7 Day Waterfall Way Photography Workshop – New South Wales

Would you like to spend 7 days photographing New South Wales stunningly-beautiful 'Waterfall Way"? Take the time to unwind on spectacular coastal walks, stroll through World Heritage listed Gondwana rainforest parks, admire granite formations and enjoy the ambiance of country towns, all with your camera in hand. This circular journey includes many national parks and reserves with a diverse mix of landscapes, vegetation, geology, wildlife and walks. So many photographic subjects!

From our first base in Yamba near the mouth of the Clarence River, our initial explorations include the littoral rainforest in Iluka Nature Reserve and a section of the Yuraygir National Parks. Headlands provide the opportunity to spot marine life while the coastal heath is a haven for birdlife. Heading south west, for a refreshing perspective, we explore the forests and waterfalls in Dorrigo National Park. Nearby New England National Park protects a wide diversity of forest types, along with wallabies, gliders and the inquisitive spotted-tailed quoll.

Wollomombi Falls is accessible via short walks in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, large population of brush-tailed rock wallabies. A visit to Cathedral Rock National Park offers a contrasting landscape, with its dominating granites of New England batholites. Ebor Falls in Guy Fawkes National Park gives us a final option for waterfall photography. Our inland journey home includes the country towns of Tenterfield, Wallangarra and Girraween National Park, completing our photographic journey. This holiday spends six nights in comfortable accommodation at Yamba, Dorrigo and Armidale.

Michael Snedic, Professional Photographer and Proprietor of WildNature Photo Expeditions, has been photographing wildlife and nature for twenty five years. He is one of Australia’s most accomplished and published nature photographers, his images having won numerous awards. Michael’s images have been published across Australia and the world, in hundreds of publications. Michael is honoured to be a Nikon School tutor as well as The Nature Conservancy Australia’s Photo Competition Ambassador and judge for three years running.

Mon 22 March | Yuraygir National Park

Following breakfast, we explore the coastal surrounds of Yamba, including sections of Yuraygir National Park. The park protects the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in NSW and features long sandy beaches, rocky headlands, coastal heath, and abundant flora and fauna. We drive to the coastal village of Minnie Water to begin our exploration of this area, with easy walking options available. There is also the Wilsons Headland Walk with its panoramic ocean views and secluded coves.  We return to our accommodation in Yamba for free time.

Accommodation: Yamba

Meals: B, L, D

Tue 23 March | Coffs Harbour - Dangar Falls - Dorrigo

This morning, we leave Yamba and explore further down the coast to Coffs Harbour. Known for its beaches and abundant wildlife, this NSW North Coast city is the gateway to Waterfall Way.  We take advantage of the spectacular scenery and stops may include Emerald beach, Sealey Lookout, and the charming town of Bellingen, on the banks of the Bellinger River. We break for lunch before travelling to Dangar Falls, a beautiful 30 metre waterfall set amidst scenic agricultural and dairy farmland. We end the days travel, checking into accommodation in Dorrigo, our base for the next two nights.

Accommodation: Dorrigo

Meals: B, L, D

Wed 24 March | Dorrigo National Park

Today we enjoy a full day in the Dorrigo area, starting with a visit to Dorrigo National Park’s rainforest visitor centre and skywalk. This short boardwalk soars over the edge of the escarpment some 21m above the rainforest and offers great views of the rainforest, the Bellingen Valley and east towards Coffs Harbour. We then enjoy part, or all the Wonga Walk in Dorrigo National Park. This easy 6km loop through the lush rainforest to Tristania and Crystal Falls. Following lunch at the Rainforest Café, we have the option to drive to Never Never Picnic Area for a section of the easy Rosewood Creek circuit walk. After a full day of forest photography, we return to our accommodation in Dorrigo for dinner.

Accommodation: Dorrigo

Meals:

Thu 25 March | New England & Oxley Wild Rivers National Parks - Armidale
Today we journey west on Waterfall Way to New England National Park, another section of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area. At 1600m above sea level, we walk around the summit on the Point Lookout track to take in the magnificent views. We then explore part of the Lyrebird walking track, a 5.5km circuit through eucalypt forest and cool temperate rainforest, past babbling brooks, waterfalls and colourful heath. All the while we will listen for the calls and maybe see the display mounds and courtship of the local lyrebirds. We continue to the spectacular Wollomombi Falls within Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. These are one of the highest falls in NSW where the Wollomombi and Chandler Rivers meet and plunge 220m over dramatic cliffs into an enormous ravine. After viewing the falls from the lookout, we can do the easy circuit around the rim of the Wollomombi Gorge. We continue to the regional city of Armidale, our base for the next two nights.

Accommodation: Armidale

Meals: B, L, D

Fri 26 March | Cathedral Rock National Park - Armidale

Today we travel to the Cathedral Rock National Park. The granites of New England batholith, which formed deep beneath the earth’s surface 270 million years ago, dominate Cathedrals Rock National Park. Some areas of the park were badly affected by bushfire in early 2020, so you will notice changes to the landscape as well as signs of recovery. We have two options for our explorations today, depending on the parks conditions, the Woolpack Rocks loop or Cathedral Rock track. Both offer scenic views across the New England Tablelands.  Keep an eye out for Wedge-tailed eagles, cockatoos and Eastern grey kangaroos. In the afternoon, we make a stop at photogenic Ebor Falls before returning to our accommodation in Armidale where we enjoy our final dinner.
Accommodation: Armidale
Meals: B, L, D

Sat 27 March | Tenterfield - Girraween National Park – Brisbane / Gold Coast

We leave charming Armidale and travel north on the New England highway to another historic town, Tenterfield. Known as the birthplace of Australia, this is the town where Sir Henry Parkes made his famous 1889 speech calling for Australia’s federation. There are many heritage-listed buildings to view. Time permitting, we also visit the Wallangarra Historic Railway Station on our way to Girraween National Park for a short walk. Girraween, meaning ‘place of flowers’, is a park of massive granite outcrops and precariously balanced boulders. We lunch in the area before travelling onwards to Brisbane, where our estimated drop off time is 4pm. We can also offer a drop to the Gold Coast Airport if required.

Meals: B, L

Please contact Michael to be sent payment details

Your position on the tour will be guaranteed immediately upon payment of non-refundable deposit of AU$700 (plus GST). The balance will be due 90 days before the start of the workshop date.

• Cancellation up to 91days before departure date, your is deposit forfeited
• Between 90- 61 days if you cancel the whole tour, there will be a 50% cancellation fee
• If you cancel within 60 days prior to the tour departure date, a 100% cancellation fee applies.