A visit to Somersby Falls in Brisbane Water National Park is a great day trip from Sydney, with beautiful scenery and excellent picnic facilities to enjoy.
A short walking trail along Floods Creek, starting from the picnic area, passes three sections of Somersby Falls: Top, Middle, and Bottom Falls.
In this article, we’ll share the highlights of this family-friendly walk, including photos and a map.
| Somersby Falls Walking Track | |
|---|---|
| Distance: | 500 m (return) |
| Duration: | 30-60 minutes (depending on stops) |
| Grade: | Easy (with many steps) |
| Wheel-friendly: | Picnic Area and Top Falls viewing area |
| Dogs: | Not allowed |
Getting There
Somersby Falls and the picnic area on the Central Coast are located within Brisbane Water National Park and are easy to drive to.
To get there, take the Wisemans Ferry Road exit from the M1 Pacific Motorway, and turn into Somersby Falls Road at the first roundabout.
Keep driving on this road until you reach the entrance to the Somersby Falls Picnic Area where you’ll find a well-sized car park (see map location).
An $8 parking fee applies per vehicle for the whole day, which you can pay at one of the ticket machines at the carpark. The picnic area is open from 7 am to 8 pm during daylight savings, and from 7 am to 6 pm during the rest of the year.
Before you go to Somersby Falls, we recommend checking the NSW National Parks website to see if there are any park closures or weather warnings.
Somersby Falls Walking Track
The 500-metre return walk through lush rainforest scenery offers views of the top, middle, and bottom falls, with several viewpoints to visit along the way.
While it’s a family-friendly walking trail, there are many steps as the trail follows the creek downstream. It’s a well-maintained path from start to finish.
The start of the walking track can be found at the eastern end of the picnic area, at the big signpost.
Map
There are three parts to Somersby Falls:
- Top Falls
- Middle Falls
- Bottom Falls
Here is a map with the picnic area, the parking area, and the walking trail:
Top Falls
The first highlight, the Top Falls, is not much more than a fenced viewing area from where you can see the creek flowing in front of you.
From that viewing area, walk towards the information boards, where you can start the walk to the next two highlights: the Middle and Bottom Falls.
This is where the path goes into the bush, descending via various staircases closely following Floods Creek.
At the first junction, turn right to visit the first lookout on the walking track, which offers scenic views of the creek and the top of Somersby Falls.
Middle Falls
From that lookout, continue on the main trail and you will soon see a side trail veering to the left.
That short side trail leads to a small waterfall on a tributary of Floods Creek, and we recommend going there.
It’s only a small waterfall and perhaps not as impressive as the other ones, but it is still worth checking out while you’re there.
Keep following the main trail and make your way to the next stop, the middle part of Somersby Falls (Middle Falls). We think this is the most beautiful waterfall on the trail.
You’ll see a large, rocky area in front of the waterfall, which allows you to get very close to the water spectacle.
The views are quite impressive, especially when there is a lot of water flowing.
Bottom Falls
From Middle Falls, continue on the trail which soon arrives at the bottom of the waterfall via a few boardwalks and staircases.
After rainfall, the last staircase at the waterfall may get flooded, so be careful there as it can get a bit slippery.
Once you’re there, you can stand right in front of the Bottom Falls and take in the beauty of the waterfall and the surrounding area.
The Somersby Falls Walking Track is lovely at any time of year, but the waterfalls are at their best after a few days of rain.
Although it’s an easy walk, we recommend wearing good hiking shoes or sneakers with good grip, as the path is steep and a bit slippery at times.
Keen to discover more waterfalls? Read our guide to the prettiest waterfalls in Sydney and surroundings for ideas and inspiration.
