Best Waterfalls in Tasmania

As avid waterfall lovers, our Tasmanian itinerary was predominantly about finding as many waterfalls as we could, and we definitely weren’t let down. Short ones, tall ones, wide ones, skinny ones and outright weird ones, we were spoilt for choice. We explored many waterfalls in Tasmania and in this post, we’ve whittled them down to our personal favourites. Hoping to inspire you to check some of them out when you next venture down to Tasmania.

Montezuma Falls, a waterfall in Tasmania

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Meander Falls

An intense 5-hour hike rated hard, this trail is not for the faint of heart. There is 2.5 hours each way of steep incline and rock scramble sections. Be sure to take plenty of water and appropriate footwear. We would also advise checking the conditions are okay to hike in. Avoid doing it in thick clouds or rainfall as you need good vision and the rocks can be very slippery.

Roughly an hour’s drive from the city of Launceston, you pass through the town of Meander before reaching Meander Forest Reserve. You must stop by the op shop in Meander on the way, where everything is a dollar!

The track begins with a fairly tame ascent along the river, but things start to get really spicy very quickly. There are a lot of rocky steps and mild rock climbing. We would definitely recommend using a stick to help along the way.

The views are incredible when you reach the top. You are treated to mountains scattered with boulders on either side of you. You then walk along the boulders for approximately 30 minutes to reach the spot you’ve worked so hard to get to. The waterfall crashing down from the mountain takes your breath away. It is a brilliant place to stop and have lunch to take it all in.

On your walk back there are two paths to choose from. You can take the turn at the fork and go along the Split Rock Track. This walks along the boulders of the mountain with a lot of rock scrambling up over the saddle. This trail does have another 3 smaller waterfalls on the way to the car park. Your other option is to continue back the way you came which is what we did. Then comes the fun part… The steep descent back to the van. The way down is just as hard as the climb up and can be quite unforgiving on the knees. Then just over 2 hours later, much to our delight, we arrived back at the car. Although this is a challenging walk, this waterfall remains one of the highlights of the trip. For us this was the best waterfall in Tasmania that we saw.

Bridal Veil & Champagne Falls

This was the first waterfall in Tasmania that we completed and it’s still one of our favourites. To access these bad boys, don’t listen to Google’s directions. Put in your destination as the Lemonthyme Wilderness Retreat where there is day parking and the start of the track. This resort is north of the Cradle Mountain and the Walls of Jerusalem National Parks. It takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to drive south from Devonport.

The walk is short, taking roughly 2 hours to complete but has its challenges. Considered a moderately challenging hike, it starts with a steep incline up a 4×4 track before branching off into the forest. Parts of the trail are quite slippery and muddy, so ensure you have proper hiking boots. Otherwise, you will end up like Michael and spend a good portion of the walk on your backside!

Despite this, the views are awesome and it is a well and truly manageable trek. We would recommend going down to Champagne Falls first, then looping back to the car park via Bridal Veil Falls. Champagne Falls was beautiful, but the sheer grandeur of Bridal Veil Falls makes this trail memorable. It is worth leaving the best until last. Be sure to allow plenty of time to take in both of the falls as they will stop you in your tracks.

Once you complete the falls and leave the bush, you return to the 4×4 road which leads back to the car park. However, parts of the trail aren’t very well sign-posted. We used the ‘Alltrails’ app and using their map helps to keep you on the right path. This trail set the theme for our trip and we couldn’t wait to explore the many waterfalls in Tasmania.

Champagne Falls, a waterfall in Tasmania

Bridal Veil Falls, a waterfall in Tasmania

Montezuma Falls

Although this track takes an estimated 3 hours to complete, this is one of the easier waterfall walks. Montezuma Falls is a 15 minute drive from the town of Rosebery, which is near the west coast of Tasmania.

Apart from the track being a bit muddy, it is flat the whole way. It doesn’t include much elevation at all, besides a few steps at the end to reach the waterfall. There is also a suspension bridge that offers a great view of the waterfall and the surrounding scenery. Even if you are petrified of heights like Michael…

The waterfall itself left us speechless. It is the tallest waterfall in Tasmania at over 100 meters. Staring up at it has you feeling connected to the power of Mother Nature.

St. Columba Falls

Another giant of a waterfall in Tasmania, this guy is around 90m in height. Although smaller than Montezuma, the walk itself is a lot easier, taking around 15 minutes to walk there and back. It is rated a moderate track due to the uphill on the way back, but it is not for long. The track itself is easy to follow. Once you reach the bottom of the trail you are blessed with a view that words don’t do justice. Stay for a while to admire the true beauty of this spectacular waterfall.

