Waterfall Way - Dangar Falls, Dorrigo Rainforest Centre, Tristania Falls and Crystal Shower Falls

---

Today we drove inland along Waterfall Way to Dorrigo. Our first stop was at the very accessible Dangar Falls situated just out of Dorrigo township. It was very civilised here at Dangar Falls with toilets AND Gordi’s Coffee Caravan. If you were a local it could be a nice Sunday morning sort of thing to do – walk out to the falls and have a coffee?? There is an overlook at the top of the falls and an excellent trail down to the base of the falls so we were able to view and photograph the falls from two angles!

We backtracked along Waterfall Way to the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre. We visited the rainforest centre in 2019, but it was very late in the day and we just had time to walk out the Sky Walk and back again before it started to rain. Today we arrived about 11.30am with plans to hike into the two waterfalls that can be accessed from the rainforest centre. Bernie had learnt on the internet that part of the Wonga Loop Trail was closed so it couldn’t be walked as a loop, but it would be possible to walk to both falls and then walk back out the same way.

We went into the rainforest centre and checked that the information on the internet was accurate. The Ranger confirmed that we would have to walk in and back out again on the same trail and that it would definitely take us three hours. We decided we had better eat our lunch before we set out so returned to the car to grab our salami, tomato and brie rolls and fruit. Fuelled up for the hike we set off on the Lyrebird Link trail before taking a left and continuing on the Wonga Walk.

As we walked we couldn’t hear very many bird calls, but suddenly we reached an area where we could hear lots of different bird calls BUT all seemingly coming from the same place. We suspect that what we were hearing was a lyrebird running through its repertoire?? Unfortunately we didn’t see the bird that was providing the rainforest soundtrack seemingly all on its own.

We reached Tristania Falls and took our photographs. Bernie had his tripod with him so took some long exposure shots to get the blurred water effect. We continued along Wonga Walk and past Hardwood Lookout which is currently being re-built. They weren’t working on it today so the generator and electric cement mixer weren’t destroying the peace of the rainforest thank goodness!

Soon we could hear the sound of running water again and we arrived at Crystal Showers. Unfortunately quite a few other people arrived just after us which made it a bit difficult to take our photos without people in them! We are so intolerant of other tourists photobombing out shots.

With photos of Crystal Showers secured it was time to hike all the way back out again. Groan! Still, we were way ahead of the Ranger’s schedule having reached the current end of the trail at Crystal Waters in under an hour. Sure, it’s more uphill than downhill on the way back, but we reckoned we would be back at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre in less than three hours.

As we walked back out it was almost like twilight … even though it was only two in the afternoon! Surrounded by the tall rainforest trees the sun was already low enough in the sky to be prevented from reaching the trail. Even though it was already getting ‘dark’ in the rainforest there were still people heading in towards the waterfalls. We were glad to have started as early as we did. The sight of the walk was a young man hiking in with his cat in one of those see through cat back packs on his front. Hmmn, how did he sneak in past the rangers? We’re pretty sure you’re not allowed to take cats into National Parks?!

Ta dah! We arrived back at the rainforest centre two and a half hours after we set out BUT, factoring in the time we spent photographing the falls, we were only walking for two hours. Once again we managed to complete the trail in about two thirds of the time of the National Parks Service estimate. Not bad for sixty-year-olds!!

We took the gentle stroll out the Sky Walk to look out over the Gondwana Rainforest. In 2019, with the weather closing in, we couldn’t see the sea, but we were treated to an amazing rainbow over the rainforest. Today it was all blue sky and sunshine and we could see all the way to the ocean AND we could see Picket Hill again in the distance. Immediately in front of the Sky Walk was McGraths Hump or Old Man Sleeping as it is known to the Gumbainggir people.

After burning about 2,000 kilojoules it was definitely time for some afternoon tea at the Canopy Café before heading back to Sawtell. Although then we were distracted in the gift shop and we spent even more money at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre. Ahem, only $2/head to get in and how many $$ to get out, ha, ha? We are officially crazy twitchers now, we purchased a bird book! We are now the proud owners of ‘The Slater Field Guide to Australian Birds’.

Arriving back in Sawtell we drove out to the Bonville Head Lookout for a quick look in the last of the daylight. It having been such a lovely mild day there were still heaps of people out at the lookout, picnicking and whale watching. There were definitely whales out there off Bonville Head, but they were quite a long way out. Hopefully we will get much closer tomorrow on our whale watching tour out of Coffs Harbour. Fingers crossed.

Dinner tonight was the Sunday Roast at the Sawtell Hotel. We both enjoyed our roast lamb with vegetables and a Yorkshire pudding.



16,618 steps (11.48kms)

---