Apsley Falls

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**Apsley Falls**

The second drop of the Apsley Falls
Location	Australia
Type	Tiered
Total height	123 m
Height of longest drop	65 m
Number of drops	2

The old wooden stairway, Apsley Falls, Walcha

Apsley Falls is a series of waterfalls in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. The falls are located about 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Walcha, and 1 kilometre off the Oxley Highway in a deep granite gorge, that is part of the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. They are the first falls in a succession of dramatic drops in an area that has some of the most remarkable scenery in Eastern Australia.^{[citation needed]} The first drop of the Falls is about 65 metres (213 ft) in depth, and the second, which is about 800 metres (2,625 ft) further on, plummets 58 metres (190 ft) metres to the bottom of the gorge.

1 History
2 Features
3 Facilities
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

Apart from Aboriginal significance of the area as a meeting place, John Oxley passed by the falls on 13th September, 1818 and he named them the Bathurst Falls. He described it as “one of the most magnificent waterfalls we have seen”.

Oxley named the Apsley River and wrote in his journal that he was "lost in astonishment at the sight of this wonderful natural sublimity".

In 1902 three men, Ted Baker, Jim McMillan and "Wattie" Joiner built the wooden stairway that zigzagged its way from the top of the gorge to the water's edge. All timber used in this dangerous and mammoth task was hand dressed with axe and adze by this trio. The original stairway was used until 1932, when it was declared unsafe and partly demolished.

Quite sometime after parts of this stairway rotted and became dangerous the Walcha Lions Club set about the huge task of erecting a steel staircase and viewing platform to half way down the gorge. One of the Lions, Lindsay McMillan (son of the above Jim McMillan), designed the steel structure, lookout and platform. All materials were supplied by the Walcha Council and it took the Lions Club members 1,745 hours to complete the job during 1961. The Lions were internationally, and justly, recognised for their tremendous contribution here. The official opening of the scenic stairway was on 14th October, 1961 by the state member for Armidale, Mr Davis Hughes.

[edit] Features

The sheer sided walls of the upper Apsley Gorge are largely caused by the slate in this area which splits vertically.

The gorge rim supports a vegetation of forest and woodland with a limited understorey of shrubby plants. Common plants include green wattles (Acacia amoena), tea trees, broad-leaved stringy barks (Eucalyptus caliginosa), ribbon gums (Eucalyptus viminalis), narrow leaved peppermint (Eucalyptus nicholii), forest red gum, yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora), daisy bush and hyacinth orchids (Dipodium punctatum).

Wedge-tailed Eagles may be seen soaring on the thermals in the area. Kangaroos, crimson rosellas, echidnas also known as "spiny anteaters" and wallabies frequent the area.

[edit] Facilities

Since the National Parks and Wildlife Service took over they have constructed additional lookouts and walkways to view and photograph this magnificent gorge and the two falls. There are several short walks that can be taken from the car parks and these are highlighted in the information shelter erected in the area near the toilet facilities.

Oxley Walk 2.7 km, 1.5 hours - a sealed walkway crosses the river on a footbridge, then continues around the northern side of the gorge. A lookout offers fine views of the main falls (650 m) and the track continues past another three lookouts, where you can view a second waterfall and the dramatic cliffs of the chasm.

Good facilities are available for caravan or tent campers, including fire wood, toilets, interpretive information, hardened walking tracks, access for disabled people, ten viewing platforms, aboriginal history, flora and fauna. A small camping fee applies. Dogs and other domestic pets are not allowed.