Macquarie Pass National Park walks: Walks, waterfalls & wildlife

The best Macquarie Pass National Park walks in New South Wales are the Cascades Walk and Clover Hill Trail. The Cascades Walk is simpler and rainforest-focused. The Clover Hill Trail offers better Illawarra Escarpment views.

The Macquarie Pass National Park on the Illawarra Escarpment is a great place to get a nature fix between Bowral, Wollongong and Kiama.

This New South Wales national park is about halfway along the drive from Bowral to Wollongong. It’s where the Southern Highlands gives way to the Illawarra, around an hour and 40 minute drive south of Sydney. If coming from Sydney or Wollongong, turn right off the Princes Highway at Albion Park.

Macquarie Pass National Park walks: Clover Hill Trail

The best Macquarie Pass National Park walks are the Clover Hill Trail and the Cascades Walk. The Clover Hill Trail is the toughest of these, and the trailhead is at the northern end of the Cascades Picnic Area.

Waterfall views on the Clover Hill Trail in the Macquarie Pass National Park, New South Wales. Photo courtesy of Destination NSW.

The Clover Hill Trail to Rainbow Falls is an old logging route. It’s only 6km return, and should take two to three hours, but expect to work hard on the way. This Macquarie Pass National Park walk is rated as grade 5. Directional signage is minimal and there are some steep sections.

This Illawarra Escarpment walk starts in dense forest, then emerges at the paddocks of Clover Hill. From here you can see the huge sandstone cliffs of the escarpment. The walk continues through rainforest towards Rainbow Falls. On the way, you’ll spot eucalypts, Illawarra flame trees and cabbage tree palms. There’s also a good chance of spotting kangaroos, goannas and lyrebirds.

Macquarie Pass National Park walks: Cascades Walk

The Cascades Walk also leaves from the Cascades Picnic Area, but it’s much easier. This grade 3-rated Macquarie Pass National Park walk is around 2km return. It should take between 45 minutes and 1h15m, depending on how many times you stop and what pace you tackle it at.

The Cascades is a small but pretty waterfall, but the joy comes in taking in the flora and fauna along the way. The rainforest has native fig trees, lilly pillys and a carpet of ferns. You’re also likely to see scuttling lizards and – if you’re lucky – platypus, goannas and lyrebirds.

This Macquarie Pass National Park walk is child-friendly – especially if you bring binoculars and a birdwatching book. For more information, visit the NSW National Parks website.

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