A one-hour drive north of Sydney on the M1 Pacific Motorway, take the Central Coast Highway exit, then:
Take the first left onto Wisemans Ferry Road
Then take the first left onto Old Pacific Highway
Take the first left onto Quarry Road
The picnic area, where the trail begins, is through the tunnel and straight ahead.
Be aware of the carpark’s closing time, as rangers lock the gates after hours.
Fungi Growing near the TrackEucalypt on the Track
Aboriginal Rock Engravings
One of the first stops on the track is a collection of Aboriginal rock engravings, which give an insight into indigenous settlement of the area. Signs warn visitors not to walk on them, while also explaining their significance.
Warning Sign Next to Aboriginal Rock EngravingsAboriginal Rock Engravings
Wildlife and Native Flowers
Wild flowers bloom in spring, so we missed them, however, we came across a bush turkey, which was the only wildlife we saw.
Bush Turkey on its NestGirrakool Loop Track
Waterfalls on the Girrakool Loop Track
Apart from the native forest and views, the waterfalls are the major drawcard for this walk. We though the one at Andamira Lookout was the nicest, as it was shady and quiet.
Waterfall at Andamira LookoutShady Waterfall at Andamira LookoutWaterfall at Andamira LookoutWaterfall at Andamira Lookout
What Did We Think
A great little walk taking about 45 minutes, passing forest and nice waterfalls. We had a great time.
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Only two and a half hours drive south of Sydney, Nowra is a great place to explore the nearby Kangaroo Valley and Shoalhaven District. Public transport by train and bus goes to Nowra, but you will then need to organise personal transport to explore outside of the town.
Where Did We Stay
While in Nowra, we stayed at Springs Shoalhaven, because it was in a quiet location and had an on-site restaurant at the adjoining club. The clean rooms and great views over the golf course we a nice place to relax before going out for dinner. The meals at the club were great and the staff friendly.
Nowra’s Buildings
Wandering through Nowra’s business district, we found several nice old buildings, which were worth stopping to look at.
Roxy TheatreMechanics’ Institute and School of ArtsSaint Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
Nowra Street Art
Walking through the central shopping district of Nowra, you will come across many pieces of excellent street art decorated buildings. Mostly located around the Shoalhaven Regional Gallery, others can be found in side streets, which makes them fun to track down while exploring.
Aboriginal Child – Street Art NowraQuest Street ArtStreet ArtStreet ArtCar on Garage Door Street ArtCar on Garage Door Street ArtStreet ArtStreet ArtCar on Garage Door Street ArtStreet ArtStreet ArtCockatoo Street ArtStreet ArtStreet Art
Ben’s Walk
The walk loops around the Shoalhaven River, through its gorges and forests. The walk begins at the Nowra Showground, where you can enjoy a barbecue, and superb views of the river and mountains from Hanging Rock. The complete track provides a return walk of about 5.5 kilometres taking around two hours. A short return walk from the footbridge to the Showground and Hanging Rock takes around 10 minutes. A suspension bridge provides a fun crossing of the river.
Hanging RockShoalhaven River From Hanging Rock LookoutShoalhaven River From Hanging Rock LookoutStairs to Ben’s WalkSuspension Bridge Across Nowra Creek
Soldiers’ Monument
Opened in 1931, this memorial commemorates all those who served in conflicts that involved Australia. The bronze statue represents an Australian soldier, his helmet and rifle discarded now that has won and returned home, but remains forever vigil.
Nowra Soldiers MemorialNowra Soldiers Memorial
Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm Museum
The museum has an almost complete collection of the aircraft operated by the RAN. This ranges from the early 1950s when HMAS Sydney and Melbourne were acquired to a recently retired Seahawk helicopter. A purpose-built air-conditioned building houses all the displays. Inside a raised mezzanine floor provides an excellent overhead perspective of the displays. This is something that many aviation museums are lacking. There is also plenty of space between each display so that they can be seen easily without the crowding that some museums use.
To read the full story of our visit there, follow the link.
RAN Fairey Firefly AS.5
What Did We Think of Nowra?
A great place to stay with a range of activities to do and things to see. We used it as a base for exploring Kangaroo Valley and further afield to Kiama and the Illawarra.
