Protesters Falls, Nightcap National Park, NSW.

The Protesters Falls section of Nightcap National Park is at the end of Terania Creek Road, about 16 km north of The Channon Village Campground. There is a Day Use Area with toilets and picnic tables and a walk to Protesters Falls. 

The rain seemed to be following us about everywhere we went on this trip but we were determined to see this section of the National Park due to the rich history of protest that led to the protection of this magnificent area. I was delighted to discover that Nan, our host at The Channon Village Campground, was one of the original protesters. 

The drive to the picnic area is narrow and windy and seems much longer than 16 km so allow more time than you might otherwise for such a short trip. There is a small causeway to cross before arriving at the car park. Then we discovered that you need to walk back over the causeway to start the walk to the falls. 

No swimming is allowed in the creeks here because this area is habitat for a range of endangered frogs.

Protesters Falls Walking Track: 1.4 km return, easy.

Of course it started raining as soon as we started walking and we found the boardwalk at the start of the walk to be extremely slippery. 

The walk through Bangalow Palms followed by lush rainforest of native Tamarind, Yellow Carabeen and Strangler Figs is very pretty. The Cunjevoi Lilies were flowering and were gleaming in the wet.

We saw several Orange-tailed Shadeskinks along the track.

Orange-tailed Shadeskink Saproscincus challengeri

The track starts to climb towards the base of the falls. Although this track is listed as easy, after the boardwalk it becomes rougher and it is necessary to step over roots and up some slippery rocks, so it may not be easy for everyone. The walk crosses the creek via a double plank and then runs alongside the creek past several cascades before arriving at the base of the falls.

The upside of all the rain we experienced on this trip is that all the waterfalls are flowing at full strength. When we arrived at Protesters Falls it was pounding down with great swirls of mist drenching us as we approached. It was so wet that I was concerned about our camera gear and only manged a few quick photos before retreating. These photos simply don't do the falls justice; they were truly magnificent to behold. The lip of the falls plunged down a series of steps before dropping straight down to a pool at the base.

We love an outdoor picnic but it was too wet even for us and we made our way back to The Channon Village Campground.