Discover our best waterfall from all angles.

The Manning Valley provides the poetic inspiration for our tourist destination name, inspired by the aboriginal description of our region...

the place where the leaves touch the waters, from the mountains to the sea.

The iconic Ellenborough Falls is a shining example of the awesome beauty of water in the Barrington Coast.

Here are some walks - some easy, some not so easy - that will take you to the best views of Ellenborough Falls.

Ellenborough Falls at Elands
Ellenborough Falls at Elands.

How to find Ellenborough Falls at Elands

  • START: Ellenborough Falls car park
  • DISTANCE: 1.5 km
  • DURATION: 1 hour return
  • GRADE: Moderate/Hard

Follow the scenic Tourist Drive 8 from Wingham to Elands atop the Bulga Plateau and you'll discover legendary Ellenborough Falls.

At 200 metres, Ellenborough Falls is the tallest single drop waterfall in New South Wales and amongst the tallest in the southern hemisphere. It's an iconic experience of the Manning Valley area in the Barrington Coast.

At the car park you'll find toilets, picnic tables, interpretive signs plus the Ellenborough Falls Kiosk.

1. Walk no further than the car park

At the top of the falls near the car park is the first viewing platform. The view here is pretty good, you can see the whole falls but it's a real teaser... it leaves you wanting to see more! So follow your curiosity for the best yet to come.

Glimpses through the dense canopy half way to the bottom of Ellenborough Falls.
Glimpses through the dense canopy half way to the bottom of Ellenborough Falls.

2. Walk to the where the waters drops off

There's a short easy walk (80m) to another viewing area near the waterfall drop-off. This part has some stairs so it's not suitable for wheelchairs. For some reason here, thoughts of barrels over Niagara Falls comes to mind.

The Ellenborough Falls walk deviation to the lookout at the Knoll.
The Ellenborough Falls walk deviation to the lookout at the Knoll.

3. Walk to the lookout at the Knoll

The third option is a 10 minute walk down the gravel walkway to the Knoll. This viewing platform is directly opposite the falls for a top-to-bottom vista of the waters of the Ellenborough River tumbling into the ravine below.

Looking directly north from this platform you'll see that the falls are often in the shade, so once again you're left wanting to see more... so continue onwards with your curiosity.

Catch the spray at the bottom of Ellenborough Falls.
Catch the spray at the bottom of Ellenborough Falls.

4. The 641 steps to the bottom and back

The fourth option is truly worth the effort but only if you are reasonably fit and take some water with you. Walking down to the falls bottom takes roughly 15-30 minutes however the walk back up is about 25-40 minutes.

You descend 641 steps to the base of the falls, with rest stops that you'll really appreciate on the way back up. At the bottom is a rock pool misted by the spray of the water, splash some of the icy water on your face to cool off.

The view looking back up the waterfall is mesmerising, it puts our small human scale into perspective. On the slower walk back up those steps, notice the changing plants and foliage, keeping an eye out for the birds and animals that make this special place their home.

On your journey back up, you can keep track of the number of steps remaining with the handy numbered markers you'll see on the step face at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 and 600 mark. Are we there yet?! Phew indeed!

Instagram: For the curious