Paradise Valley Nature Reserve is a protected area located in Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The reserve spans 170 hectares of coastal forest and grassland, centered around a gorge carved by the Umbilo River.

[1] One of the reserve's most significant heritage features is the remains of the historic Umbilo Waterworks, established in 1887 to supply water to early Durban.

[2] The waterworks operated until 1905, when catastrophic flooding during a 15-hour rainstorm that dropped 397mm of rain led to the dam wall failing.

The resulting flood released 150 megalitres of water, causing significant destruction along the lower Umbilo riverbanks.