I've been doing this walk and coming here ever since I was a kid, and it's no wonder people flock here. Jump rock, and the rainforest are absolutely stunning.
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| Begnning of walk, bottom left of Macquarie Pass |
There are about 3 walks here. The most popular being jump rock, however I know a few people that don't feel safe doing jump rock, and although it's not a long or particularly hard walk, I can understand for some, or those with small kids (even though many still make their way there) as the fading small path along the drop off can be a little daunting. However there is another walk on the opposite side (right-hand heading up, left coming down Macquarie Pass) that takes you to a waterfall.
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| Otherside |
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| The walk in |
As you follow the dirt road in it will open to another area, to your left, across the stream leading to a little homestead that's been there as long as I can remember. You use to be able to park in this area years ago, now you must park out by the road, which is probably good for all, as I remember coming back from this walk as a kid and my parents car had the windows smashed in and we had been robbed.
Now while a huge majority of people come here to swim in the water hole, this is also an amazing walk through the rainforest, you could easily forget you were right near Albion Park and instead easily feel like you were in Jurassic Park.
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| Or at least, you use to be able to |
But with more people, you also get the sort who have no respect for nature, everyone just wants to make their mark, and you get those who come and spoil the area with graffiti and litter. Which, I've had my fair share of trouble with these sorts, which I will bring up later, however, I, and others have been disappointed with so many people finding out about these beautiful locations, but you can't stop people. So I hope everyone reading this is like me, has some respect for the natural land and doesn't want to leave it getting trashed and encourages good behaviour in these beautiful areas.
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| Because it is beautiful |
This walk is safer in drier weather, but even when it hasn't rained in months, spots in there stay wet, muddy and very slippery, and in preparation for this post, I did this walk for the first time in maybe 3 years (with my mate Weekse, who I've hiked with before in previous posts) and was surprised by how much the path had eroded given it had scarcely changed since I was a kid.
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| Now rope barriers are up for safety (Weekse in photo) |
One spot in particular had always been a sloppy muddy mess that split into two paths (low and high) that just linked up into the one path again in a few metres. Now however, that area looks like it's suffered some sort of mass erosion or avalanche almost, as do a few other spots along the path.
The path follows the stream the entire way up to jump rock, and if you've been numerous times and feel like changing your walk up, you can make your way too, and from jump rock along the river if you're steady footed and don't mind jumping rock to rock and scrambling up and over them. I have done it myself a few times. However this last time was the first time doing this walk I noticed particular tree growing along the paths and the leaves starting to hang almost low enough for a tall person to walk face first into. Which I wouldn't recommend. The plant? The one I discussed in my last blog.
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| Dendrocnide |
The path stays pretty consistent and there isn't much difficulty or worry of losing your way up until you come through a clearing opening up letting you know you're almost at jump rock.
While there is a path to the right of here as it opens up, it's hard to see, and most people generally cross the boulders and head down along the rocks by the water.
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You walk along and you'll get a lovely view of the water hole.
Obviously there's a reason for the name jump rock and while you can jump into the water hole from the top of the falls there, no that's not the jump rock.
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| Not the top yet |
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| The tip of Jump Rock |
The jump rock. Which attracts a lot of younger people, feeling the call of either the challenge, or the thrill. Many are fine to jump but once they reach the top many back down.
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| Me Jumping (2009) |
As I said I have been coming here my entire life. However around 2012 I began to slowly stop coming. The place was getting over crowded and the breaking point for me was coming up on the Christmas holidays to the place filled with bogans drinking alcohol, one throwing his beer bottle over out heads, having it smash on the rocky walls and slide down into the water.
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| This sign never use to be here, so my guess is it's becoming a problem |
If there were less people like that this place could stay excellent and generations to come can make as many memories here as I have made over the years.
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| November 2009 |
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| 12th November 2009 |
However, if you're the adventurous sort. You can go up past jump rock. No, there isn't more places to jump or swim, although you can swim further up, no spots are particularly deep but all beautiful locations to lie down in the sun and plenty more spots to explore.
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| Selfie showing the boulders blocking the path |
The first time I decided to travel up further than jump rock was again with Weekse, but also another friend, Ryan. We decided we wanted to hike to the end, or until we could at least get no further. You cut up through the bush (as the end of jump rock is blocked off by massive boulders), and again come down into boulder filled areas and streams. If you intend to go further make sure you can climb, jump and scramble.
Now while you might see some Spiders, Eels, or Leeches before Jump Rock, you'll get even luckier going past it, seeing Water Dragons, Snakes, or maybe a Lyre Bird.
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| Making my way up, 6th March 2012 |
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| Plenty of Adventure to have |
The further up you go the more water you'll find along the path.
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| 8th August 2011 |
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| Weekse and I 2008 |
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| 2008 |
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| September 2017 |
This walk itself can be a couple of hours depending on how fast you find a good way to proceed or just how long you want to take generally. We eventually got to a big waterfall that you couldn't even find a way around and called it a quits but just (maybe 5 minutes) before that we found a beautiful little pool with a rock in the middle that we dubbed a 'Fairy Fountain' because the serenity of it reminded us of a Fairy Fountain from the video game series 'The Legend of Zelda'.
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| 24th February 2008 |
Clover Hill Road I did for the first time in 2011.
This is a more placid walk. Very flat with some slight inclines, but still some beautiful views, but I would much rather take the Jump Rock track. I have since done Clover Hill twice. The first time with My Dad and Brother back in 2011, and in 2016 with my fiancée (girlfriend at the time).
The Clover Hill walk opens up into abandoned farm land and you can see the ruins of it all up there. There is some beautiful scenery of yellow grasses and some flowers, however finding the path of this walk was incrediby difficult so we walked around and explored everywhere.
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| 29 August 2011 |
The walk itself is meant to lead you to a little waterfall however there is very little signage as of the last time I went. However both times I was able to find my way there.
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| First falls you get too |
From here, without getting you feet wet it can be a little difficult to cross the river, but if you do, you follow the path left and it leads you along further until you come to another section of the falls.
However when I first did this walk with my Dad, his plan was to follow it down to Jump Rock, and back to the car park for his wife to pick us up. There is a steep slope before you take the turn off down to these waterfalls (which is a little path to your left) after coming out from these with my Dad, we went to our right, down this slope, slipping and slidding through the bush until we found our way to the flowing stream and followed it down, having to cut into the bush every now and again for a while, to make sure we could continue going down. The soil was incredibly loose and absolutely thick with dead leaves, causing us to take a number of falls.
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| Looking so thrilled to be there with Dad |
We eventually made it down all the way to the end, having started the walk around 11 we got to the main jump rock, car park just after dark. Whether this inspires you to have your own adventures or lets you know a bit more about the wonders of Macquarie Pass, I do hope you'll look after the area, and tell others to do the same so we can keep it beautiful for future generations.
Thanks for reading! - Steven
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