Ellenborough Falls

Ellenborough Falls is an impressively tall plunging waterfall decorated by the cliffs of the Ellenborough Gorge.

The falls are said to be 200m tall though I found it funny that the sign had 200 handwritten in black marker over 160 (hmm, kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?). Anyways, there are also claims that this is the 2nd highest single-drop waterfall in the Southern Hemisphere, but I'm not so sure about that because they're essentially discounting waterfalls with taller drops in

Regardless of encyclopedic trivial facts and their correctness, the falls is very scenic and seems to flow year round. Moreover, the way it plunges into the gorge reminds me of the way Fitzroy Falls leaps off its escarpment.

We tried to get the most of our visit to Ellenborough Falls by doing the walks taking in the various overlooks near its top as well as from directly across the gorge. We even descended a long trail of stairs leading to the misty base at the bottom of the falls. From down here, a wide angle lens is needed to try to capture the full height of the falls. We also had a difficult time taking photographs without mist getting onto the lens. The peaceful, well-developed trails connecting all viewpoints are well signposted with information about the flora, history, and geology.

In hindsight, we should've gone back the way we came.

From Port Macquarie, we followed the Oxley Highway (Hwy 34) until we turned left onto Comboyne Road. I don't recall when the road went from paved to unsealed, but we took this road through Comboyne and then continued to the car park. I believe there are signposts to guide you, but I couldn't totally be sure since we followed the GPS (which even led us the wrong way at one point, causing us to double back near Comboyne).

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See? I wasn't kidding about the height of the falls being penned over

View from the base of the falls

We noticed this termite mound while exploring the Ellenborough Falls

Frontal view of the falls from across the gorge

Stairs leading to the base of the falls

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Fixated on a profile top down view of the falls going into the gorge

Fixated on an angled view of the upper part of the falls from near its bottom

Bottom up sweep from the misty base of the falls

Fixated on the falls from the overlook directly across the gorge

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TRIP REPORTS

GUIDEBOOKS / OTHER RESOURCES

NEARBY WATERFALLS

• Tia Falls
• Apsley Falls

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