Gibraltar Falls near Canberra, ACT

Waterfall Seasons - The Waterfall Guide

Gibraltar Falls is the only readily accessible waterfall in the ACT. It has a 50 metre near vertical drop over a granite outcrop, with a viewing platform just below the top lip of the falls, a dizzying view below and an outlook to the valley downstream. Above: Gibraltar Falls from the viewing platform (Order this image)

The falls are an 80 metre walk from the car park, down a well defined dirt track with some stone steps. When you reach the end of the path, the view opens out to reveal a fenced platform perched on one flank of the falls, about 10 metres below the top of the cliff face. You can lean over the rail and follow the water as it steps down the right angled ledges to the valley floor, with shades of grey, green and orange all prominent on the rock face. The platform also provides stunning views of the Gibraltar Creek and Paddys River valleys below, and the surrounding mountains. Above: The steps down the face of Gibraltar Falls (Order this image)

You can access the creek above the falls, although this is strongly discouraged by the managing authority for safety reasons, with numerous signs advising you not to enter this area. Whilst the access to this area is easy, the rock surface is very smooth and slippery, and would be difficult to maintain your footing in even slightly damp conditions. There is a small, shallow pool on the edge of the cliff which is popular for bathing - you can read more about that on Swimming Hole Heaven.

Back up at the car park there are a couple of picnic tables and barbecues and a lawn area next to the creek. The car park is only small, so it could be difficult to find a spot on busy weekends, so have a backup plan if you are planning to have a picnic here on the weekend.

Here is a video of the falls, taken mid-morning in Autumn, when the creek was flowing, but not in flood, which includes the area upstream and downstream of the falls, and a view of the picnic facilities:

Best Time of Year to Visit:	Best Time of Day to Visit:
The reliability of this stream is unknown because flows over the falls are not recorded, however the falls were still flowing when I visited in late April after a relatively hot and dry summer and autumn. Visit after rainfall to see the falls at their most spectacular from the viewing platform.	Visit any time of the day to see the falls in full sun. Fog can sometimes make driving to the falls difficult on still mornings in winter.

Note: As at February 2023, access to Gibraltar Falls was closed by the managing authority whilst they review site safety after two deaths at the falls in February 2023. Review and implementation of any new measures is likely to take a while given the recent loss of life here. This advice is current as of last checking in October 2024. Before you head out, make sure to read the waterfall safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. Specific to this site, the managing authority advises not to walk out onto the area above the falls due to the steep cliffs. The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park at the falls. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can occur with some browsers, simply refresh this web page.
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