Balaka Falls Loop - Hunts Creek Reserve

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Route: Parkland Road, Hunts Creek Reserve, Balaka Falls Loop, Balaka Falls, Karingal Avenue, Hunts Creek, Parkland Road

Date: 19/10/2024
From: Parkland Road

Parking: Parkland Road
Start Point: Parkland Road
Finish Point: Parkland Road
Region: Hunts Creek Reserve

Route length: 2.9 km
Time taken: 01:02
Average speed: 3.5 km/h
Ascent: 60m
Descent: 53m

Points of Interest: Balaka Falls

I've been a bit quiet in the hiking space lately, tending to the newest All the Gear crew member, our puppy Border Collie. Now that she has reached the age of 6 months and is eager to explore, I have been introducing her to outdoor adventures, specifically short, dog-friendly hikes in the Sydney region.

Regular readers may not be aware that dogs are not permitted in Australian national parks, which rules out many classic hikes in the Blue Mountains, Royal National Park, and Sydney Harbour National Park. However, if you look a little closer, you can find many pockets of native bushland that fall outside the national park banner. One of those is Hunts Creek Reserve, home to Balaka Falls.

Hunts Creek Bushland is a secluded natural haven nestled within the suburban areas of North Rocks and Carlingford, tucked away behind houses and roads. This patch of nature serves as a sanctuary for wildlife and was preserved during the redevelopment of the area in the 1960s.

There are multiple entry points to the reserve from the surrounding streets, ensuring that parking is always convenient. For a longer loop through the reserve, I chose to park at the Parkland Road entrance on the eastern side.

Parkland Road entry

A track runs on either side of the creek, so you hike in either a clockwise or anticlockwise direction. Reaching the loop requires a short hike through the bush, following the infant Hunts Creek. You'll quickly reach the junction that begins the loop at a footbridge over the creek.

The path squeezes behind some houses initially

Balaka Falls Loop 

I followed the trail on the north side of the creek, heading west towards the waterfall. There are a few signs to keep you on the right track and to mark the various entry points from nearby roads. The path also passes some intriguing rock formations a short distance from the waterfall.

Balaka Falls Loop

Balaka Falls Loop

Dogs are allowed in the reserve

Hunts Creek Reserve

The path arrives high above Balaka Falls — you might hear them before you see them. It descends a short distance to the top of the falls, where you'll have to cross the creek — this may be tricky if there has been some heavy rain (unless you don't mind wet feet).  A set of sandstone steps leads down to the bottom of Balaka Falls.

Descending to the waterfall

There aren’t many waterfalls in the Parramatta area, but Balaka Falls stands out as the most photogenic. It’s particularly impressive after a rainfall, like today (a storm had just passed before we arrived). The tier-shaped waterfall cascades into a shallow pool, offering vantage points both above and below the falls.

Balaka Falls on a relatively dry day

Balaka Falls after a storm

Balaka Falls

Balaka Falls

Balaka Falls — yes, I was standing in the creek

Returning up the steps to the top of the falls leads you to the continuation of the Balaka Falls Loop, a graded trail that follows the course of a set of power lines. It's a fairly direct route to Karingal Avenue where you'll find an entry sign that wouldn't look out of place in a larger National Park.

The power line fire trail

The path makes its way to a footbridge (installed in 2022) that takes you back over the creek to complete the loop. For me, it was an easy stroll back to Parkland Road at the eastern end of the reserve. 

Hunts Creek