We visited Boonoo Boonoo NP near Tenterfield in NSW on 30th December 2021
The Boonoo Boonoo NP is well signposted and is only 27km from Tenterfield. The activities at the NP were excellent – it is a truely great experience.
Morgans Gully
We went to the first place of interest – Morgans Gully, near the beginning of the road to Boonoo Boonoo falls. It was pretty busy at the car park but we were lucky as a car was pulling out. We walked directly ahead to the gorge but then realised we could not see the river. We should have tracked down to the left where there is an old road. The gorge is less than 100m down the track.
Whilst the gorge is not massive, it is a fascinating area full of granite rocks that marks the site of an old goldfield. At the eastern end of the gully, there is historic heritage of the gold mining era. There’s a hand-dug water race where gravel was washed to get the gold.
I walked up river to near the start of the gully.
Then I made my way down river.
Kerry was further down river calling me to come and see the lovely water holes and rapids.
Platypus Hole
We bypassed Cypress Pine campground and quickly got to Platypus Hole. This is a large and lovely water hole that is not on the map nor referenced by N Parks. However, the lady at the tourist information office marked it on my map. This is such a peaceful area. I later came back to there whilst Des did the River Walk.
Booboo Boonoo Falls
Next up we drove out to the Booboo Boonoo picnic area, 13km from Cypress Pine on a good dirt road.The car park was also very busy.
Firstly we went out on the Boonoo Boonoo Falls walking track, a short stroll between Boonoo Boonoo picnic area and the scenic lookout onto the magnificent Boonoo Boonoo Falls. This is a place with a big WOW factor, really beautiful. Upstream of the Falls there are so many little waterfalls, rapids and waterholes. There is also heaps of water pounding down making it a great sight.
The grand finale of this track is the viewing platform that overlooks the fabulous Boonoo Boonoo Falls where, legend has it, Banjo Patterson proposed to Alice Walker. The Falls are magnificent and the Gorge down river beautiful.
We made our way back up river were able to see some of the rapids and water holes close up.
River Walk
After all the excitement we had lunch in the picnic area. Then, as I was keen to do the 6.5km one way River Walk, which connects Cypress-pine campground with Boonoo Boonoo Falls picnic area, Kerry said she would hang around there for a while and then drive to either Cypress Pine or Platypus Hole to wait for me.
The track took me through dry eucalypt forest and vegetation in the interface between the land and the waterway a little way back from the river. In places the track is steepish, and is mostly rolling up and down hills.
At two points the track meets the river presenting a cross section of rapids and rock pools. Normally these are safe for a dip, but probably not on that day.
As I had told Kerry that I would get through the distance in about 1.5hours I was very conscious that I had exceeded that time and was still not at Platypus Hole. I found it a tiring walk, especially having done the earlier climb to Bald Rock. So I as very relieved to see Kerry walking towards me.
I had initially driven back to the Cypress campground, but there was no parking spots left. So I returned to Platypus Hole, where I donned a hat and sat contemplating the water and watching the thousands of tiny water bugs going about their daily business. Alas, no Platypus were to be seen.
