EBOR FALLS/ICE & SNOW
Images courtesy of National Parks & Wildlife Service, Dorrigo

Ebor Falls, 80 kms east of Armidale in the Guy Fawkes River National Park near the village of Ebor, consists of two major drops. The one shown here is the lower falls, height from top to base 60 metres. After several days of very low temperatures water has frozen at the base of the falls, and spray from the falls has turned into snowflakes creating a "mini snowfield" on top of the ice and rocks on which the men are standing. During July the sun does not shine into the lower part of the gorge which has allowed the ice to remain for several days. The first five images below were taken on July 17th 2007. The minimum temperature in Armidale on this morning was -8.4C and in Guyra -4.7C.
The last four images were taken two days later on July 19th 2007. The minimum in Armidale on this morning was -6.5C, Guyra -7.1C.

The rim of the gorge above the upper falls is 1280 metres above sea level with most of the upstream area cleared of trees. This would allow severe cold air drainage into the gorge with temperatures probably dropping well below -10C in the area of the lower falls in the early mornings of the days these photographs were taken.
 

IMAGE 1- July 17th. Some ice has formed around the top of the falls.
The mini snowfield is the flat white patch at the base of the falls.




IMAGE 2 - July 17th. These three lucky NPWS fellows are standing
 on the snowfield which has built up over a thick layer of ice.




IMAGE 3 - July 17th. Snowfield and icicles. The man gives the photograph perspective.




IMAGE 4 - July 17th. Stalactites of ice. Those pointy ends look sharp!




IMAGE 5 - July 17th. Frozen rocks in a frozen river.




IMAGE 6 - July 19th. Two days later there are still large quantities of ice and snow. The pool
appears to be almost completely frozen over, but the snow field is not quite as flat as it was.




IMAGE 7 - July 19th. Ice covered rocks below the base of the falls. It looks a bit slippery!




IMAGE 8 - July 19th. Lower Ebor Falls with ice at the top and base.

IMAGE 9 - July 19th. Ice covered rocks, and snow on the frozen pool at the base of the falls.

Return to Weather Home.