Phantom Falls

We parked the car at intersection of Sharps and Allenvale Roads - there's enough space to pull over far enough to be out of the way and set off along the trail towards Phantom Falls. The walk isn't particularly steep, and any discomfort from the walk is completely offset by the beauty of the forest. The undulating return hike is just under 8km and takes you through temperate rainforest, ferny gullies, The Canyon, and some regular ol' bushland.

The rainforest bits are a fungus- and moss-spotter's delight!

To get to the waterfall you have to go through The Canyon. It is a stunning short section of the trail. On the 30°C day that we were hiking, it was delightfully cool and refreshing to pass through. Entering the canyon on the return looks quite daunting, but it isn't as bad as it initially looks.

The water wasn't flowing particularly hard on the day we visited. which made it irresistible for a dip - especially considering the warmth of the day. There were quite a few other people on the trail and at the waterfall when we arrived. But when we got to the bottom of the falls after exploring a bit around the top, everyone else had departed and we had the place to ourselves. Complete luxury.

The pool isn't deep enough for jumping or diving, and as always in natural streams there are submerged rocks and logs to be wary of. I slid into the water from a rock, and paddled over to sit under the falls, letting the water give me a therapeutic cooling massage.

Discarded bottles and cans collected: 2