Sight · Royal National Park
An easy roadside waterfall stop, best after rain.
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Royal Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Royal National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Royal audio tourRecorded for this place
National Falls Upper Cascade“You're nearing National Falls on McKell Avenue, where a short, steep stairway leads to the upper cascade. It's a quick forested stop, more rewarding after rain; frame the water with the fern-covered rock and pool.”
Plays as you drive up to National Falls in the Parkwolf Royal Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
National Falls is a multi-level waterfall on Waterfall Creek beside McKell Avenue near Waterfall. A short stairway descends from a small roadside parking area to the upper falls, so this is a quick detour rather than a hike. The turnoff can be easy to miss; slow down as you approach.
National Falls is a sequence of upper, central and lower drops rather than a single ledge. Ferns and other greenery cling to the dark rock above the pools, giving the falls their tucked-away, forested feel. The short roadside visit focuses on the upper cascade; don't leave the open path to seek the lower drops.
The flow can dwindle after a long dry spell, so the falls are more rewarding when Waterfall Creek is running well. For a photo, frame the water with the fern-covered rock and pool instead of filling the whole frame with the cascade; that gives the low ledge more depth.
Wildlife
56 sightingsHumpback WhaleMost seen around 11 AMSighting map
70 sightingsWhite-bellied Sea-EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
12 sightingsKoalaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
34 sightingsJavan RusaMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
70 sightingsShort-beaked EchidnaMost seen around 5 PMSighting map
11 sightingsRed FoxMost seen around 5 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Royal. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
EasyNational Falls Walk0.1 km · 15 min · At the trailheadA short stairway drop brings you to the upper falls.
EasyForest Path4.4 km · 1.3 hr · 1.4 km awayA 4.4 km rainforest loop with creekside paths and river cascades.
ModerateForest Island to Calala8.6 km · 3.5 hr · 1.4 km awayA shaded rainforest walk to a riverside picnic clearing.
ModeratePalona Cave Walk5.1 km · 2.3 hr · 1.4 km awayA mellow historic drive, then a rough climb to a cave.
ModerateUloola walking track11 km · 5 hr · 2.5 km awayAn 11 km crossing of sandstone ridges, heath and Uloola Falls
ModerateCouranga walking track10.2 km · 3.5 hr · 2.5 km awayHeathland, sawpits and cool rainforest on a long return walk
ModerateKangaroo Pool Walk5 km · 2 hr · 2.5 km awayA waterfall-fed pool at the end of a rough, unmarked track.
ChallengingFigure Eight Pools Walk6 km · 4 hr · 4 km awayA steep descent to tidal pools, with a rough rock-shelf finish.
Picnic area · 0.2 km awayGunjulla Flat Picnic AreaA shaded pause on McKell Avenue, with spring birds in the heath.
Picnic area · 1.2 km awayWaterfall Flat Picnic AreaA quick picnic beside heathland frequented by nectar-feeding birds.
Picnic area · 1.3 km awayUpper Causeway Picnic AreaA quick picnic pause before a forest walk or bike ride.
Sight · 2.6 km awayPalona CaveA shaded overhang and small waterfall reward a rainforest walk.
Sight · 3.3 km awayKangaroo PoolA rock-walled creek pool with a small waterfall.
Picnic area · 3.8 km awayRed Cedar Flat Picnic AreaA handy grassy pause before nearby loop walks.
Sight · 4.2 km awayGovernor Game LookoutA wide coastal pause on the road to Garie Beach.
Beach · 4.8 km awayBurning Palms BeachA walk-in beach framed by rugged headlands.Parkwolf’s Royal ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
