Kangaroo Valley
Just inland from the coast, cradled by escarpment and rainforest, Kangaroo Valley is a green world apart — a historic village of cafés and country pubs, a river made for canoeing, wild wombats on the grass at dusk, and one of Australia's oldest suspension bridges. Pair it with nearby Fitzroy Falls and it's the perfect hinterland day or overnight escape from the South Coast beaches.
Hampden Bridge & the village
The valley's icon is Hampden Bridge, a timber-decked suspension bridge from 1898 with castle-like sandstone towers spanning the Kangaroo River — one of the oldest of its kind in the country (currently under repair, with the odd overnight closure, but open by day). Just beyond, the heritage village rewards a wander: the Pioneer Village Museum, the little Church of the Good Shepherd, the historic Friendly Inn, and a cluster of cafés and boutiques. It's made for a slow morning.
Canoeing & wild wombats
The Kangaroo River is the valley's playground — hire a canoe or kayak and paddle its calm, tree-lined reaches, with local operators offering everything from a few hours to multi-day camping safaris downstream to Tallowa Dam. Come dusk, the valley turns into one of the best wombat-spotting spots near Sydney, especially around the grassy Bendeela Recreation Area — watch quietly, keep your distance, and drive slowly after dark.
Fitzroy Falls
A short drive from the village, Fitzroy Falls plunges 81 metres off the escarpment in Morton National Park. There's a visitor centre, an easy, wheelchair-accessible lookout right by the top of the falls, and longer clifftop walking tracks with sweeping valley views. A small vehicle fee applies. It's one of the Southern Highlands' most accessible waterfalls and an easy pairing with a Kangaroo Valley visit.
Kangaroo Valley: your questions
Kangaroo Valley is a green pocket of the Southern Highlands hinterland made for slowing down. You can canoe or kayak the Kangaroo River, cross the heritage Hampden Bridge, spot wild wombats at Bendeela at dusk, wander the historic village and its Pioneer Museum, and drive to nearby Fitzroy Falls. Add cosy cafés, a historic pub and rolling farmland, and it's one of the loveliest inland escapes near the coast.
Hampden Bridge is Kangaroo Valley's landmark — a heritage timber-decked suspension bridge opened in 1898, with distinctive castle-like sandstone towers, spanning the Kangaroo River. It's one of the oldest suspension bridges in Australia and still carries traffic. Note that it has a reduced load limit and is undergoing repair works, with occasional overnight closures — but it remains open to general daytime traffic. It's a beautiful spot for a photo.
Yes — the valley is one of the best places near Sydney to see wild wombats, especially around the Bendeela Recreation Area, where they graze the open grassland at dawn and dusk. Bendeela is a free camping and day-use area (bookings are required to camp). Watch quietly from a distance, never feed them, and drive slowly at night, as wombats are most active after dark.
Fitzroy Falls — an 81-metre waterfall in Morton National Park — is about 17–20 km (around 20–25 minutes' drive) from Kangaroo Valley village via the sealed Moss Vale Road. There's a visitor centre and a wheelchair-accessible lookout, with a small vehicle fee. It's an easy and rewarding add-on to a valley visit (avoid the unsealed Meryla Pass shortcut, which is 4WD-only).
Kangaroo Valley is about 150–160 km, or roughly 2 to 2.5 hours' drive, from Sydney — either inland via Moss Vale or up over the range from the coast. From Berry it's a scenic, winding 25–40 minutes over Berry Mountain. A car is essential here; the valley isn't served by train or regular buses. See our getting around guide.