Wet weather was again forecast, so Bob and myself decided to do another local waterfall trip. This time we first visited a series of waterfalls in Moores Creek at Roseville. Then we headed to Oxford Falls, but a storm hit before we could get out of the car so we drove to a sports run at Belrose to have lunch in a dry area. Before returning to Oxford Falls we checked out Oxford Cascades. Then to Oxford Falls and we finished looking gat some waterfalls in French Creek at Belrose.
Oxford Falls
Moores Creek – The Little Digger Track
We walked down Moores Creek at Roseville, along the Little Digger Track. Along the way we viewed a nice series of waterfalls.
In the upper section of the creek, upstream of the golf course is a nice waterfall.
Above are two views of the waterfall. It may perhaps be called Llewelyn Falls, but I have not been able to confirm that name.
Downstream are these attractive cascades.
The next two waterfalls are in the lower section of the Little Digger Track. At the Golf Course, you walk on roads for a big then enter the bush again. Soon after you reach the signposted Little Falls.
And below that is another signposted waterfall – Babbage Falls.
This waterfall was named after Eden Herschel Babbage, who had an illustrious ancestor. He was a pioneer of reserves for Nature and public recreation in the Roseville area.
Below these falls, the creek is quite attractive.
Lower down, near a fire road is another large waterfall. This is perhaps Carlyle Falls. It is near Carlyle Road. But again, I have not been able to confirm the name. I have not found it on any old maps or articles. One reference I did find from 1912 – has some place names – The Bogey Hole, Marjories Glen, The Grotto, Fern Cave, Echo Point, Pool of Siloam, Pool of Bethlehem, Goblin Glen, Victoria Falls, Scouts Cave and Smugglers Cave. Since this waterfall is the highest along the creek it is perhaps the Victoria Falls mentioned in that 1912 article.
Below this waterfall, Middle Harbour is soon reached. This was perhaps where the Bogey Hole was. Here we joined the Two Creeks Track.
Bob found an old stone seat to rest on.
Nearby is this bridge. The stonework for the supports is impressive and looks old.
We then leaded upstream along Middle Harbour. Here is another stone seat –
An another stone seat a bit further along –
The Track then passed through a long excavated cave.
on the far side are what looks like old Pleasure Grounds.
There are plenty of middens along here.
We then left Middle Harbour and climbed up a track to the streets of East Lindfield, and walked back to Bob’s car.
Oxford Cascades
After lunch at Belrose, we visited Oxford Cascades. These are on Oxford Creek, a different creek to the one with Oxford Falls and are very impressive. There is an old, overgrown picnic area above the cascades and rough tracks that go down to the bottom. A side track allowed us to reach an intermediate level of the cascades.
Oxford Falls
Oxford Falls, on Middle Creek, are perhaps the highest waterfall in metropolitan Sydney. It is certainly a very spectacular waterfall, but the trouble is it is difficult to get a good view of the waterfall. It is very easy to reach the top of the falls and peer over (with care!).
And it is short easy walk from the road to the top of the falls.
The sides of the falls are covered in thick vegetation (lantana etc). There are no ledges on the sides that could offer a view and it seems difficult to reach the bottom.
Frenchs Creek Falls
It was still quite early, so we finished the day by visiting Frenchs Creek in Belrose. We reached the creek via a track from the end of Wanniti Road. A short way down the creek are two waterfalls – an upper waterfall and a lower one. They are in Garrigal National Park but the area is infested with lots of invasive weeds. This makes it very hard to see the waterfalls clearly.
Here is a view of the upper waterfall –
And the lower waterfall –
We then walked down the creek a fair way to some powerlines. Then we climbed out via a mountain bike track to a fire road which we followed back to suburbia. If we had followed the Frenchs Creek Track further it would have taken us down to the Cascades.