Belmore Falls (Kangaroo Valley) SE Australia

The Wallagunda River (sometimes called Barrengarry) drops 330m (1080’) in a series of plunges to the Kangaroo River. The River has carved a deep gorge into the surrounding Barrengarry Valley, plunging down four large waterfalls. The lower waterfalls are inaccessible today.

First plunge, in mist

The waterfalls were discovered by settlers in 1870. They were named after the then Governor of New South Wales an Irish Earl: Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore. He served in troubled times. Early in his tenure (1868), there was a Fenian assassination attempt on the visiting Prince Alfred and himself at Sydney. He is partly credited for forestalling a general Irish uprising in the Colony, although some parts descended into chaos.
Belmore Falls has two slightly offset direct waterfalls. Midway down the cliff, water collects in a pool, before cascading down the second plunge. The river flows, in part, through fragile honeycombed rock connecting pool and plunge. The detail shows water forcing its way through rock at the top of the second plunge.
Climbing to the middle pool is dangerous and has been the scene of some serious injuries (even from relatively minor slips). Today it is prohibited.

top of first plunge, medium flow

top of second plunge

first and second plunges

Location


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