All The Gear But No Idea: Minnamurra Rainforest & Carrington Falls

Minamurra Rainforest 16-02-2020

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Route: Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, Loop Walk, Falls Walk, Minnamurra Falls, Loop Walk

Date: 16/02/2019
From: Minnamurra Rainforest Centre

Parking: Minnamurra Rainforest Centre
Start Point: Minnamurra Rainforest Centre
Finish Point: Minnamurra Rainforest Centre
Region: Budderroo National Park

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Points of Interest: Minnamurra Falls, Jamberoo Lookout, Carrington Falls

It was a colleague at work who mentioned Minnamurra as a place to visit after I made some enquiries on how to fill an empty Sunday. Minnamurra is part of the Budderoo National Park, some 100km south of Sydney. As nice as the city is, it’s also nice to leave the hustle and bustle behind occasionally.

Budderroo is a modestly sized national park in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, famed for its pristine rainforest and beautiful waterfalls. The Illawarra area is bounded to the west by the sandstone cliffs of the Illawarra escarpment which forms the eastern edge of the southern highlands plateau. In turn, the plateau causes the formation of some impressive waterfalls. With New South Wales has experienced its heaviest rain in 30 years, we were hoping the falls might be putting on a show.

It's a 2-hour drive south of Sydney to reach Minnamurra but we set off early and arrived under some sunny, mid-morning skies. There are two short tracks in the rainforest, the 2km rainforest loop and the additional 4km Falls Track, an out-and-back to Minnamurra Falls. We were intent on linking both to see the best of the valley.

We set off from the Rainforest Centre (which was closed for refurbishment) picking up the clockwise loops track through the rainforest. The loop track heads along a network of elevated boardwalks, crossing theMinnamurra River via a collection of suspension bridges.

The first suspension bridge over the Minnamurra River

Minnamurra River

A section of the mossy, paved path

The Minnamurra has been a popular picnic area since the1870's and was known about since the earliest settlers and cedar gatherers. The falls received their official name in 1896 when Minister for Lands at the time, along with a large procession, visited the falls. Minnamurra is the Aboriginal word meaning 'plenty of fish'.

One of the information signs on the Loop Walk

Toilets and shelter sheds were built by the Jamberoo Council in 1936 and further work was done in 1938 when the Minister for Lands (Eric Spooner) provided relief work payments to men during the depression. The workmen created a path to the falls with permanent crossings over the streams.

The more modern metal walkways

Minnamurra River

One significant feature of the Minnamurra Rainforest is the abundance of ferns. 82% of the South Coast region’s different species are representing in the valley. This is an especially high percentage for such a relatively small area and is unlikely to be repeated anywhere else in southern New South Wales.

Looking up Minnamurra River

The final bridge on the Loop Walk (clockwise)

Climbing alongside one of the more dramatic parts of Minnmurra River

Around halfway round the loop walk, a spur branches off and begins a stiff climb towards the waterfalls. The new boardwalks give way to the older paved path as it winds up through the upper rainforest, still following the course of the river. The path crosses the top of Lyrebird Falls, named after the elusive Australian Lyrebird, which resides in the rainforests of New South Wales. They have a notable ability to mimic natural and artificial sounds from their environment and are featured on the NSW national park service logo.

An opening in the trees

Climbing the steep Falls Walk track

A termite mound hidden among the trees

Minnamurra rainforest

The top of Lyrebird Falls

The creek feeding Lyrebird Falls

The elaborate elevated walkway

Lower Minnamurra Falls

After some steep climbing along the paved path, we eventually reached Minnamurra Falls where a viewpoint point shows off the best side of the waterfall. A few small benches offer the opportunity for a sit-down and a quick bite to eat while enjoying the roar of the water.

Upper Minnamurra Falls

Minnamurra River

Upper Minnamurra Falls

We followed the path back down the hill to the rainforest loop, starting back towards the car park and visitor centre. The elevated boardwalk is impressive as it winds through the tall trees that line the river.

The rainforest boardwalk

We passed several small creeks on the way back

Minnamurra River

A short while later we reached the car park once more and stopped to grab a bite to eat at the modest café nearby. Given it was only lunchtime, we decided on a second trip of the day to see Carrington Falls which is located a short drive from Minamurra.

Lyrebird Cafe

The falls are accessed along a short, 1km loop track and it's not often you get to see such an impressive spectacle for such little effort. With its cascades, waterholes and rockpools, some regard Carrington Falls, where the Kangaroo River plunges over 50m to the valley below, as the most beautiful on the South Coast - it's hard to disagree with them.