Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Fitzroy Falls - in late afternoon light

This afternoon, after a series of harsh squalls had passed through, I suggested to Brendan that, as we had stopped work, but the weather had suddenly cleared off, we might as well go for a bit of a drive.


It turned out that he had never been to Fitzroy Falls. As it our most famous local waterfall, it was an easy decision to make, to show Brendan Fitzroy Falls.


The late afternoon light was fantastic. Rain storms can have the effect of clearing the dust and haze.
Fitzroy Falls
From "Jersey Lookout" 
(added in response to Hazel's question)
(click to see larger image)
As we have had plenty of rain recently, the creek was flowing well. And from this distant vantage point one gets a perfect view of the main drop of the falls.

The wall of rock is stained black in parts, but there is one section, to our left of the falls, and half-way down, where the wall of rock is coloured bright orange. This is a patch of a local algae, which is often found on rocks or even old trees, But seldom have I seen such a large and prominent patch. It probably indicates an area on the rock wall where there is a permanent "soak" coming through to sustain the algal growth. That theory is confirmed by the masses of ferns growing on the rock face in that area, and below it.

Fitzroy Falls is far and away the most visited place in the Southern Highlands. It is on the main road from Moss Vale to Kangaroo Valley (and hence on to Nowra). It is maintained by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW) and is the show-case point of the Morton National Park.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent time for waterfalls after all this rain....loving the flow!!!

Denis Wilson said...

Thanks Beth.
(Beth lives close to the Falls, and works in the NPWS Office there, so she knows a thing or two about the Falls.)
Denis

Denis Wilson said...

Thanks Le Loup.
Glad you liked the shot.
Denis

fnkykntr said...

Hi Denis, Ive been to the falls a couple of times I remember the viewpoint a short walk from the visitor centre being at right angles to the falls so its interesting to see you can see them 'front on'. How do you get to that view-point?

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Hazel
It is not obvious where the best spots are.
I parked on Gwen Road (from Kangaroo Valley, cross the bridge, go past the Visitors Centre (on your right) , turn 1st left) It meets the Red Hills Fire Trail. I parked there and walked as if going to "Twin Falls" (But didn't). You will come to the "West Rim" track which takes you to various lookouts. Have a look at the first lookout (down over the gorge). Then walk back (towards the Falls) about 200 metres only) and you come to "Jersey Lookout".
You are still some 300 metres from the Falls at that point, and about 500 metres from the Visitors Centre (along the main track).
If coming from the VC, go under the road, to the main Falls lookout, and then follow "West Rim Walk". There are quite a lot of steps going that way, which is why I prefer the back entry.
Cheers
Denis

Brigid said...

Nothing quite like a waterfall in gull gush!

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Brigid
Thanks. Yeah, it is pretty full. Not huge, but certainly all the streams are flowing well.
Denis