Finding Fairies

The Southern Highlands, 1.5hrs south of Sydney is packed full of beautiful places. With Morton National Park hugging close to many of the small towns theres no shortage of walks and waterfalls to explore. 

Just outside the village of Bundanoon is a very special walk and one of the first places I ventured to when moving to this beautiful region. The walk to Fairy Bower Falls is quite steep and strenuous however it is clearly marked and a distinct path all the way to the bottom. 

Taking the stairs we head down... and down... and down.. reaching a small creek cut through the sandstone and spilling over the edge of the escarpment, you may feel like you're almost there but there is so much further to go. 

Crossing the creek and continuing on, theres a wonderful section of boardwalk that skirts the edge of the cliff and affords stunning views over the valley below. This is where the track gets a little rougher and a little steeper. You'll notice a bench seat positioned part way down the second descent and wonder if its really necessary. On the way back, trust me, IT IS!

Out on the bare escapement edge you're exposed and even on a cool winter's day the sun can be harsh but you quickly descend into the cooler air and breath a big sigh of relief as the terrain turns tropical and the cool damp air touches your skin. 

Starting to see water trickling down rock faces over beautiful moss and ferns is a welcome sight as we continue on our journey to the bottom. Reaching any falls is always a great feeling and a sense of calm from the rushing water soothes any questions you may have whether the journey was worth it. You now know it was. 

Down a rather precarious ladder will take you from the last piece of boardwalk to the mossy rocks at the base of the falls and here we spent quite a while relaxing and enjoying the magic of this beautiful little waterfall. 

Fairy Bower may not have the biggest drop or the fastest flowing falls but theres a magic there that can't be found anywhere else. The ferns and trees surrounding the little creek running from the falls, the boulders shrouded in perpetual shadow and the gentle trickle of water down the jagged rock face all make for a truly magical experience. 

Spend as long as you can at the base of the falls because as harsh as the track down was, the way up is going to burn all that much more. Its a return track so the way down is the same as the way back and takes around 2hrs each way. 

We took a little longer doing it as we had a couple of small children but there was no issue with them being able to walk the path. As steep as it is, its still a reasonably manageable track as its very well maintained and majority of the walk is stairs. All totally worth it to discover this little magic haven. 

Safe Travels, 

Dimsim Outdoors