Balaka Falls is a small
tiered–cascade waterfall situated in the
Greater Western Sydney region of
Sydney,
New South Wales
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, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Australia. It is located on the Hunts Creek in Yarralumla Wildlife Sanctuary in the
City of Parramatta and is surrounded by suburbia, making it accessible for nearby residential areas.
Geography
Surrounded by a
sclerophyll
Sclerophyll is a type of vegetation that is adapted to long periods of dryness and heat. The plants feature hard leaves, short internodes (the distance between leaves along the stem) and leaf orientation which is parallel or oblique to direct ...
riparian
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks a ...
forest and featuring
sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks.
Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates ...
rocks, the waterfall features two drops and is located on
Hunts Creek. It is roughly a 30-minute drive from
Sydney CBD and is situated between
North Rocks and Carlingford in the northwestern suburbs. It is best visited after heavy rain events, when spectacular falls can be observed (although it is a permanent waterfall).
Access
The
waterfall
A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.
Waterfalls can be formed in severa ...
can be accessed from the suburban streets of Ferndale Avenue and Norfolk Place in Carlingford through a 50-metre and 250 metre long walking track (which are also
fire trails), respectively. A sandstone staircase, which is not pram or
wheelchair friendly, leads to the bottom of the falls. There is a
locator map
In cartography, a locator map, or just a ''locator'', is typically a simple map used to show the location of a particular geographic region within its larger and presumably more familiar context. Depending on the needs of the cartographer, this t ...
in the vicinity to address and direct visitors to the falls and the surrounding bushland.
The
M2 motorway This is a list of roads designated M2:
Europe
* M2 motorway (Great Britain), a motorway in England
* M2 expressway (Hungary), a motorway in Hungary
* N2 road (Ireland)#M2 motorway, a motorway in the Republic of Ireland
* M-2 highway (Monteneg ...
and
Cumberland Highway
The Cumberland Highway is a long urban highway located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The highway links the Pacific Highway (A1/B83) and Pacific Motorway ( M1) at Pearces Corner, Wahroonga in the northeast with the Hume Highway (A22/ ...
are major roads proximate to the falls.
See also
*
List of waterfalls of New South Wales
References
Cascade waterfalls
Nature reserves in Sydney
Tourist attractions in Sydney
Waterfalls of New South Wales
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