Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area

Boonoo Boonoo National Park

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Overview

Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area is not only a great place to eat and rest, it teems with wildlife, wildflowers and is close to Falls lookout, rock pools and River track.

Type
Picnic areas
Accessibility
Easy
Entry fees
Park entry fees apply
Please note
  • Check the weather before you set out as the road to Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area can become flooded during heavy rain
  • The weather can be extreme and unpredictable, so please ensure you’re well-prepared for your visit.
  • You'll need to bring drinking and cooking water

If Boonoo Boonoo National Park were a house, then Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area would be its living room. Not only is it an ideal place for a picnic or barbecue breakfast, lunch or dinner, but most other park attractions can be accessed from here.

So meet up with friends, family, your birdwatching group or hiking crew and make the most of this great spot. From the picnic area, it’s only a short easy bushwalk along Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track to the lookout. Here, you can gaze across the gorge to the awesome sight of Boonoo Boonoo River falling 210 metres down the side of the granite cliff face. Further on are swimming holes, the beginning of River track and access to other hiking trails.

Look out for wallabies and kangaroos around the picnic area, especially at either end of the day. Bring along your binoculars for a spot of birdwatching; woodland birds are often seen grazing in the overhead canopy.

For directions, safety and practical information, see visitor info

Also see

  • View of Boonoo Boonoo Falls plummeting over rock ledges into a steep rocky valley. Photo credit: Leah Pippos © DPIE

    Boonoo Boonoo Falls lookout

    Boonoo Boonnoo Falls lookout is in Boonoo Boonnoo National Park. You can reach this dramatic waterfall by making a short stroll down Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track.

  • A formed track through trees along Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track in Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Photo: Leah Pippos © DPIE

    Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track

    Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track allows a short stroll between Boonoo Boonoo picnic area and the scenic lookout onto the magnificent Boonoo Boonoo Falls.

  • View of rockpools in a rugged and rocky bushland setting. Photo credit: Harrison Candlin © DPIE

    Rockpool Ramble track

    Rockpool Ramble track is in Boonoo Boonoo National Park, near Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area. Use this short side track to see the falls and enjoy cool rockpools at the bottom.

Map


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Current alerts in this area

There are no current alerts in this area.

Local alerts

For the latest updates on fires, closures and other alerts in this area, see https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/picnic-areas/boonoo-boonoo-falls-picnic-area/local-alerts

General enquiries

Park info

See more visitor info

Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about the Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area.

Getting there and parking

On entering Boonoo Boonoo National Park:

  • Follow the unsealed Boonoo Boonoo Falls Road for 4km to the park entrance
  • Continue for a further 9km to Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area

Road quality

  • Unsealed roads

Vehicle access

  • 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

  • All weather

Parking

Parking is available at Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area, including several designated disabled spots. Bus parking is available.

Best times to visit

There are lots of great things waiting for you in Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Here are some of the highlights.

Spring

This is the season for wildflowers. The mild weather at this time of year is also particularly good for camping.

Summer

The water in the large secluded rock pools along the river will give sweet relief from the summer heat.

Winter

Temperatures can plunge overnight and mornings are often frosty at this time of year, so be well-prepared if you're camping. Though winter days are often sunny, cloudless and warm enough to enjoy a picnic or a long hike.

Weather, temperature and rainfall

Summer temperature

Average

14°C and 27°C

Highest recorded

38.3°C

Winter temperature

Average

2°C and 14°C

Lowest recorded

-10°C

Rainfall

Wettest month

January

Driest month

August

The area’s highest recorded rainfall in one day

228.6mm

Facilities

Toilets

  • Non-flush toilets

Picnic tables

Barbecue facilities

  • Gas/electric barbecues (free)
  • Wood barbecues (bring your own firewood)

Carpark

Drinking water

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

Fire safety

During periods of fire weather, the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service may declare a total fire ban for particular NSW fire areas, or statewide. Learn more about total fire bans and fire safety.

Mobile safety

Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

River and lake safety

The aquatic environment around rivers, lakes and lagoons can be unpredictable. If you're visiting these areas, take note of these river and lake safety tips.

Accessibility

Disability access level - easy

This area is fully wheelchair accessible

Permitted

Fishing

Fishing from a boat, the beach or by the river is a popular activity for many national park visitors. If you’re planning a day out fishing, check out these fishing safety tips.

Prohibited

Pets

Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.

Smoking

NSW national parks are no smoking areas.

Learn more

Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area is in Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:

Fabulous falls

Cypress-pine campground, Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Photo: David Young

The park's jewel is Boonoo Boonoo Falls. If you'd like to see what this feature is really made of, then visit during the wetter months of summer. Even if the falls aren't pumping, though, they're still beautiful and there will always be rock pools along the river to swim in, walking tracks to follow and riverside picnics to indulge in.

Gold fever

Morgans Gully, Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Photo: David Young

Morgans Gully and Ropers Gully are two sites in the park where alluvial gold was discovered in the late nineteenth century. As a result, there was a huge influx of European and Asian prospectors to the area. As well as giving the nearby town of Tenterfield a massive economic boost at the time, the village of Boonoo Boonoo temporarily flourished but is now ruins. Though nature has reclaimed these gullies too, imagine what the areas might have looked, sounded and smelt like when they were teeming with men from here and all over the world, half-crazy with gold fever.

Have you seen the wildlife?

Boonoo Boonoo Falls, Boonoo Boonoo National Park. Photo: David Young

Boonoo Boonoo is an Aboriginal name meaning 'poor country with no animals to provide food'. Since that name came about, before European settlement, the environment has significantly changed. Now kangaroos and wallabies visit Cypress Pine campground and the park's picnic areas at dawn and dusk. The wariest wallaby of them all, the threatened brush-tailed rock wallaby, can even be seen if you're very quiet and patient. Spotted-tailed quolls, also a threatened species, sometimes visit Cypress Pine campground at night and platypuses live and frolic in Boonoo Boonoo River.

  • Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area is not only a great place to eat and rest, it teems with wildlife, wildflowers and is close to Falls lookout, rock pools and River track.
  • Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track allows a short stroll between Boonoo Boonoo picnic area and the scenic lookout onto the magnificent Boonoo Boonoo Falls.
  • Morgans Gully picnic area Visit Morgans Gully for a relaxing picnic, and investigate gold mining historic heritage surrounded by wildflowers and embellished with a waterfall and geological formations.

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