Somersby Falls is located in the northern section of the park, about 5km north of the Girrakool picnic area and the F3.

From Newcastle and Sydney:

• Exit the F3 at the Central Coast Highway towards Gosford

From Gosford:

• Take the Central Coast Highway past Kariong
• Turn onto Wisemans Ferry Road
• Take the second left onto Somersby Falls Road
• The picnic area is at the end of Somersby Falls Road

Road quality

• Sealed roads

Vehicle access

• 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

• All weather

Parking

• There are 3 asphalt carparks at Somersby Falls picnic area. 
• The carparks open at 9am every day and are locked at 8pm during daylight savings and at 5pm all other times. 
• It can be a busy place on the weekend and during summer so parking might be limited.

Toilets

There's an accessible toilet that can be reached via a paved stone pathway.

Picnic tables

The picnic tables are set on concrete slabs and are located along stone pathways or relatively flat grassy areas.

Step-free access

• The picnic area is mostly flat
• There's step-free access from the carpark along paved stone pathways.
• At some points there are short, steep ramps where people with reduced mobility may need assistance.

• Step-free outdoor pathways

• Somersby Falls picnic area factsheet
• Somersby Falls picnic area map (1.5MB pdf)

Disability access level - medium

• The picnic area is mostly flat with step-free access from the carpark along paved stone pathways.
• At some points there are short, steep ramps where people with reduced mobility may need assistance.
• There's an accessible toilet
• Picnic tables are accessible and located along stone pathways or relatively flat grassy areas.
• There's a stone pathway that leads to the edge of Floods Creek, just before it descends over the first waterfall with views of the creek.

• Girrakool loop track A lovely way to finish a barbecue, the Girrakool loop track is a short and easy walk through bushland, featuring an Aboriginal rock engraving site and scenic waterfalls.
• Great North walk stage 8: Waratah spectacular Panoramic views of Sydney’s northern coastline await you on stage 8 of the Great North walk. The 20km guided tour through Brisbane Water National Park starts at Patonga and ends at Wondabyne Station.
• Great North walk stage 9: Rainforest walk Stage 9 of the Great North walk takes you into the temperate rainforest of Brisbane Water National Park. The 16km guided tour starts at Wondabyne Station and ends at Kariong.
• The Earth’s environment Join The Earth's environment Geography excursion for Stage 2 (Years 3-4) at Brisbane Water National Park, near Gosford. Students will discover how NSW National Parks safeguards over 10 per cent of land in NSW.
• Tommos loop and Rocky Ponds cycling loop Mountain biking enthusiasts will enjoy the challenging Tommos loop and Rocky Ponds cycling loop, a 20km bushland ride taking in scenic Central Coast views.

• Great North walk stage 10: Brisbane Water dreaming Complete the Great North walk challenge with the tenth and final leg of the series. You’ll walk 18km from Kariong to Somersby, exploring the serene waterways of Brisbane Water National Park.
• Great North walk stage 8: Waratah spectacular Panoramic views of Sydney’s northern coastline await you on stage 8 of the Great North walk. The 20km guided tour through Brisbane Water National Park starts at Patonga and ends at Wondabyne Station.
• Great North walk stage 9: Rainforest walk Stage 9 of the Great North walk takes you into the temperate rainforest of Brisbane Water National Park. The 16km guided tour starts at Wondabyne Station and ends at Kariong.
• Somersby Falls picnic area A great place to picnic on the Central Coast, Somersby Falls offers barbecues and picnic tables in a lush rainforest complete with waterfalls and a walking track.
• Warrah lookout Warrah lookout, offering scenic views of Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River, is just a short walk from the carpark. It’s a great place to see Waratahs in season.

• Aboriginal culture Bring your students to this unique excursion in Brisbane Water National Park, near Gosford. They’ll experience the park through the eyes of an Aboriginal person on this Stage 2 (Years 3-4) Aboriginal culture Geography excursion.
• Girrakool loop track A lovely way to finish a barbecue, the Girrakool loop track is a short and easy walk through bushland, featuring an Aboriginal rock engraving site and scenic waterfalls.
• The Earth’s environment Join The Earth's environment Geography excursion for Stage 2 (Years 3-4) at Brisbane Water National Park, near Gosford. Students will discover how NSW National Parks safeguards over 10 per cent of land in NSW.

• Girrakool picnic area A great spot for a family picnic, Girrakool picnic area has barbecues, lots of green space to run around and a scenic walking track that features Aboriginal engravings.
• Great North walk - Brisbane Water National Park You’ll find the Wondabyne to Patonga and Patonga to Pearl Beach parts of the iconic Great North walk in Brisbane Water National Park. Take a short walk or overnight hike.

Animals

• 

  Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)

  The curious pelican is Australia’s largest flying bird and has the longest bill of any bird in the world. These Australian birds are found throughout Australian waterways and the pelican uses its throat pouch to trawl for fish. Pelicans breed all year round, congregating in large colonies on secluded beaches and islands.

• 

  Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

  One of the most renowned Australian animals, the tree-dwelling marsupial koala can be found in gum tree forests and woodlands across eastern NSW, Victoria and Queensland, as well as in isolated regions in South Australia. With a vice-like grip, this perhaps most iconic but endangered Australian animal lives in tall eucalypts within a home range of several hectares.

• 

  Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

  One of the most fascinating and unusual Australian animals, the duck-billed platypus, along with the echidna, are the only known monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, in existence. The platypus is generally found in permanent river systems and lakes in southern and eastern NSW and east and west of the Great Dividing Range.

Plants

• 

  Scribbly gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma)

  Easily identifiable Australian native plants, scribbly gum trees are found throughout NSW coastal plains and hills in the Sydney region. The most distinctive features of this eucalypt are the ‘scribbles’ made by moth larva as it tunnels between the layers of bark.

• 

  Waratah (Telopea speciosissima)

  The beautiful waratah is not only the NSW floral emblem, it's also one of the best-known Australian native plants. This iconic Australian bush flower can be found on sandstone ridges around Sydney, in nearby mountain ranges and on the NSW South Coast. The waratah has a vibrant crimson flowerhead, measuring up to 15cm across, and blossoms in spring.