If you’re looking for a place that is quick and easy to explore and that only gets better with rain (and looking at the forecast, this is the kind of attraction we’ll all need), look no further than Maddens Falls.

First things first, you should know that the parking for the falls is across from the famous AppleShack at Glenbernie Orchard. We cannot visit Darkes Forest without popping in to grab some farm-grown fruit or, more importantly, their incredible cider. Matt is a huge fan. The parking itself fits a handful of cars but you can easily park off to the side of the road.

The first part of the walk is a dirt track, with a bit of an incline. It’s nice and wide but there are quite a few large-ish, loose rocks, so watch your feet. It’s an easy walk for kids and those who aren’t match fit, but wouldn’t work for wheelchairs or walkers. It’s really lovely, with towering gums, banksias and Gymea lilies lining the path and loads of birds flying in and out. This dirt track quickly turns to raised boardwalk and the rest of the walk is flat and a breeze.

Once you hit the boardwalk, you’ll start to hear the cacophony of frogs. There’s a couple of paths that snake off to the left and are worth a look. This will take you to a creek and various rock pools filled with tadpoles. Hold onto the kids, though, as there’s no fence and you can get to the top of the falls from here.

 Once you jump back onto the boardwalk, you’ll be able to see the lookout where you can find a spectacular view of the falls themselves. The more water, the better.

The Maddens Falls walk

Time: About 10 mins to the lookout

Difficulty: Easy, although there is the slight incline at the start, which means going up on the way back

Getting there: Maddens Falls is in the Dharawal National Park. Directions here