The Carrington Falls walking track and lookout point offer some spectacular views, and there are a variety of walks to choose from. And Budderoo National Park has another gem up its sleeve: Nellie's Glen. The lesser-known picnic spot connects the top of Carrington Falls with a secluded rock pool and smaller waterfall that you can swim to, shower in, and take a seat under.

If you want to see the falls and nothing further, have a picnic near the conservation hut and be on your way after 15 minutes. If you came for adventure, prepare for a three-hour walk through the eucalypt forest to see Wentworth Falls up close, as well as Empress, Silvia and Lodore Falls.

Fitzroy Falls is one of the most accessible waterfalls in the Southern Highlands – and it’s also one of the most impressive water cascades in the area. Found about 20 minutes from Bowral at the top of the descent to Kangaroo Valley, Fitzroy Falls has a large visitor centre, car park and café on site, which makes it a popular pitstop for tourists to the area.

There’s a very short walk between Hindmarsh Lookout, which gives you a photo opportunity of the dramatic Southern Highlands landscape below, and the sandy, eucalypt path to the Belmore Falls lookout.

Fifteen minutes from Gosford is a peaceful hideaway, found on the eastern edge of Brisbane Water National Park. You’ll find brush turkeys wandering around the car park, where there are picnic tables and detailed signs about the waterfalls and short walking tracks at Somersby Falls. You can walk at the top, middle and bottom of this waterfall.

It’s more of a dribble than a gushing waterfall on our visit, but the best time to go is after heavy rainfall in autumn. There are no picnic facilities, but it’s a perfectly secluded spot for lunch at the beach or for a romantic walk away from the crowds.

Set atop a lagoon just by the sandy stretch of Wattamolla Beach in the Royal National Park, the Wattamolla waterfall is one of the most picturesque naural beauties around. It's not without its fans either – on a warm day, the falls and the nearby picnic area are buzzing with visitors in search of a cool spot to wind down