Set deep in the jungly forest of Barren Grounds, Flying Fox Falls is like a scene from the Jungle Book come to life. Moss and ferns cling to the soaring rock walls and the powerful waterfall thunders into a deep swimming hole. No words or pictures could truly describe what it’s like to be there in person.
However, a place as truly wild as this one comes with its challenges. There is no path for a significant part of the route and there are some steep sections to negotiate. This is an adventurous hike through spectacular rainforest, so if you have the necessary experience, it’s time to get your Indiana Jones on!
Here’s how to find Flying Fox Falls.
Safety warning
Before we get started, it’s important to know that this waterfall is located in a remote part of Barren Grounds Nature Reserve where there is no phone signal. Make sure you have a map of the area downloaded as we will provide co-ordinates for the key points to help you navigate.
Having an offline map will also help you track your way back to the top as well. Our directions will help, but as there is no path you will need a map to assist with navigating.
In addition to this, the terrain is littered with potential obstacles and it would be easy to trip on a vine or slide on an unstable descent. This is not to scare anyone, but it is to say that this hike shouldn’t be attempted alone and shouldn’t be your first off-track hike. It would be wise to carry a PLB incase of emergency.
It’s also best attempted during dry weather and preferably after a decent dry spell. This is because the terrain will be more stable and less slippery when dry, you’ll also greatly reduce the chance of getting leeched!
Don’t worry about the waterfall running dry, we visited during a long dry spell and it was still going strong.
The walk to Flying Fox Falls
The stats
Distance: 10.2km return
Elevation gain: 390m
Difficulty: Moderate - hard
Trailhead: Barren Grounds Picnic Area
Summary: The first 2.8km of the walk are on a well maintained fire trail which is predominantly flat. The following 2.3km are all off-track, with no real path and nothing to guide you. Whilst we will do our best to give guidance and coordinates, you need to be comfortable with off track hiking and route finding.
There are some steep sections on the descent and therefore a bit of a climb back up again at the end. You’ll need to cross the creek, which is easy when the water levels are low, but would be more challenging if there has been a lot of recent rain.
We personally wouldn’t attempt this hike without a PLB, or an offline map, as there is no phone signal if you run into any difficulties.
Starting the trail: the easy bit
From the car park (full details below) you’ll head onto the Cooks Nose walking track. This is a wide well maintained fire trail which is predominantly flat.
After 900m you’ll reach a junction and keep straight. Roughly 400m later, or 1.3km into the track you’ll reach another junction and keep right.
The path continues in much the same vein for another 950m before it narrows a bit, but it’s still a fire trail. The path will now begin to descend gently.
After 250m on the narrower path you’ll encounter some ruts and potentially water logged sections, but nothing major and nothing that couldn’t be easily skirted around - however, if it’s been very wet it can be boggy along much of the track and as mentioned, wouldn’t be the ideal conditions to do this walk in.
The path continues descending to the 2.8km mark where you’ll see a small sign stating you are now at Flying Fox Pass. This is the end of the maintained track.
The descent begins and reaching the creek
From the signpost you head into the bush on your right and after 100m (approx) you will come to a little rock platform. This is where you need to descend into the rainforest.
Look for the rock chute beside the tree; the co-ordinates are -34.6747303, 150.6949404.
It’s probably only a couple of metres down, but it is a bit steep and loose and requires care. At the bottom of the chute you’ll begin heading left. Before you come to the rough track leading downhill you’ll come to a cliff line. Do not descend here.
You need to keep an eye out for a big tree 150m from the rock chute. The path is to the left of it.
The route beside the tree is steepish and has a bit of loose soil, but overall this first bit of the hike is still quite easy for an off-track section.
From here you want to begin gently and safely picking your way downhill towards the creek. We recommend aiming to cross the creek somewhere around here: -34.6777794, 150.6911651.
Roughly 100m beyond the big tree you will come to a gully, it’s easily identifiable by the old cables left over from the Flying Fox which used to transport timber up from the forest.
You can choose either to climb down this gully, which is steep and loose and requires care, or descend a little to the left of it, which is also steep, loose and requires care, but probably a touch easier.
