Minnamurra Falls
Minnamurra Falls
If you're after a family-friendly hike on the South Coast, Minnamurra Falls is one you won’t want to miss. The track is smooth, well-maintained, and easy to follow, so you can focus on enjoying the lush rainforest and the stunning falls at the end. It’s the kind of walk that’s perfect for families or anyone after a laid-back day in nature.
Quick Details
Length: 4km return
Elevation: 245m
Grade: Easy (with some steep hills)
Best Season: After rain
Suitable for kids: Yes
Starting the Trail
Recently, I (Jess) was on holidays with my family on the NSW South Coast. As much as I love a good beach day, I was keen to get out and explore some new trails while I had the chance. A few others in the group wanted to join, so I chose Minnamurra Falls — it’s an easy option that suited everyone’s fitness level.
After parking the car — and paying the $12 fee — we headed off past the Rainforest Centre onto the well-kept track. There was a bit of a bummer though — part of the Lyrebird Loop was closed due to flood damage. We were able to go out most of the way along that section of track to a beautiful swing bridge, with the rest of the trail closed on the other side
Walking through the rainforest at Minnamurra felt like home, but with a coastal twist. The damp earth and moss smelled just like the Blue Mountains, but with the salty tang of the sea breeze mixed in. It was like the coast had crept inland, adding a whole other layer to the scent in the air. The ferns and trees felt familiar, but the salty air made everything feel just that bit different.
The track is steep for the first 1.6km, but there are plenty of benches to rest along the way. It was tempting to stop at most of them just to enjoy the views of the surrounding forest. The path is all paved and on raised steel walkways, so it’s easy to follow — although I have to admit, I kind of wish I’d seen it before they put all that in.
I bumped into one lady along the trail who told me that, when she was younger, she swam up the Minnamurra River to the base of the lower falls through the slot gorge. That sounded amazing — what a great memory to have of the area.
Why are some canyons and gorges described as “slots”?
When a canyon or gorge is referred to as a “slot,” it just means the distance between the walls is narrower than the height of the walls themselves. Minnamurra's slot gorge is 50 metres high at its peak, but only 10 metres wide — it’s considered unique for the area (so the signs tell me).
Back to the Trail
This was such a different type of forest than the ones I normally hike through. Large vines hanging down from the canopy, and the trees twisted together in the most incredible ways — it was real jungle vibes. I bet when the weather gets hot and humid, it would feel even more like a jungle. I half expected Tarzan to swing over the track.
A lot of the trees had tags on them to identify their species. There was also one plant that got a special mention a few times on large signs warning people not to touch it. This stinging tree, with its big, bright green, heart-shaped leaves, is covered in silicone hairs that stick in your skin and release a neurotoxin. It can cause pain for weeks, even months. Weirdly, up north, red-legged pademelons (like little wallabies) eat these trees — because, I guess, they like their salads a little spicy.
Image generated by AI for reference — The first humans to see a pademelon eating one of these must’ve thought pademelons were the toughest bad-asses in the forest.
Minnamurra Falls
The trail flattens out for a bit as you get closer to the Minnamurra River. When the trail forks, you can head left to a viewing platform for the lower falls — but honestly, you can’t see much of it. You’re basically just looking at a big hole in the ground. Years ago, there was a track down to the base of the lower falls, but a landslide shut it down, and it was never rebuilt.
Back at the fork, we took the left-hand track (which was actually on the right in the first place), and that brought us to the viewing platform for the upper falls. To protect the water quality and the surrounding plant life, there’s no access to the base of the falls.
The viewing platform is big — good thing too, because there were heaps of people there. As it’s a rainforest area, the falls usually have a solid flow, but they’re especially impressive after heavy rain. The falls were incredibly picturesque, framed by ferns and trees growing from the rock wall.
We stayed at the falls for a while to soak in the view. We’d come all this way, so we figured we’d make the most of it. On the return walk, we had a lyrebird cross the track — its cousins down in the Blue Mountains rarely let me get close. This one simply didn’t care about there being people around, so I stalked it through the trees like David Attenborough to get a photo. Another tick off my wildlife photography bucket list!
Would I come back to do this hike again?
Maybe. If I was on my own, I think I’d prefer a trail with a little less infrastructure. But it was perfect for this visit because there were people in the group who didn’t have high fitness levels, and those walkways, bridges, and benches to rest on made the falls accessible to them.
Getting There
The Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, where you’ll find the trailhead, is about 20 minutes outside of Jamberoo on the NSW South Coast. The entrance is at the end of Minnamurra Falls Road. Parking costs $12 at the time of writing.
Tips and Tricks
Minnamurra is a popular, family-friendly hike and would make a great stop to stretch everyone’s legs on a road trip.
The gates are open from 9 am to 5 pm every day, but you won’t be able to access the falls walk after 4 pm. Once the gates are shut, they stay closed until the morning.
If you see any bright green, heart-shaped leaves — don’t touch them!