Highlands falls combo: Fitzroy + Belmore
Best for: Visitors who want two waterfall nodes in one Southern Highlands day
Guide updated · verify NSW National Parks the morning you go
Morning Fitzroy Falls lookouts (and optional short rim), drive to Belmore Falls lookouts, town recovery — only when weather, alerts and energy support two cliff-edge stops.
Belmore Falls
Wikimedia Commons contributor · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
This is the classic multi-waterfall highlands day. It works when you start early, protect drive time on winding roads, and accept that one precinct may be closed or socked in.
Do not also stack Bundanoon full network walking or Pigeon House. Two waterfall stories done well beat four half-finished nodes.
Verify alerts for both Fitzroy and Belmore. Entry fees commonly apply at Fitzroy ([VERIFY] live figures). Fee rules elsewhere can differ — check NPWS. No pets. Stay on signposted tracks only.
Cliff edges are real at both nodes. Stay on formed platforms. UXO restricted zones exist in parts of the wider SE park — freestyle gorge scrambling is never part of this plan.
Track status, weather and closures change — verify on NSW National Parks before you leave, then use the timeline below as a planning skeleton only.
Timeline
Night before
Order of battle
Default: Fitzroy morning (better visitor centre support and classic first look) then Belmore afternoon. Reverse only if alerts or parking intelligence say so. Pack layers, shells, water, cash/card for entry, offline maps. Hard end-of-day town time set.
0:00–0:30
Fitzroy arrival & entry
Early day-use arrival. Pay Fitzroy entry as directed ([VERIFY]). Toilets, water, valuables cleared from car. Confirm open lookouts on signs/alerts.
0:30–2:00
Fitzroy lookouts (± short rim)
Main platforms first. Optional short West Rim only if the clock still supports Belmore with margin. Photograph, hydrate, do not burn two hours on one crowded platform party.
2:00–3:00
Drive & food buffer
Drive toward Belmore via highlands roads. Build real time for fog, rain and holiday traffic. Short food stop in Robertson / Kangaroo Valley corridor if needed — keep it tight.
3:00–4:30
Belmore lookouts
Signed lookouts only. Grip shoes, kids supervised, no barrier climbs. If closed or zero visibility and unsafe underfoot, skip and call the Fitzroy morning a full win.
4:30+
Town recovery
Moss Vale, Bundanoon, Robertson or Kangaroo Valley. Warm food, dry socks, no sunset cliff bonus on wet roads you do not know. Note which order worked for next visit.
Packing
- Water for both stops · Amazon search
- Rain shell + warm layer · Amazon search
- Grip shoes · Amazon search
- Cash and card for entry machines
- Offline maps / alerts screenshots
- Snacks for the car between precincts · Amazon search
- First aid basics · Amazon search
Amazon search links may earn a commission · not brand endorsements · park fees never affiliated · Disclosure · Gear list
Parking & access tips
- Two car parks means two early-or-busy logistics problems — start earlier than feels civilised.
- Pay Fitzroy entry as required; [VERIFY] Belmore/other precinct fee rules on NPWS.
- Do not leave bags visible at either stop.
- Winding roads: park fully off travel lanes; no creative verge parking.
Skip if short on time / energy
- Long West Rim full commitment if it kills Belmore daylight
- Bundanoon rainforest add-on
- Pigeon House
- Night lookouts
- Off-track base-of-falls ideas at either site
Extra tips
Who this plan is for
- Highlands-based visitors with a full day and two waterfall goals
- Photographers who want variety of gorge frames
- Groups that will skip the second stop if weather or fatigue wins
- People who already know they do not need a summit day
Decision gates (say them out loud)
- If Fitzroy runs long: cut West Rim, protect Belmore or drop Belmore
- If Belmore is closed: do not invent access — end in town
- If fog kills views but tracks are unsafe: prioritise safety over photos
- If rain makes roads ugly late: skip optional third stops entirely
What success looks like
- One or two waterfall precincts done on formed lookouts
- No off-track nonsense; fees handled
- Group in town before dark chaos
- Clear notes on order of visit for next highlands trip
Related trail guides
- Fitzroy Falls lookouts & short rim walksThe default Morton first product: visitor centre orientation, formed waterfall and gorge lookouts, and short rim-style links when open. Cliff edges are real — stay on signposted platforms and tracks.
- Belmore Falls lookouts & short walksFormed lookouts and short walks at Belmore Falls — gorge and waterfall views on the Robertson / Kangaroo Valley approach side of Morton. Stay on signposted platforms; do not invent base-of-falls access.
- Fitzroy Falls West Rim style walkThe natural step up from short Fitzroy lookouts: West Rim style formed walking with gorge and forest interest when open. Still cliff-edge country — treat weather closures and wet surfaces as hard stops, not optional advice.
Official links to verify
Stays, tours & gear for this plan
Optional next steps once your timeline is set — park fees and official NPWS bookings are never affiliated.
Nearby stays
Bundanoon (primary) · Moss Vale · Kangaroo Valley · Ulladulla
- Hotels & stays in BundanoonClosest northern base for Gambells Rest and Bundanoon rainforest tracks
- Moss ValeSouthern Highlands services hub toward Fitzroy Falls
- Kangaroo ValleyValley base between Fitzroy / Belmore and the coast road
- Bowral / Mittagong areaBroader Highlands stays with cafés and services
- UlladullaSouth Coast base for Pigeon House (Didthul) days
- NowraShoalhaven hub for southern / eastern approaches
All Booking.com links open in a new tab and may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park day use is never affiliated. Official campgrounds (e.g. Gambells Rest) book only via NPWS - never affiliated here.
Guided tours
Optional — useful for Southern Highlands logistics and first visits
A tour does not replace checking NSW National Parks alerts, weather, or cliff safety yourself.
What to bring
Practical kit for cliff walks and changeable mountain weather
- Grip walking shoes / trail runnersLookout paths can be damp; Pigeon House has steep / ladder sections — fashion shoes fail
- Layers for plateau weatherSouthern Highlands plateaus run cold and misty; summer still needs a warm layer for rim lookouts
- Rain shell (packable)Waterfalls look best after rain — and tracks get slippery the same day
- Day pack 15–25 LWater, snacks, layers for half-day falls circuits or full summit days
- Water bottle or bladder 1.5–2 L+Pigeon House and remote gorge days need more water than a short Fitzroy lookout loop
- Sun hat + SPFPlateau sections and summit approaches can be exposed even when valleys look shaded
- Insect repellentRainforest gullies and summer evenings — especially Bundanoon tracks
- First-aid + blister kitSteep summit approaches and longer gorge walks punish new boots
- Head torch (remote days)If you misjudge a longer walk, finishing in dusk on escarpment tracks is a real risk
- Power bank + offline mapsScreenshot NPWS alerts; mobile coverage is patchy or absent in many park sections
Some stay, tour and gear links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. All Booking.com links may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Park entry fees and official NPWS camping bookings are never affiliated — book campgrounds only via nationalparks.nsw.gov.au. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy