Bangalore Canyon
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| | Raps:9, max ↨82ft
Red Tape: Shuttle:Optional 20 min | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Condition Reports: | 24 Dec 2025
"Water levels pretty low. Gauge at Orara reading 170 falling to 130 over the day. All anchors in good shape. |
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| Best season: | "Oct-Apr"
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| Regions: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
-30.2950, 152.9201
-30.2949, 152.9162
-30.2823, 152.9497
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Weather forecast
Waterflow
Introduction
The upper canyon section of Bangalore is fairly short but varied and enjoyable with some quality whitewater abseils, and minimal creek walking.
The lower section is a optional long creek walk, and a great way to cool off in summer rather than slog up the ridges. The short exits require off-track navigation.
Water levels
River Gauge, ML per day: 204068 Orara @ Orange Grove - WaterNSW Real Time Data or 204068 Orara at Orange Grove - WaterNSW WaterInsights
- <150 = a3, easy
- 150 to 300 = a4
- 300 to 500 = a4+, may have to walk around R3 and R7
- >500 Go for a hike
It was possible to comfortably abseil out of the main flow at 450 gauge on all drops in April 2025, except crossing the pool below R3
Note: The catchment for Orara @ Orange Grove gauge is 126 square kilometres as stated by WaterNSW. While the catchment above Bangalore Canyon is much smaller (only a few square kilometres) history has shown it to be a somewhat good proxy for water levels.
Acknowledgement to Sid Tinney for the topos, map, and most of the text descriptions. Reproduced here with permission.
Originally equipped by Andy Robb in about 2007
Approach
Drive to Bangalore picnic area (in Google maps "Bangalore Day Area Road"). Approaching via "Pine Road" just to the north, requires high clearance due to severe water bars ( divert rainwater off the road).
Alternate routing is via Corfes Rd, then Range Road. Jersey Bull Road is impassable to vehicles with locked gates top and bottom.
There are several options for return to Bangalore picnic area after the canyon:
Option A, no car shuffle: Follow Exit 1, 2 or 3 steeply up faint tracks to Jersey Bull Road, walk back via powerline track ('snake alley').
Option B, car shuffles. Short shuffle, park a 4wd at the top gate on Jersey Bull road. Long shuffle, park near the bottom gate on Jersey Bull road. Pine Road down to Bindarray picnic area needs a high clearance vehicle.
Walking in: Follow the tourist track from the picnic area down to the falls viewing platform. Go past the platform to access the slab beneath Bangalore Falls. Walk down to the first abseil.
Descent
The table is authoritative and is updated more recently than the topo diagram.
| Rap | M | L/R | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | 25 | CL | into pool |
| R2 | 4 | CL | XX To broad ledge |
| R3 | 25 | CL | XX Through hole, pack off, into shallow pool |
| Climb over log jam, swim past zipline bolt. 4m jump option | |||
| R4 | 12 | CC | XX Through hole into slot |
| R5 | 20 | CL | XX "Sheep Dip Falls." Avoid going behind log. Better to traverse XX-X-XX to avoid log. |
| Exit 1 up ridge before R6 | |||
| R6 | 25 | CL | X-XX On edge of falls |
| R7 | 20 | CL | XX Around corner on edge of falls, can belay to corner from boulder upstream in high flow, or walk around CL |
| R8 | 15 | CL | X Into Jade pool |
| Exit 2 up ridge before R9 | |||
| R9 | 20 | CL | Sling |
| Exit 3 up to ridge, about 200m after R9 |
Exit
There are several viable exits from Bangalore Ck. Escape is also possible from most sections of the canyon.
- Exit 1: After "Sheep Dip Falls", continue 100m downstream. Exit left up the ridgeline. There are faint footpads and snig tracks. As you near the top of the ridge, with a 2m high embankment, bushbash left and uphill towards the first powerlines. Turn left/North and walk along Jersey Bull Rd for 700m, eventually reaching a locked gate and a second set of powerlines. Turn left/West and follow the powerline access track until meeting the junction with Range Rd. Leave bags at the Junction, and walk the final 800m to the top car at Bangalore Falls Carpark.
- Exit 2: Immediately after the "Jade Pool" abseil, exit left up the ridgeline. Faint pad until you join the snig track of exit 1.
- Exit 3: About 200m below R9, after an optional 3m jump, exit left up to the snig track of exit 2.
- Mud map correction - "Exit #2" on map is Exit 3. Actual Exit 2, before R9, is between "Exit #1" and "Exit #2".
- Short car shuffle - leave a 4wd at the top gate on Jersey Bull road, for use after exits 1, 2 or 3. The rough 4wd track under the second set of pylons was clear in October 2025.
- Long car shuffle with creek walking - leave a car at the bottom of Pine road. Hop for 3km down the creek to the picnic area, which can be tedious.
Red tape
Beta sites
Trip reports and media
- Bangalore 31/12/23 from SLEEPWHENWEAREDEAD
YouTube.com : Craving Karst, An Incident in Bangalore Canyon
- YouTube.com : ArdenE, Bangalore Canyon, Short run on a stinking hot summer day!