Walking the Walls // Kanangra-Boyd NP (NSW)

Lachy Firmstone

If you’re not afraid of an early start, getting out to Kanangra-Boyd National Park to watch the sunrise could be right up your alley!

Walking the Walls // Kanangra-Boyd NP (NSW) Lachie Firmstone mountain sunrise hiker

Highlights

  • Sunrise peeking over the mountains
  • Short hike down Plateau Walk for big rewards
  • Having the whole Plateau Walk to Kalang Falls to oneself; not a soul around

My mates and I had a very early morning in South Sydney to make sunrise at Kanangra Walls; 3:00am wake-up to be precise. A quick shot of coffee and some good music got us gearing to go though. After a 3 hour drive, we hit the dirt road that would lead us to the carpark in front of Kanangra’s Plateau Walk. Make sure you allow for a 45min drive along the winding dirt road (4WD is ideal) to avoid potholes and rock wallabies.

The walk from the carpark to the top of the Walls with the famous lookout is maybe 20 minutes and very easy to navigate. Give yourself time to set up the tripod and find the best spot to watch the sunrise. We watched the light over the mountains behind us bathe the valley in a crimson red before the sun peaked over the edge. It’s an unreal view seeing all the levels of the ridges and valleys in the distance, and the all the lights and shadows.

Walking the Walls // Kanangra-Boyd NP (NSW) Lachie Firmstone mountain view boots

After sitting on the cliff-face for a few minutes, dangling our legs and listening to the birds sing, we kept walking along the Plateau Walk to get some different views of the valley, before turning back to the car and on to Kalang Falls, which is another 20min walk in the opposite direction from the car. These were an unreal series of falls over the mountains and once you’re there you might as well crack on and make a proper day of it!

It was a long drive back home and with considerably more traffic than 5:00am, but we couldn’t stop smiling.

Walking the Walls // Kanangra-Boyd NP (NSW) Lachie Firmstone waterfall rocks pool

Essential Gear

  • Camera gear
  • Hiking shoes/boots
  • Bottles of water/snacks
  • Torch (depending on arrival time)

Location

Click here.

Activities

  • Hiking
  • Photography
  • Canyoning
  • Camping

Skill Level

Beginner

Duration

40min to 2h return walking — plus additional photography time

 

Cameras at the ready, these spots are real beauties

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Lachy Firmstone
Microadventurer

The world is a big place, and Lachy's making a big effort to see as much of it as he can! He's a carrier of the travel bug, with 24 countries down, and 12 more planned for the end of 2016. When Lachy isn't overseas, you'll find him ticking off waterfalls and mountains in NSW! Check out his little adventures at @lachyjf

2 Responses

  1. Milly McGrath

    Kanagra Boyd has so much to explore, the waterfalls walk is also a good one to check out. Keep in mind the steep hike on the way back up.
    In a few months my boyfriend and I are planning to pack the bags and walk down to the Dance Floor Caves where we will spark up a fire and camp for the night. We usually choose to camp next to the car, but I’ve convinced him to put his hiking boots on…

    • Henry Brydon

      Thanks for sharing, i’m sure your fella is going to love it. Dance Floor Caves sounds particularly interesting (there’s nothing quite as fun as a prehistoric cave shin-dig!)