Minnamurra Falls is a beautiful two-tiered waterfall on the Minnamurra River, quietly tucked away in a thriving rainforest in Budderoo National Park.
A scenic 4.2 km walk from the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre leads to this waterfall, which has a large viewing platform in front of it.
In this article, we’ll share everything you need to know about this waterfall, the rainforest walking track, and how to drive there.
| Minnamurra Falls Rainforest Walk | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 4.2 km (part circuit) |
| Duration: | 2 hours |
| Grade: | Moderate (steep sections) |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
Getting There
Minnamurra Falls can be accessed via the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre in Budderoo National Park, near Wollongong and Kiama.
To get to the centre, turn into Minnamurra Falls Road from Jamberoo Mountain Road, and drive all the way to the end. The centre has a well-sized car park, and costs $12 per vehicle per day.
Official address of the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre (see map location):
345 Minnamurra Falls Road
Jamberoo NSW 2533
The centre is open daily from 9 am to 4 pm (closed on Christmas Day). The gates at the park close at 5 pm every day.
Minnamurra Falls Rainforest Walk
The Minnamurra Falls Rainforest Walk consists of two parts:
- Loop Walk (1.6 km)
- Falls Walk (2.6 km)
The Loop Walk is a scenic rainforest walk along the Minnamurra River with a few suspension bridges to cross. It’s a highly enjoyable, family-friendly, and well-maintained walking track. The lower section of this walk is wheel-friendly.
The Falls Walk is an extension to the Loop Walk and is a moderately challenging track that leads to beautiful Minnamurra Falls with two lookout platforms. This is a rather steep walk, but it is doable for anyone with a reasonable fitness level.
The Falls Walk is well-signposted and accessible via a detour from the Loop Walk. The two walks combined are approximately 4.2 km in length.
1. Loop Walk
To start the Loop Walk, simply follow the signs at the Rainforest Information Centre. Since this is a circuit walk, it doesn’t really matter if you go clockwise or anti-clockwise.
As mentioned, the lower section of the Loop Walk is wheel-friendly. This section is quite scenic, and you’ll get a good feel for the rainforest.
The walk includes a couple of footbridges crossing Minnamurra Creek and several information boards with more details about the rainforest.
2. Falls Walk
To start the walk to Minnamurra Falls, look for an intersection with a small signpost. The walk to the falls is similar to the Loop Walk but much steeper.
But as steep as it may be, the path is well maintained, and no rock scrambling or climbing is required to reach the waterfall.
Minnamurra Falls
There are two parts to Minnamurra Falls: the lower falls and the upper falls.
The lower falls are the bigger part of the waterfall, but there is currently no walking track heading down into the valley to get closer to the lower falls.
There used to be a walking track many years ago, but that was destroyed due to landslides and has never been restored for safety reasons.
A large viewing platform has been built that offers views of the valley, but the views of the lower falls aren’t the best.
That said, it’s still an excellent lookout platform to explore and a great warmup for what’s to come.
It’s only a short walk from this viewing platform to the second viewing platform, right in front of the upper section of Minnamurra Falls.
Since this viewing platform is so close to the waterfall, the views are fantastic. This is especially true after a period of rain when more water flows through the river into the valley.
Once you’ve finished admiring Minnamurra Falls, retrace your steps back to the intersection with the Loop Walk. Luckily, the return trip is mostly downhill, so it will be much easier.
At the intersection, we recommended doing the other part of the Loop Walk. This will allow you to complete the entire 4.2 km long Minnamurra Rainforest Walk before arriving back at the information centre.
More Waterfalls Nearby
Budderoo National Park and nearby Morton National Park are both home to some fantastic waterfalls.
If you’re visiting Minnamurra Falls, we recommend also checking out one or more of the following waterfalls.
1. Carrington Falls
Carrington Falls is a beautiful plunge waterfall on the Kangaroo River in Budderoo National Park, less than a half-hour drive from Minnamurra Rainforest.
A short loop walk includes a viewing platform offering fantastic views of this waterfall and its valley. Nearby Nellies Glen is a smaller waterfall that is also worth a visit.
Read more about Carrington Falls and Nellies Glen.
2. Belmore Falls
Belmore Falls is located in Morton National Park, approximately 40 minutes from Minnamurra Rainforest and 20 minutes from Carrington Falls.
It’s a stunning plunge waterfall with two drops on Barrengarry Creek. A couple of lookout platforms offer fantastic views of the waterfall.
Read more about Belmore Falls.
3. Fitzroy Falls
Another 15 minutes of driving will get you to Fitzroy Falls, a spectacular waterfall that drops into Yarrunga Valley in Morton National Park.
This popular waterfall attracts many visitors. The waterfall and various walking tracks can be accessed via a boardwalk starting at the visitor centre.
Read more about Fitzroy Falls.
Prettiest waterfalls in Greater Sydney.
