Dandahra Falls walking track
Gibraltar Range National Park
Overview
Suitable for fit and experienced bushwalkers only, Dandahra Falls walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park offers impressive waterfall views in stunning World Heritage surrounds.
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair access
- Distance
- 5km return
- Time suggested
- 3 - 4hrs
- Grade
- Grade 5
- Entry fees
- Park entry fees apply
- What to
bring - Drinking water, sturdy shoes, hat, clothes for all weather conditions, sunscreen, insect repellent
- Please note
- Ticks and leeches are common in this area. They can cause allergic reactions and other health issues.
- To avoid getting bitten, apply insect repellent containing DEET and wear long trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and a hat.
- If bitten by a tick, remove it as soon as possible.
- The best time to see Dandahra Falls is after periods of rain.
Dandahra Falls walking track is a challenging 5km (3.5 hours) return trek, but it's worth the effort to see Little Dandahra Creek cascade off a cliff. This is an ideal outing if you're an experienced bushwalker staying at Mulligans campground or looking for an adventurous day trip from Grafton or Glenn Innes.
Your trek starts on the easy and delightfully varied Murrumbooee walk, then continues along a challenging side track. After a hard scramble over difficult terrain you'll descend to a natural viewing area. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a snack and feast your eyes on Dandahra Falls, dropping off the escarpment in a series of cascades and pools into the valley below.
Breathtaking views aren't the only highlight; animal lovers will find plenty more to enjoy here. Keep an eye out for eastern spinebills and other honeyeaters feeding on nectar from tall flower spikes of ancient grass trees. If you're lucky you may also spot a parma wallaby, a tiny marsupial once believed extinct, in areas with thick scrub.
Spring's a great time to visit to see vivid wildflowers, including the Gibraltar Range waratah, bloom across the rainforest. In summer early morning bushwalks followed by refreshing creek dips are the perfect way to beat the heat.
Also see
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Murrumbooee Cascades walking track
Murrumbooee Cascades walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route to a scenic waterfall with birdwatching and swimming opportunities.
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Mulligans campground and picnic area
A popular starting point for the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk, Mulligans campground and picnic area has an idyllic creek for swimming and lush picnic spots with barbecues.
Map
Map legend
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/walking-tracks/dandahra-falls-walking-track/local-alerts
General enquiries
- National Parks Contact Centre
- 7am to 7pm daily
- 1300 072 757 (13000 PARKS) for the cost of a local call within Australia excluding mobiles
- parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au
Park info
- in Gibraltar Range National Park in the North Coast and Country NSW regions
Gibraltar Range National Park is always open but may have to close at times due to poor weather, road damage, or high fire danger.
-
Park entry fees:
$8 per vehicle per day. The park uses a self-registration fee collection system. Please bring the correct change and display your receipt.
Buy annual pass.
Visitor info
All the practical information you need to know about Dandahra Falls walking track.
Track grading
Features of this track
Distance
5km return
Time
3 - 4hrs
Quality of markings
No directional signage
Experience required
Very experienced bushwalkers
Gradient
Very steep
Steps
Many steps
Quality of path
Rough unformed track
Getting there and parking
Dandahra Falls walking track is in Gibraltar Range National Park near Mulligans campground and picnic area.
To get there from Glen Innes:
- Drive 68km east towards Grafton along the Gwydir Highway.
- Turn right onto Mulligans Drive.
To get there from Grafton:
- Drive 92km west towards Glen Innes along the Gwydir Highway.
- Turn left onto Mulligans Drive.
Continue on Mulligans Drive for 10km to Mulligans campground and picnic area.
Road quality
- Unsealed roads
Vehicle access
- 2WD vehicles
Weather restrictions
- All weather
Parking
Parking is available at Mulligans campground and picnic area.
Facilities
- There are no bins so you’ll need to take all rubbish away with you.
- Drinking water is limited or not available in this area, so it’s a good idea to bring your own.
- Flush toilets are available at Mulligans campground and picnic area.
Maps and downloads
Accessibility
Disability access level - no wheelchair access
Prohibited
Generators
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
Dandahra Falls walking track is in Gibraltar Range National Park. Here are just some of the reasons why this park is special:
Lands of plenty
The European heritage of the park may be shorter, but look around and you'll find its traces clearly etched in the natural environment. Living around the range are direct descendants of graziers, lumberers and miners who made their livings here. Bullock teams and horses once struggled through the bush and granite tors, attempting to tame a landscape that today inspires for its wild ruggedness. Evidence of their work can be glimpsed at Mulligans campground and picnic area, where an aborted hydro-electric scheme from the 1900s is memoralised by a remaining hut and several weirs. Hikers on the wide-reaching Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk might also notice relics of pre-WWII tin and gold-mining operations in the Grassy Creek area.
- Dandahra Crags walking track Dandahra Crags walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route with scenic views and birdwatching opportunities.
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk Keep an eye out for birds and wildflowers on the 45km Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk through eucalypt forests, rainforests, wetlands and granite tors in the rugged Northern Tablelands.
World Heritage Area
Part of the Gondwana Rainforests Reserves of Australia, Gibraltar Range is listed on the World Heritage register for rainforest plants that have existed since Australia was part of the Gondwana super-continent. Gibraltar Range National Park is home to several threatened species of animal: the endangered giant barred frog, which can grow to the size of a small adult's hand; and glossy black cockatoos, under threat from a loss of breeding habitat. Feeding locations are very important to the continuing survival of the cockatoo.
- Dandahra Falls walking track Suitable for fit and experienced bushwalkers only, Dandahra Falls walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park offers impressive waterfall views in stunning World Heritage surrounds.
- Duffer Falls walking track Within easy reach of Glen Innes or Grafton and ideal for a day trip, Duffer Falls walking track offers waterfall views in the beautiful forest setting of Gibraltar Range National Park.
- Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk Keep an eye out for birds and wildflowers on the 45km Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk through eucalypt forests, rainforests, wetlands and granite tors in the rugged Northern Tablelands.
- Junction Spur walking track For experienced bushwalkers only, Junction Spur walking track in Gibraltar Range National Park will suit adventure seekers who want to get off the beaten track and explore the tablelands.
- The Needles walking track The Needles walking track offers jaw-dropping views of granite rock formations in Gibraltar Range National Park, near Glen Innes. Part of the Gibraltar-Washpool World Heritage walk, it’s a great shorter walk option.
Years in the making
Long stewarded through history by Aboriginal people in the area, the Gibraltar Range continues to hold significance for contemporary descendants. The Range is rich in cultural sites and sacred places, with Aboriginal groups having moved regularly between the tablelands and coastal plains, conducting ceremonies and gathering food along the way.
- Dandahra Crags walking track Dandahra Crags walking track, in Gibraltar Range National Park, is a hiking route with scenic views and birdwatching opportunities.