Waterfall Way
Template: Infobox several high-level roads / maintenance / AU -S
States:
New South Wales
The Waterfall Way is a main road in the northeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. It connects the Pacific Highway in Raleigh with the New England Highway at Armidale. The road runs through one of the most scenic landscapes of New South Wales and is the most important tourist street of New South Wales and the third most important of Australia ( to Great Ocean Road and Great Alpine Road) Seven national parks, of which three are classified as a World Heritage Site and are part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, are on this route. In the Dorrigo National Park you will find the waterfalls that gave the street its name. The Waterfall Way also represents one of the few road connections between the coast and the hinterland of New South Wales and is therefore much more traveled than you might think.
Course
The Waterfall Way branches in Raleigh, about 25 km south of Coffs Harbour, to the west by the Pacific Highway (R1 ) from and follows the south bank of the Bellinger River up to Bellingen. After the road has the Bellinger River crossing, it turns to the northwest and climb the rocky steps of the Great Dividing Range. Here it forms the southern boundary of the Dorrigo National Park, past the Newell waterfall and waterfall at Sherrard. Since the Waterfall Way is only one lane at this point, there is no way to stop at the waterfalls, to view them in peace. The Newell waterfall but apart from a rest area directly below. At the height of the rock step (about 750 m above sea level) leads a small detour south to Griffith 's Lookout, from where one has a good view of the Bellinger River National Park and the river valley.
A short distance further is the turnoff to the visitor center of Dorrigo Natioanlparks. The World Heritage Site is known for its bridges through the treetops ( Skywalk ) and its hiking trails. The interesting and easily accessible Dangar Falls are located 2.4 km north of the center at Biel Downriver. The road continues through Dorrigo and then through the pastures of the Dorrigo Plateau in order to traverse the young Nymboida River. The Bicentennial National Trail runs a short distance along the road before they reached Ebor. 9 km from the corner on the Armidale Grafton Road reached the Waterfall Way Ebor. This development is close to the Guy Fawkes River National Park and the Ebor Falls. After the Ebor Waterfall Way leads to an intersection from which you can see the trout hatchery Dutton and Point Lookout, about 10 km east of the road in New England National Park is. A little further are the Wollomombi Falls about 1 km south of the road. From there, you can also reach the 145,000 acre - Oxley Wild Rivers National Park well. The Waterfall Way passes 5 km passing through the historic mining town of Hillgrove and to the viewing platforms of the Bakers Creek Falls and the Metz Gorge. On the way to Armidale, there are other, slightly more hidden attractions: The Gara Gorge is 18 km south-east of Armidale at the Castle Doyle Road, which branches off to the east of Armidale from the Waterfall Way.
Road Conditions
The road is paved along its entire length, but relatively narrow, and has a 14 km- long, very steep road section. In recent years, thunderstorms, thus causing landslides have washed away parts of the road. This applies especially to the ascent to the Great Dividing Range, so only one lane is at the waterfalls on the Dorrigo Range available.