Wentworth Falls
Wentworth Falls is a small town within the Blue Mountains World Heritage National Park in Australia. It lies immediately east of Leura and Katoomba, and is a little quieter than its neighbours. It still has good facilities, great walks and views, and is still only a short journey from the main tourist centres of the mountains.
Get in
The town of Wentworth Falls is around 2-3 km from the falls themselves.
By car
Take the M4 Western Motorway from central Sydney. Continue straight, and follow the signs. The M4 becomes the Great Western Highway at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Continue straight until Wentworth Falls. The town is about 100 km west of Sydney. Traffic is heavy with the peak commute times into and away from Sydney. Friday can see extensive delays, and Fridays before holidays are worse still.
Parking at the Falls and the Conservation Hut can fill easily on sunny weekends. You'll just have to park in the surrounding streets. Parking is free.
By train
🌍 Wentworth Falls Station is on the Blue Mountains train line on Sydney's Intercity rail network. Trains depart Central station in Sydney approximately every hour. Alight at Wentworth Falls railway station in the centre of the town. A PDF copy of the timetable can be found on TfNSW's website.
By bus
Blue Mountains Transit runs routes 685 and 690K from Katoomba station to Wentworth Falls.
See
- The National Park about two km to the south of the village has the largest waterfall in the Blue Mountains National Park. There are also Aboriginal sites over 20,000 years old.
- Wentworth Falls Lake is a popular picnic spot and a short walk from the village. There are interesting seed pod sculptures within the park. The lake is stocked with fish (Redfin mainly). There is a lovely new playground area, free electric BBQs and swimming in the warmer months is popular.
Do
Walking trails, including:
| Note: Due to rockfalls in the Wentworth Falls areas (2017) both the National Pass (between Valley of the Waters and the Slack Stairs) and Wentworth Pass loop tracks were closed. As of July 2019 the National pass remains closed indefinitely. Check for local updates | |
- 🌍 National Pass the best one-day walk in the Blue Mountains. If you start from the Wentworth Falls end, the views as you descend the stairs and turn onto the cliff ledge will take your breath away. There are some steep steps at either end of the path, although overall the walk has a gentle grade and will present a moderate challenge to someone of average fitness. The path is cut into the cliff in sections, and doesn't always have protective fences. The path starts at the Falls, around 2km from the village and train station.
- the Wentworth Pass track, which allows you to swim at the bottom of the Falls.
- The Charles Darwin Walk, named after Charles Darwin who visited the area, and did the walk. About 2 hours long, starting from the station and ending at the falls. Ideal for those visiting by train. Gentle grade. Note that this walk has been closed due to flood damage that occurred in February 2020. No reopening date has been announced.
If you don’t have a car, Blue Mountains 4wd, based in Wentworth Falls, offers daily touring experiences specialising in Blue Mountains highlight areas and seldom visited off road experiences. They can be contacted on +61 414 405 974.
Canyoning and abseiling are also popular activities.
Buy
Artwork and pottery by well known Australian artists at the Falls Gallery.
Eat
There are many good quality small cafes and restaurants in the village, including:
- Twins on Blaxland, Wentworth Falls Golf Club, A cosy restaurant serving a variety of casual and gourmet-style foods. There are regular events held, such as a buffet and karaoke.
- 🌍 Conservation Hut, 92 Fletcher St (near cul-de-sac of Fletcher St), ☏ +61 2 4757 3827, parks.info@environment.nsw.gov.au. Surrounded by bushland with nice breakfast and great coffee on the balcony, but not cheap.
- The Blue Mist Cafe, serving solid breakfast and lunch fare
- 🌍 Bakery Patisserie Schwarz, 30 Station St, ☏ +61 2 4757 3300. 7AM–5PM. A pleasant German-style cafe and bakery selling breads, cakes and pastries, among other things.
Drink
The Grand View Hotel provides typical Australian bar and hotel service. D'vine Cellars has a great selection of Australian and New Zealand wines and beers.
Sleep
- There are many bed and breakfast and self contained cottages in the area, including Moments, Silvermere and Chateau Fontanelle. Popular for weekend getaways from Sydney, so expect to pay a premium for Friday and Saturday nights, and to find some good midweek deals.
- Inexpensive accommodation is available in the Grand View Hotel.
- Hideaway Retreat, 50 Railway Parade, ☏ +61 4757 1042. Set on 32 acres of natural bushland, just minutes drive from the railway station. 20 light-filled rooms, all include en-suites. Relax by the pool. Great for group functions.