroll and then join the Wonga walk.

Shorter options that would be great for families or anyone with limited time:

• Lyrebird Link Track – is an easy 400m track (that is included in the Wonga Walk)- it’s a quick stroll from Skywalk if you are short of time but would still like to get down amongst the ancient landscape.
• Satinbird Stroll – a 600 m circuit that departs from The Glade Picnic area, and is a detour off the Wonga Walk. It is a flat path that is suitable for wheelchairs and prams, but there are a few steps to reach it.
• Walk with the Birds – Bird lovers with binoculars were gathered here on our visit, a half a kilometre loop that is open from 5am to 10pm daily allowing plenty of time to spot some of the 150 species that can be found in the park.

In reality, Wonga Walk takes in several of the named trails, so if you do that; it’s not such a difficult decision.

Serious bushwalkers or second-time visitors might want to make their way to the Never Never Picnic ground for a longer and more challenging walk.

• Red Cedar Falls walking track – 8km walk for seasoned hikers (grade 5) the falls are the biggest in the park and this area is pretty wet so be sure to have good hiking shoes and complete an intention to walk form as mobile reception here is almost nonexistent.

Dorrigo Rainforest Centre and Canopy Café

When we finished our walk, we popped into the cafe for a quick drink then headed out to the Skywalk. This long boardwalk stands 21 metres above the floor or the rainforest and offers views of the coast. If you are looking for gifts, they had an excellent range here.

Ok, time to move on, from here you are less than 30 km from the beautiful town of Bellingen. Along the way you’ll pass Newell Falls and Sherrard Falls, both right beside the road. We almost missed Newell entirely and stopped briefly at Sherrard. Honestly, neither is worth going out of your way for — if you catch them, great, but don’t stress if you drive past.

Check out our list of must-see National Parks in Australia

Stop 7 – Bellingen

Bellingen is a small town that is surrounded by green rolling pastures and the famously clean Bellinger River. When names like “The Promised Land” and “Never Never River” pop up on the GPS, you know you are likely heading some place pretty special.

Once a hippy enclave, Bellingen has smartened up considerably. The main street is beautiful and well preserved, but the shops are firmly aimed at visitors with money to spend — high-end clothing, organic goods, homewares. Prices feel a notch above what you’d expect from a country town.

While you are in town try to check out:

• The Old Butter Factory – Leather, woodwork, homewares and a lovely cafe in the 1920s butter making premises
• Emporium Bellingen – men’s and women’s fashion in the historic Hammond and Wheatley Building. 
• Historic buildings of Hyde Street – the entire street is very photogenic.

Where to stay in Bellingen

We had planned to stay a night at the Bellingen Showground to give us a bit more time to explore, but it was closed.

There is loads of accommodation and the idea of flying to Coffs Harbour less than 30 minutes from here and renting a car for a sneaky week-long stay after the peak season has crossed our minds. I expect we will be back!

Road Conditions: What to Check Before You Go

The Waterfall Way is generally open year-round but sections can close after heavy rain or storms. Before you leave, check the following:

Live Traffic NSW at livetraffic.com for any current road closures or warnings on the route.

NPWS alerts for each national park you plan to visit. Ebor Falls has its own local alerts page. Dorrigo National Park alerts are here.

The road between Bellingen and Dorrigo is particularly prone to closures after heavy rain — worth a specific check before you leave if that’s part of your route.

Waterfall Way Map

All our stops, waterfalls, views, and overnight stays along the route.

Where: Armidale to Coffs Harbour
How long: 183km – you could do it in a day, but why would you? There are enough walking and sites to keep you busy for a week, but at the very least, we suggest two days with an overnight stop in either Ebor or Dorrigo. Armidale and Bellingen are also worthy of a couple of nights to round out a week if you have time.

Want more waterfalls? Check out the Gold Coast Hinterland or the Atherton Tablelands two regions in Queensland with a ridiculous number of gorgeous options. There are also a number of waterfalls in the Northern Territory.

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