Two hours from Sydney, or 30 minutes from Nowra (to Hampton Bridge in the middle of Kangaroo Valley), this is a great place to escape the big city. We stayed in Nowra and explored from there, but there are many closer places to stay, especially if you go camping. During our time we went bush walking, explored local history and admired the amazing scenery.
Hampden Bridge Kangaroo Valley
Built in 1898 to replace an older wooden structure, Hampden Bridge features four large crenellated turrets made of locally quarried sandstone. Named after Lord Hampden, Governor of New South Wales from 1895 to 1899, it is a tourist attraction in Kangaroo Valley, because of its distinctive appearance.
Parking is easy due to the on street and off street car parks at either end of the bridge. From the Nowra side of the bridge, a stairway descends to the Kangaroo River, to view the underside of the bridge.
Hampden Bridge Kangaroo ValleyKangaroo Valley’s Hampden BridgeKangaroo River Under Hampden Bridge
Pioneer Village Museum Kangaroo Valley
Set in 8 hectares of bushland, the one hectares pioneer village contains building built like like those of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Displayed are a dairy, forge, school house, settler’s cottage, a Museum, war remembrance room and suspension bridge on one of the bush trails.
Pioneer Village FarmFarmhouse KitchenHorse BuggyPioneer Village Museum BuildingsPioneer Village Museum BuildingsSlab Hut at Pioneer VillageSuspension Bridge at Pioneer VillageSuspension Bridge at Pioneer Village
Cambewarra Mountain Lookout
Located at the top of Cambewarra Mountain, the lookout provides panoramic views out the the coast and at 678m above sea level gives you views from Coolangatta Mountain in the north all the way to Sussex Inlet in the south.
Around 20 minutes drive from Nowra, it is easy to get to, but the drive up the mountain is slow, with narrow, twisting roads in places.
Apart from the views, a cafe offers snacks and a lunch menu, with inside and outside seating, depending on the weather. On our visit, it was a great place to warm up after a cold morning start and relaxing by a warm fire was wonderful.
View From Cambewarra Mountain LookoutCambewarra Mountain Lookout CAfe
Tallowa Dam
Constructed across the Shoalhaven River, Tallowa Dam is popular with tourists and locals, because of water sports and picnic opportunities. For a relaxing day, the picnic area has a nice grassed area, while nearby, the water is easily accessible. Organised trips by local tour operators, provide the opportunity to kayak downstream.
The dam wall is not accessible, but a track leads to the downstream side, where you can view the wall and some infrastructure.
We were luck on our stop there to see some kangaroos that were relaxing in the picnic area.
Kangaroo at Tallowa Dam
Fitzroy Falls
One of the highlights to Kangaroo VAlley is a visit to Fitzroy Falls, not only for the waterfall’s 80m drop, but also the surrounding eucalypt forest and views over the gorges and valleys. Parking in the large car park and paying the park’s entry fee, we first stopped at the Visitor Centre. It contains loads of information about the local history, wildlife and birdwatching and walks. With wheelchair-accessible facilities and a short boardwalk to the scenic views of the waterfalls, you do not need to go bushwalking to enjoy yourself.
West Rim Walking Track
After a stop at the Visitor Centre, we started on the 3.5km return West Rim Track, which is graded at level three, being slightly undulating but very well maintained. Along the way we found more views of the falls, and amazing views over the valley.
After finishing the walk, we found that a mobile coffee van had setup shop in the car park. A great surprise after the walk.
Fitzroy FallsFitzroy FallsView of the ValleyView of the ValleySign Post at Fitzroy FallsWalking Track at Fitzroy Falls
Belmore Falls
Managed by NSW Parks and Wildlife, Belmore Falls Walking Track is well maintained and although graded 3, has a lot of steps. After parking the car and paying the entry fee we took around 45 minutes to walk the track. We stopped many time to look at the scenery, so if you don’t stop you may be quicker.
Arriving in the afternoon, the sun was in a bad position for photos. We would advise doing the walk in the morning for a better sun angle.
Belmore Falls
What Did We Think of Kangaroo Valley?
A great place to get away to for a few days or a week. During our visit, we only scratched the surface on what’s available here, as the number of walking tracks is huge. Highly recommended for anyone who like nature and the outdoors.
