Located on the New South Wales Central Coast in Brisbane Water National Park, Elephant Rock is less than five-minutes drive from Patonga, 25 minutes from Gosford or 1 Hour 20 minutes from Sydney by car.
There are several ways to reach Elephant Rock, depending on how far you want to walk, or what other tracks you want to take. Having walked the Pearl Beach to Patonga Track before, we chose a short path off Patonga Drive.
Apparently, the rock looks like an elephant from some directions, but a drone view seems to be the best way to see it. It also gives great views over Brisbane Water and the surrounding forest.
After parking in a small siding only big enough for two cars we followed a narrow track into the bush. Although only a short walk, the track was very narrow, often requiring climbing over boulders. If you are not stable on your feet, this is not a track for you.
The narrow bush trackLichen cover rock on the track
Arriving at elephant rock not long after sunrise, we found the views over Brisbane Water covered in fog. Although disappointed not to see the view, the atmosphere was great with the fog rolled in, slowly covering the forest and then the rock.
Mist rolling over the forestMist rolling over Elephant RockElephant Rock
Wild Flowers
Many native species were in flower when we walked here in June 2023. This was a great bonus and very colourful, with the trail surrounded by colour the whole way.
Grass tree on Elephant RockBanksia in flowerBanksia in flowerRed Five-Corners (Styphelia tubiflora)
After returning to our car, we continued on to Patonga where we bought coffee and relaxed on the beach before returning home.
Patonga BeachFishing boat moored off Patonga
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
Located in the Royal National Park, near Sydney the Palona Cave Walk is a short and easy bush walk. It takes you through beautiful temperate rainforest to a large limestone cave and a cascading waterfall.
Getting There
We drove to Royal National Park, arriving just after sunrise, so that we could catch the sunrise. Parking at the intersection of Lady Carrington Drive and Sir Bertram Stevens Drive was easy as only two other cars were there. On our return though, it was full, and many cars were parked along the road. Access to the National Park is charged per vehicle and you can pay at the entrance gate or main office. If you plan to visit several parks during the year, an annual pass is available from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Entrance near the carpark
The Track
Starting at the car park the historic Lady Carrington Drive trail leads into the forest. This is a wide and well-maintained dirt trail that follows the course of the Hacking River. Originally a road, it was closed and is now a dedicated bike and hiking trail. The trail takes you through temperate rain forest and our early morning start meant that it was quiet and peaceful.
After about 750 m, we reached the junction with the Forest Path, which is another scenic walk in the park. From here we continued along Lady Carrington Drive to Palona Cave track.
Sunrise at the start of the trackToadstools and moss growing in an old tree stumpLady Carrington Drive Trail
Palona Cave
After another 1 km, a sign for Limestone Cave on the left side of the track points off to the right. Unfortunately, a tree now obscures it, so keep a look out as the path to the cave is easy to miss, being very narrow. If you reach the Palona Brook crossing, you have gone too far. From here you leave the main trail and follow a narrow bush track that leads uphill to Palona Cave. The track is rough and rocky in places, so watch your step. When we visited it was also very overgrown and disappeared in several spots.
Palona Cave is a large overhang with stalactites and stalagmites formed by water dripping through the limestone rock. You can explore the cave and see the different shapes and colours of the formations. There is also a small stream that flows next to the cave and forms a waterfall. We were lucky it had rained recently because this creek is often dry.
This was a great walk with the reward of a waterfall and cave at the end. Remember to wear good boots as the second part of the track is rough. At around 5.3km return, it took us around two and a half hours, with plenty of stops for photos and cave exploring.
Sign to the cave track. Hidden behind the tree.A fallen tree on the walkGymea LilyRock overhang on the trackEntrance to the caveCave EntranceThe back wall of Palona CaveWaterfall near the cave
To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.
One of the best walks to take in the views of the Blue Mountains, the Prince Henry Cliff Walk is accessible at several points and can be undertaken in stages. This is great because at 7kms one-way, it may be seen as a little too long. During our visit several sections were closed because of severe storms over previous months. Fortunately, most of the lookouts were accessible, so we could still see the amazing views of the Blue Mountains.
Running from Katoomba to Leura, the walk passes Katoomba Falls, Echo Point and the Three Sisters as well as the Leura Cascades. Additionally, there are over 20 lookouts along the way, each providing outstanding views of the Jamison Valley.
Parking
Parking is available at Katoomba Cascades, Echo Point lookout, or Gordon Falls near Leura. However, during busy times it is difficult to find a park with most streets also being paid parking. We chose to start early in the morning for the first part of the walk, so parking at Katoomba Cascades was available.
We accessed the second section from Cliff Drive to Leura Cascades near Kiah Lookout, which was only a short walk from our accommodation.
During our visit, the section from Echo Point to Katoomba Falls was closed for repairs.
Katoomba Cascades
This section also forms part of the Night Walk, with the pathway lit and floodlights illuminating sites along the way. We chose to walk it during the day, because we wanted to see the larger views over the valley.
Located only a short walk from the carpark, the Cascades were flowing well after recent rain. The well-maintained steps down to the base of the cascade make this an easy walk. At the bottom, you are able to walk close to the falls, there are also several places to sit in the shade and enjoy the view.
The cascades are very easy to get to because of the well maintained track as long as you can walk up and down the initial steps. The Blue Mountains had lots of rain, prior to us visiting, which made the walk and waterfalls a great experience.
Katoomba Falls
From the cascades, the path leads to a series of lookouts, for spectacular views over the valley. One of the best is the view of Katoomba Falls. Created from the flow of the Kedumba River, it flows over the escarpment, this is the same river that creates the Cascades. Several of the lookouts give different perspectives of the falls.
At one point, the Scenic World Skyway Cale Car made its trip across the valley, which was interesting to see. This is another great way to get a view of the falls. The cable car runs from Scenic World across the gorge, where passengers can disembark and walk to Echo Point (currently closed in 2022).
The path from the cascades is relatively flat, making the walk to Katoomba Falls lookout not too difficult. There are plenty of places to rest and admire the views along the way, so there is no need to be too energetic. The view of the falls is amazing, which makes the short walk worth the effort.
The Katoomba CascadesKedumba River just before it goes over the escarpmentTree Fern on the WalkA gum tree on the walkKatoomba FallsKatoomba FallsOrphan RockThe Skyway Cable CarView over the Blue MountainsThe EscarpmentThe Blue Mountains
Leura Cascades on the Prince Henry Cliff Walk
We chose to walk to the Leura Cascades from our accommodation because it was so close. Access to the Prince Henry Walking Track from Kiah Lookout was only a five-minute walk away. However parking is limited, so if you wish to drive it might be better to start at the Leura Cascades Picnic Area.
The upper section of the track was easy to walk, with a well-maintained track and a gentle downward grade, however as the track became steeper, the track deteriorated, becoming narrower and damaged by water run-off. There are also a large number of steps, as you descend towards the falls, which all have to be climbed again when returning. We took our time and enjoyed the many great views from the lookouts along the way.
Keep a lookout for native wildlife as you walk. We saw a lyre bird but were not quick enough to take a photo.
This section of the Prince Henry Cliff Walk was great fun, taking us around 40 minutes return despite all the steps. This included time for photos, admiring the views and a side track to Copelands Lookout.
Eroded Rocks on the WalkUpper Section of the TrackWell Maintained Section Descending to the CascadesOne of the Steep Muddy SectionsStepping Stones on the TrackOne of the Great ViewsRainbow Over the Escarpment From Copeland LookoutGreat View Over the ValleyGreat View Over the ValleyLeura Falls CreekSmall Section of the Leura CascadesBridal Veil Falls
