By Pavan New South Wales does waterfalls quietly. While the crowds queue at the famous ones, the state’s best falls hide down unsealed roads, behind small country towns and inside quiet corners of its national parks — most of them free, and most of them swimmable. We’ve visited, photographed and mapped every waterfall in this list.
Here are the five best waterfalls in NSW right now, ordered roughly north to south. Each entry links to our full guide with a photo gallery, map, travel directions and FAQs.
1. Killen Falls
Twenty minutes from Byron Bay, Killen Falls drops over a basalt ledge into a big green plunge pool — with a walk-behind cave that puts you inside the curtain of water. It is the Northern Rivers’ best swim, and somehow still uncrowded on weekdays. Read the full guide →
2. Belmore Falls
A three-tier, 100-metre spectacle on the edge of Morton National Park in the Southern Highlands. The Hindmarsh lookout serves the classic full-drop view across the valley, and misty mornings here are pure drama. Read the full guide →
3. Carrington Falls
Near Robertson, the Kangaroo River leaps 50 metres off the Budderoo plateau into a rainforest gorge. Easy boardwalk lookouts make this the most accessible big waterfall in the Highlands — pair it with the famous Robertson pie shop. Read the full guide →
4. Wentworth Falls Secret Track
The Blue Mountains’ grandest waterfall, seen from the track most visitors miss. Drop below the main lookout and the National Pass ledge walk puts you behind spray-level views that feel a century away from the tour buses above. Read the full guide →
5. Wattamolla, Royal National Park
A waterfall that pours into a calm, swimmable lagoon beside a sheltered ocean beach — Wattamolla in Royal National Park is three swimming spots in one cove, 40 minutes from southern Sydney. Arrive before 9 am in summer; the car park fills fast. Read the full guide →
Planning your waterfall road trip
Chasing more than one? Belmore and Carrington Falls sit 20 minutes apart in the Southern Highlands and pair perfectly with Kangaroo Valley. Killen Falls slots into any Northern Rivers road trip, and Wattamolla combines with Karloo Pools and Wedding Cake Rock for a full Royal National Park day. Waterfalls run hardest in the weeks after rain — check park alerts before you drive, and browse all our NSW waterfalls.