Liffey Falls

Just as Tasmania is abundant with waterfalls it is also PACKED with free camping sites. You can read our Top 5 Free Camping Spots in Tasmania HERE. On this list is a fabulous spot called Liffey Falls. The waterfall’s car park is only a 20 minute drive from the campsite. Alternatively you can take a trail from the campsite to Liffey Falls which is a 1 hour 30 minute hike. Due to time we opted to drive to the falls car park and take the shorter walk.

The walk from the carpark takes about 40 minutes and you are treated every step of the way. You encounter 2 cute little waterfalls before reaching the main event.

The view is slightly obscured by the bush on the trail. We recommend being slightly adventurous and heading down to the rocks at the base of the falls. From here you are able to see the waterfall in all it’s glory. The path itself is out and back so the way back is a little steep. But nothing too extreme and definitely worth the time to enjoy this one.

Liffey Falls trail, a waterfall in Tasmania

Waterfall Bay

This waterfall can be found on the Southern Peninsula of Tasmania in the Tasman National Park. It is only 10 minutes from the nearest small town of Eagleneck Hawk or 20 minutes from the slightly more populated Taranna. There are plenty of other sights to see around this area including the Tessellated Pavement and the Blowhole. But we unfortunately didn’t have enough time to see it all.

The Waterfall Bay walk can be combined with the Tasman Arch and Devil’s Kitchen tracks for a steady 1 hour 30 minute trip. The path itself is quite easy and the views along the way are simply sensational. Walking along the coastline, several viewing points show the beauty of the Tasman Sea. You can see it smashing against the colossal cliffs forming magnificent sea caves and sculptures.

Due to there being bushfires in recent years on the peninsula, the eucalyptus trees are severely charred and create an eeriness as you head towards the waterfall. However, we were spoilt with sightings of blue wrens and pademelons, so nature is returning.

We reached the final viewing point and to our disappointment… no waterfall! There hadn’t been much rain in Tasmania during the summer so the waterfall was dry, but the view alone is worth the hike. Plus we can only imagine what it would look like in the wet winter months. No matter the conditions, it really is a walk worth doing.

Three Falls Circuit

This circuit is found in Mount Field National Park. It’s 30 minutes east of the town of Maydena or the same time west of Westerway. There are different things to do here including browsing the visitor centre shop or other hikes like the Tarn Shelf and many more.

There are a few options with this one. You can just do the Russell Falls circuit which takes roughly 25 minutes to complete. However, to really make the most of this opportunity we suggest doing the Three Falls Trail. Located at the back of the Mount Field visitor centre car park, we recommended doing the trail clockwise. This means you end up going down the big flights of stairs found at the beginning and end of the loop as opposed to walking up them. Unless of course, that’s your thing…

Starting with an approximately 40-minute walk through thick bush and with the sun beaming through the tops of the trees, we couldn’t have asked for a better day. You then reach the first waterfall, Lady Baron Falls, with a little viewing platform. You then proceed with a slight incline up towards the Tall Trees walk. Here you wander through Swamp Gum trees which are the tallest flowering plant in the world. Boy, do they make you feel small!

Next on the trail, the second waterfall is called Horseshoe Falls. Although not giant in size, this remains a personal favourite of ours due to its uniqueness. Its name describes it perfectly, with it running in a bizarre ‘U’ shape to the base.

Now you head down a big set of stairs towards the final waterfall. Another reason why we suggest doing it clockwise – you save the best for the end. Russell Falls. What to say other than “WOW”. The sheer size of this one momentarily bewilders you, as you are swept away by all of its beauty. This track is family friendly and very popular! Russell Falls is actually the most visited waterfall in Tasmania.

lady baron falls, a waterfall in Tasmania

horse shoe falls, a waterfall in Tasmania

Nelson Falls

This walk supposedly takes 20 minutes. If you rush and take no time to enjoy the waterfall this is definitely achievable, but what’s the fun in that? It took us nearly an hour as we explored every nook and cranny of this picturesque place. The walk itself is super easy and follows a well maintained boardwalk. You are likely to pass Nelson Falls driving towards the West Coast from the Southern parts of Tasmania. So the short pit stop definitely makes it worth your while.

Before You Go

These are only a handful of the many waterfalls Tasmania has to offer. This selection of waterfalls are the ones that left their mark in our memories. They left us with a sense of overwhelming relaxation seeing nature in all its glory. Tasmania is a truly beautiful place filled with an abundance of natural beauty. These waterfalls are proof of some of the incredible sights you could see on your next Tasmanian adventure.

As this state of Australia is over 40% National Park, you are required to have a National Parks Pass to visit most of these waterfalls in Tasmania. There are many options to choose from, ranging from day passes to yearly passes. Choose which pass best fits your adventure so you can explore all of this wonderful part of the world. You can purchase your online Parks Pass from here.

If you’re wanting to look for accommodation while in Tasmania be sure to check out Booking.com or Trip Advisor for the best deals, and if you need to hire a car take a look here to see what’s available.

Must See Waterfalls In Tasmania