Minnamurra Falls comes with the best warm-up act in NSW: a suspended boardwalk winding through a subtropical rainforest gorge, with lyrebirds scratching in the leaf litter and water dragons sunning on the rails. By the time the two-stage falls appear at the head of the valley, you’ve already had your money’s worth.
The walk
From the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre the loop boardwalk hugs Minnamurra River beneath figs, cedars and cabbage-tree palms. A sealed spur track then climbs — steadily, with some genuine pinches — to platforms facing the upper falls, which drop twice into a dark rainforest bowl. The full return trip is about 4.2 kilometres; allow two hours so you can dawdle.
Rainforest that survived
This valley is a remnant of the Illawarra’s original rainforest, most of which fell to cedar-getters and dairy clearing in the 1800s. Budderoo National Park now protects it, and the elevated boardwalk exists precisely so thousands of visitors a year can pass through without trampling the forest floor.
Know before you go
A vehicle entry fee applies at the gate — the only paid entry on this list beyond parking, and it funds the boardwalk’s upkeep. The centre has a cafe and toilets. Weekends are busy; go early or midweek. Pair the falls with Carrington Falls up on the plateau or Kiama’s coast for a full Illawarra day. Details correct at the time of writing (July 2026).
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