Magic at Boundary Falls campground

Let’s take a day trip to Boundary falls with the kids was what I had said to my husband this morning at 5am.

Little did we know that traveling out today with the kids to what we knew would be a spectacular sight of the waterfalls and a hike on the Duffer falls walking trail would become something magical instead due to our luck of timing.

Our day started simply, load the kids, some bacon, eggs and of cause coffee head off towards the Boundary falls campground nearly in the middle of both Grafton and Glen Innes NSW.

As we pulled off into this beautiful dry bush-land we notice the picnic area and the sight of the magnificent waterfall was not only a wonderful sight but the roar was phenomenal.

We pulled up at the sight of the old saw mill and jumped out eager to head off on our hike with the kids. Grabbing the water and allowing 4 hours return on what would be a simple walk except the last 1km we quickly ran over to view the top of Boundary falls.

Let’s face it a waterfall is ALWAYS spectacular and the sound they make just entices you to want to grab your camera and snap away.

An hour later after lots of OMG we started off on our hike it was around 10am so we figured we had plenty of time to enjoy the walk (we took our musili bars and apples, what could possibly go wrong).

The Duffers Falls walking trail is 7km return with a steep section towards the end that we figured we would skip so we didn’t have to carry everything back up hill.

Best laid plans always go wrong. Kids set off at a gallop, while Stuart and I lazily wandered looking at the sights, trees (Stuarts a beekeeper so every tree that flowers is checked out).

As we walked the clouds started to roll in a little and we gave a yell to the kids that we might have to head back, they where enjoying themselves and didn’t think a little rain was an issue. Even when it started to sprinkle we kept walking just hopping under the odd tree to keep dry.

It must be noted at this point that National Parks do suggest taking cloths for all weather.

The hike was everything we expected and the walk back was slower than first anticipated. All up we may have taken more like 6 hours instead of the four. National parks say to give yourself 2:30-3:30 hrs and this is a level four hike.

Getting back, all exhausted with smiles from ear to ear we decided that it was time to fire up the camp and start that bacon a cooking.

Table set, plates full it is starting to get dark which, hey after starting at 10am we are now between 5-6pm.

What made us look up from our plates I couldn’t tell you but look up we all did.

Suddenly our adventure turned magical, the bush-land lit up with thousands of fireflies. The whole area around us was like daylight again and in our awe we just watched and wondered with our youngest daughter telling us the fairies had come to visit.

We hadn’t planned to stay this late so this was one of those times in life that timing had brought the magic to us.

Watching them flit through trees around our heads drop to the ground and shoot back up was something out of a fairy tale.

As it got darker and darker there where more and more the sight was nothing that we had ever seen before, kids where catching them in their little hands and watching them glow before letting the head back into the mob.

This although it seemed to last forever only lasted for 20-30 minutes before they faded away back into the bush-land and once again we where in darkness and it was time to pack up and head home.

This was one of those experiences that you can’t plan for you just have to live in the moment and enjoy. We where so enthralled that we didn’t even capture a photograph of this magical event.

Boundary falls is a spectacular sight to visit with the family, it is a place that our family will head to again and again, for the wildlife, falls and creeks and the sheer volume of hiking trails at different levels that can be enjoyed.

Defiantly one for the bucket list.

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