The Most Beautiful Waterfalls in Tasmania, Australia

In Mount Field National Park, Russell Falls is no secret. Part of Tasmania‘s World Heritage Wilderness Area, this well-known waterfall is easily accessible at just over an hour’s drive from Hobart. You don’t have to work hard to get there either – take a short 10-minute walk from the visitor centre and you’ll see the huge white curtain of water falling before you. If you have some extra time, head 100 metres (328ft) upstream, passing some of the tallest trees in Australia, until you reach Horseshoe Falls. This tiered cascading waterfall is enveloped in lush greenery, with overhanging ferns and calm pools of water and moss-covered rocks below.

Popular Liffey Falls is considered by many as the most beautiful waterfall in Tasmania. World Heritage-listed Liffey Falls State Reserve is an hour’s drive from Launceston on the Great Western Tiers mountains and features two walking trails suitable for most people. The walk from the top car park is the easiest route, a 45-minute, 2km (1.2mi) return trip through the rainforest. You’ll see three bonus waterfalls on your way: Alexandra Falls, Hopetoun Falls and Albert Falls. Make use of the free camping area at the lower car park, accessed via Gulf Road, as well as the three gas BBQs in the Upper Liffey Falls area.

The tallest waterfall in Tasmania, this colossal 104-metre (341ft) drop was named after an Aztec emperor and is a must-see for its sheer size. Just over an hour’s drive from Strahan and Queenstown, the 8km (5mi) walking trail is Grade 2, suitable for most people, and takes about three hours to complete. Winding through thick forest, the track follows a historic tramway, and you can spy local wildlife, giant ferns and fungi. Dogs are allowed on leads, so you can take your furry friend for an adventure. There are no bathrooms in the area, so stop in at nearby Rosebery for facilities and supplies.

Among Tasmania’s highest waterfalls, St Columba Falls is well worth a visit. Gushing water spills over a 90-metre (295ft) drop framed by greenery at the mystical State Reserve. The walk to the viewing platform takes 10-15 minutes and is a 1.2km (0.7mi) return trip. There are picnic tables and facilities available, so take a packed lunch and enjoy the view.

To find Lovers Falls, you’ll have to get off the beaten track and paddle 4-5km (2.5-3mi) along Tasmania’s Pieman River before arriving at a perfectly picturesque scene of a timber stairway leading from the mirrored water into the trees. Pack your essentials, rent a kayak from Corinna (346km/215mi northwest of Hobart or 130km/81mi southwest of Burnie) and set off on an adventure into the serene State Reserve. Most of the three-hour return journey is by water, and that’s part of what makes Lovers Falls so beautiful. Once you hit land, you’ll have a 200-metre (656ft) walk from the stairs. You might need the coordinates to find it: 41°37’33.3″S 145°03’19.1″E.

Get two beautiful waterfalls for the price of one on the Lemonthyme Lodge walk in Moina near Cradle Mountain. Like most of the waterfalls mentioned, the cascading Bridal Veil Falls and Champagne Falls are found within stunning rainforest settings. Both are easily accessible, and the 6km (3.7mi) 4WD-trail can be completed in around two hours. Champagne Falls is the first stop about half an hour in. Take a breath after climbing the steep hill, and take in the striking waterfall which is surrounded by cliffs and surges down across moss-covered rocks. Carry on to the 21-metre (69ft) Bridal Veil Falls, which gets its name from its striking wide, heavy flow of water that creates the illusion of a veil.

Set within the Tarkine rainforest just outside Waratah on the Arthur River, Philosopher Falls is a magnificent multi-tiered waterfall that’s well worth descending and scaling 200 stairs for. The easily accessible viewing platform is a short 45-minute walk along a maintained path canopied by ancient overhanging ferns and trees. Some people claim the walk there is the main attraction. About halfway to the platform, you’ll cross a footbridge over the serene Arthur River. The photo-worthy waterfall gushes down from high in the trees across multiple levels.
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