Katoomba Falls was a gorgeously situated waterfall that Julie and I thought was up there with Wentworth Falls as the most scenic waterfall of the Blue Mountains. When we first saw this falls in November 2006, it was under some rainy weather where the falls tended to be shrouded by clouds. We really had to wait for a break in the clouds before the waterfall revealed itself (then the clouds retook the falls shortly thereafter). However, when we came back to see the falls again in May 2008, it was under sunny skies, and as you can see from the photo at the top of this page, it was surrounded by the signature cliffs and panoramas that made the Blue Mountains famous.
We've been under the impression that most (if not all) Blue Mountains Waterfalls tended to have short seasons. However, with our visits occurring during the Spring and Autumn, we were either lucky with the timing of recent rainfall or perhaps the falls had greater longevity than we gave it credit for. It was hard to say. Speaking of heavy rain (regarding our Spring 2006 visit), we had a catch-22 problem where the persistent rains filled the water catchment for the falls, but the clouds obscured the views of it. In drier times, the views would be clearer, but then we'd imagine there would be the higher likelihood of the waterflow being significantly diminished (unless our May 2008 visit was more the rule rather than the exception).
From the nearest car park (see directions below), we went on a short walk towards the many lookouts at the edge of the cliffs overlooking Katoomba Falls as well as the expansive panoramas that the falls faced (provided the clouds weren't blocking the views). We noticed that there was also a cable car called the Katoomba Scenic Skyway that looked like it would've yielded more frontal views of the impressive Katoomba Falls as well as other suspended-in-mid-air views of the panoramas all around. We also noticed that the cable car passed by the famous rock formation known as the Three Sisters at Echo Point (which had its own separate car park and lookout though it was possible to hike to it from the falls as well). That said, we didn't do the Skyway cable car so we can't say more about it.
There was also a walk that went towards the bottom of Katoomba Falls. We saw a family go down there when the clouds had blocked the view of the main waterfall. We opted to wait for the clouds to part instead of joining them down there so we can't say anything about what that hike was like. Speaking of tracks, there was a large network of them both on the rim and descending into the valley below (with more waterfalls on the way). Perhaps one of these days, we could come back here and devote a bit more time to explore these tracks more thoroughly.
Finally, during our November 2006 visit, Julie and I also noticed a smaller waterfall known as the Witches Leap. It had a separate viewpoint nearby the main viewpoint though the clouds were very stubborn about letting us have a clean look at it.
Nearby Katoomba Falls are the Three Sisters at Echo Point. This landmark could very well be one of the most famous and signature spots of the Blue Mountains
Looking right down at Katoomba Falls from the lookout on a clear day in May 2008
The clouds momentarily parted enough for us to get this view of Katoomba Falls during our rainy visit in November 2006
A couple hours drive to the east of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains was the city of Sydney, where we got this conventional view of the Sydney Opera House under cloudy skies
Before going to the falls during our May 2008 visit, we checked out Echo Point
The falls in a fine Autumn day
Gotta look closely to see the Scenic Skyway gondola or cable car as it's just about to complete its run in front of the falls
The expansive panorama from the falls lookout
This was our first look at the falls when the clouds finally started to rise from the lookout during our November 2006 visit
The clouds were slowly lifting just a bit more to reveal more of the falls during our November 2006 visit
Just as quickly as the falls was finally revealed, the clouds shrouded it again
Witches Leap barely visible through the clouds on this dreary Spring day
A sign telling us how far of a walk it would have been to get all the way down to the falls' base
More walks around the falls, including the Katoomba Cascades
The falls is on the southern outskirts of Katoomba town, which itself is a short distance west of the Wentworth Falls town and about 2 hours drive west of Sydney.
As we were entering the town of Katoomba along the Hwy 32 (Great Western Hwy), at the Parke Street turnoff, we turned left at the roundabout onto Bathurst Rd. Then at the next roundabout, we turned right onto Katoomba St. We followed Katoomba St for about 1.4km to Katoomba Falls Rd on the right. Then we took the Katoomba Falls Rd until we saw the Katoomba Falls Kiosk where there was a small building as well as spillover parking across the street near Cliff Dr.
The walks and overlooks were right behind the kiosk.
If you're up for the Scenic Skyway Cable Car, you continue driving west along Cliff Drive for a couple of minutes until you get to the gondola station. I think the Skyway has its own car park, but if not (or it's full), then you can park at the kiosk and walk towards the Skyway.
You can use the form below, but if you find our host's interface too troublesome to use (especially if you're trying to upload photos), then just send a text submission anyways using the form, but also let us know that you'd like to attach photos. If you've provided an email address via the form, then we can reply back acknowledging your request, and you can then reply to that email with your photo attachments. We're very sorry about this, but there's not much we can do about SBI's terrible interface.
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