At the bottom of the gully head left, (south). After around 150m the gradient of the descent significantly slackens and it’s more of a normal bush bash through the forest.
This lasts for around 250m before you have another steeper section. This is approximately 100m long and is a bit loose, but still ok with care - some people will find this easier than me as I never like loose terrain!
The forest gets more and more jungly and you’re now a lot lower down, so some of the time you are traversing rather than descending, which is easier.
After 150m you’ll reach a creek and continue following it downstream. This is quite easy, with just a couple of little rock hops required and no need to walk in the water as you can keep to the creek bank.
After 100m heading downstream you’ll come to a good place to cross the creek (co-ordinates: -34.6777794, 150.6911651), this is 4ish km into the hike.
Crossing is easy when the water level is low, though even with the rocks to use as stepping stones, there was a bit right at the end where we couldn’t avoid wet boots - though you could just take them off of course : )
Through the jungle
After crossing the creek bear left and head up into the forest. It’s easier to stay high and avoid the big boulders in the creek.
As mentioned, there is no path as such, but you can make your way through the forest, picking the route of least resistance.
Roughly 250m from the creek you’ll see an amazing giant Strangler fig (co-ordinates: -34.6790187, 150.6903664) and this is a good natural marker to give some confidence you’re on the right track.
The forest is like a proper jungle now, with giant hanging vines, dozens of epiphytes and some fantastic cabbage palms.
Roughly 130m beyond the fig you will cross a tiny tributary (which is easy to cross). Just 20m from here is a large termite mound which is another good natural marker.
Another couple of hundred metres later, begin heading gently downhill.
Roughly 200m beyond the termite mound, or 4.75km into the hike, we climbed over a huge fallen tree and then up a gully to continue traversing, we could see the creek below at this point.
Keep traversing for another 150m and then you’ll get your first glimpse of the waterfall.
It’s quite far below you at this point. There is a large tree (laughable to use a tree in a forest as a marker, but there isn’t really anything else to mention) and from here you are just 170m from the waterfall, but they are a steep 170m.
We traversed a little to the right, carefully picking our way down the wet muddy gully, before veering left to duck under the tree ferns on what felt like a more stable route, but you may choose a slightly different way.
From here you need to scramble down a few rocks and then you’ll see the falls ahead of you, just a very short rock hop away.
You’ll reach the pool approximately 5.1km after leaving the car park (remembering that distance tracking is difficult in this kind of terrain).
Flying Fox Falls
Co-ordinates: -34.6821991, 150.6915560
From your first glimpse of Flying Fox Falls from above, you know it’s going to be special. All the jungly plants which slightly obscure it from view only add to the allure.
When you arrive at the foot of the falls itself it’s spectacular, with the surrounding rock walls hemming it in on one side and dense rainforest and giant boulders on the other.
It feels completely cut off from the reserve above, a true lost world.
The pool is large and perfect for swimming. There is very little in the way of rocks in the water so you can have a proper swim.
Accessing the pool involves negotiating a couple of rocks inside the water and then it’s deep enough to swim off.
The water doesn’t see much sun, so expect it to be cool year round and very cold outside of summer. It will definitely be an exhilarating swim! If you’re not used to cold water, you should save this adventure for summer time.
It’s an incredible spot, please keep it that way. Pack out anything you bring with you and don’t wear sunscreen or bug spray in the water - the pool and forest is almost always in shadow which helps on that front!
Heading back
On the way back you may follow a slightly different route, but you should look for the natural markers to help guide you. I personally thought the way back was a lot easier as we knew roughly where to go and all the terrain felt more stable when going uphill.
Obviously it’s a bit harder on the calves going back up, but I prefer that to it feeling a bit slippery in certain sections going downhill.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the reserve, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Parking for the Flying Fox Falls Track
The trail begins at the Barren Grounds Picnic Area car park in the Southern Highlands, which has plenty of parking and toilets available. There are no facilities anywhere else along the trail, so please plan accordingly.
The car park is 18km and just under a 20 minute drive from Robertson, 43km and a 40 minute drive from Bowral and 122km and a two hour drive from Sydney.
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