Belmore Falls – Morton National Park. A guide to visiting the beautiful Belmore Falls of the Southern Highlands in New South Wales.
The awesome Morton National Park is a spectacularly picturesque area. Home to panoramic lookouts, steep gorges, rugged bushland, pockets of rainforest, amazing wildlife and the iconic Pigeon House Mountain, there’s endless beauty here. But arguably the most photogenic feature of the park is the stunning Belmore Falls.
About Belmore Falls
Entrance Fee: Free
Parking: Hindmarsh Lookout
About 2 hours drive south of Sydney, you’ll find one of New South Wales most beautiful waterfalls. Located close to Fitzroy Falls, Belmore Falls is a two-tiered waterfall, cascading down the sandstone cliffs of the Southern Highlands in the north of Morton National Park. From the 1.8km Belmore Falls walking track there are three great viewpoints to enjoy.
Hindmarsh Lookout
Starting at the Hindmarsh Lookout carpark the first viewpoint is only a very short 2 minute walk. It leads you to a fenced lookout with lovely views over the Kangaroo Valley.
Belmore Falls Viewpoint 1
Both of the Belmore Falls Lookouts are at quite a distance from the falls themselves. The first offers views across the valley to the falls. Unfortunately, the vegetation impedes views of both sections of the falls from here. But it does show the scale of this impressive two-tiered waterfall.
Belmore Falls Viewpoint 2
A few minutes further along the path takes you slightly closer to the falls and offers a slightly different angle. With less-obstructed views of the top section, you can see the water plunge into the pool below.
From the base
In our opinion, this waterfalls best view was from its midpoint. Until July 2017 it was possible to take a short, moderately steep trail to the mid-section of the falls. From here you could enjoy a dip in the chilly water.
It was a beautiful place to watch and photograph the cascades plummeting down this first section of its two-tiers. However due to safety concerns, the access point to this trail (close to the lookouts) is now fenced off. It’s prohibited to hike to the base of the falls and penalties apply for non-compliance with fines of $450 p/p.
Belmore Falls really is a stunning place and well worth the visit, despite the hiking trail being closed. But don’t worry, if you’re after more of a waterfall fix, the equally impressive Fitzroy Falls is only a 20 minute drive away. We highly recommended combining the two for the ultimate Morton National Park waterfall experience.
How much time do you need?
You can easily do both Belmore Falls and the nearby Fitzroy Falls in a day trip, if staying close by. But if travelling from Sydney or Canberra, you’ll want at least a night so it’s not too rushed. We strongly recommend spending several days in the area as there’s so much to see, including Budderoo National Park. Not to mention all the viewpoints in Wollongong along the mighty Illawarra Escarpment.
Where to Stay
There’s several campsites in Morton National Park and a range of other accommodation options nearby. But if you want a truly awesome experience, why not camp with wombats in the nearby Bendeela Recreation Area. This hidden gem is only 40minutes drive south of Belmore Falls (passing Fitzroy Falls), on the outskirts of Morton National Park. On the banks of the Kangaroo River this free rustic campsite is an amazing spot for wildlife lovers. At dusk and dawn, the resident wombats can be seen out of their burrows, grazing around the campsite.
And in the cooler months, a late afternoon stop here almost guarantees a Bare-nosed wombat sighting. And it’s not just the wombats that live here, keep an eye out for the other amazing Australian wildlife too. But remember these are wild animals and please adhere to this guide from Water NSW about safeguarding the wombats and other wildlife in Bendeela Recreation Area.
Tip: Steer clear in the holiday and weekend periods to avoid the crowds.
Drive Carefully
This amazing part of New South Wales is not only home to some stunning waterfalls and viewpoints, it’s also home to some awesome Australian wildlife. The number of dead wombats we saw whilst driving around this part of the Southern Highlands was shocking. So when exploring this area, please bare that in mind and consider the below:
- Drive sensibly and slowly – Animals need time to get off the road. Reducing your speed can drastically reduce the chances of hitting wildlife.
- In this area be particularly alert for Wombats. They have no road sense and often get hit by cars crossing the road.
- Avoid driving at night time, dawn and dusk if you can. When you are out during these times, be extra vigilant!
- If you encounter any injured, sick and orphaned wildlife in the Southern Highlands, the northern part of the Southern Tablelands and Kangaroo Valley, contact Wildlife Rescue South Coast on their 24/7 Rescue Hotline 0418 427 214.
- Download the free IFAW’s Wildlife Rescue App here. This app connects people in New South Wales to the nearest animal rescue group when they find injured wildlife
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