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The Best Waterfalls in Tasmania to Chase on Your Next Adventure
Tasmania is made for waterfall chasing. From the tiered beauty of Russell Falls and the rainforest drama of Montezuma Falls to Liffey Falls, Hogarth Falls and remote swimming holes, these are the cascades worth seeking out across the island.
The best waterfalls in Tasmania are not background scenery. They are the island revealing its bones: water slipping over ancient stone at Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park, dropping 104 metres through west coast rainforest at Montezuma Falls near Rosebery, and spreading in cold silver tiers at Liffey Falls near Deloraine.
In a state shaped by mountains, rain and old forest, waterfalls appear in almost every mood. Some sit beside mining towns, some wait at the end of sealed family-friendly tracks, some ask for mud, time and decent boots, and one even spills from sea cliffs into the Tasman. From fern-lined Hobart detours to wild west coast walks, these are the Tasmanian waterfalls worth building a day around.
St Columba Falls
In Tasmania’s north-west, the road slips through dairy country and deep forest before the track carries you into St Columba Falls State Reserve, all giant tree ferns, damp earth and green light. Then the water appears: more than 90 metres of it, falling through the South George River valley with the force of something ancient and newly discovered at once. The 1.2km return walk is short, shaded and deeply rewarding, ending at a viewing platform close enough to feel the spray. Pair it with Halls Falls, Pyengana Dairy Company and Pub in the Paddock.
St Columba, 395 St Columba Falls Road, Pyengana
Meander Falls
Meander Falls is the waterfall for walkers who want Tasmania with a little weather in its teeth. Set beneath the Great Western Tiers, this full-day hike climbs through cool forest and into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, following the Meander River towards a 130-metre fall cut into dark alpine rock. It is long, steep and far more demanding than the island’s easy waterfall walks, but the reward is immense: water dropping in two tiers, mountain air, and the rare feeling of having earned the view with your legs.
Meander, Tasmania
Nelson Falls
On the Lyell Highway between Derwent Bridge and Queenstown, Nelson Falls is the west coast giving you a gift without asking much in return. The short boardwalk enters Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park almost immediately, moving through cool rainforest, fern beds and moss-darkened trees before the falls open ahead in a broad white fan. It is one of Tasmania’s easiest waterfall walks, but nothing about it feels slight. Stop here to break the drive, breathe in the wet forest air and remember why this part of the island feels so old.
Lyell Highway, Queenstown
Hogarth Falls
Just outside Strahan’s harbour, Hogarth Falls is one of the easiest ways to step into Tasmania’s west coast rainforest. The 2.4km return walk begins in Peoples Park and follows a Grade 2 track through tall gums, leatherwood, sassafras and myrtle, with the creek moving beside you for much of the way. In 40 to 50 minutes, you reach the falls, dropping over tilted rock at the end of the forest. Keep watch for platypus in the creek, then return to the park’s picnic tables and barbecues.
Strahan, Tasmania
Waratah Falls
Few Tasmanian waterfalls announce themselves quite like Waratah Falls. In the north-west town of Waratah, the falls drop almost directly from the main street, with views from Kings Park and the historic Bischoff Hotel. More than a scenic town-centre surprise, the waterfall carries a little industrial history too: old water races and tunnels once fed the falls before water was diverted to a nearby hydro power station. Follow the short path to the lower viewing platform, or settle in above with a picnic and the sound of the Waratah River below.
Smith Street, Waratah
Philosopher Falls
Ten minutes from Waratah, Philosopher Falls draws you into the cool, damp world of takayna / Tarkine rainforest. The moderate walk takes around 45 minutes, following an old mining water race beside the Arthur River before a steep stairway drops to the viewing platform. The waterfall is only part of the reward here. In autumn, the track becomes one of Tasmania’s great fungi walks, with mossy trunks, tree ferns and bright red-and-white mushrooms turning the forest floor into something small, strange and beautifully alive.
Waratah Road, Waratah
Waterfall Bay
On the Tasman Peninsula, Waterfall Bay is less a forest waterfall walk than a meeting of water, cliff and weather. Starting near the Tasman Arch car park in Tasman National Park, this 3.4km return, Grade 3 track follows the coast to views of sea cliffs falling hard into the Tasman Sea. After rain, a slender waterfall spills from the rock face towards the ocean below; after dry weather, it may vanish altogether. That uncertainty is part of the appeal, making this one of Tasmania’s more atmospheric waterfall detours.
Waterfall Bay Track, Eaglehawk Neck
Montezuma Falls
Near Rosebery on Tasmania’s west coast, Montezuma Falls is all scale, spray and rainforest shadow. The 104-metre drop is one of the highest waterfalls in Tasmania, reached via an 11.5km return walk from Williamsford Road along the old North East Dundas Tramway. The Grade 2 track is mostly level and open, moving through wet forest before arriving at the base of the falls and its suspension bridge. Allow three hours return, wear shoes that can handle mud, and expect the west coast weather to have a say.
Williamsford Road, Rosebery
Liffey Falls
Beneath the Great Western Tiers near Deloraine, Liffey Falls is one of Tasmania’s most graceful waterfall walks. The 2km return trail from the upper car park takes around 45 minutes, following a Grade 2 track through wet eucalypt forest and deep green rainforest. Along the way, the Liffey River steps down through four cascades: Alexandra Falls, Hopetoun Falls, Albert Falls and Victoria Falls, the last commonly known as Liffey Falls. Visit after winter rain, when the sandstone shelves carry more water and the forest feels especially alive.
Riversdale Road, Liffey
Lovers Falls
For an unforgettable adventure, make your way to Lovers Falls on Tasmania’s wild west coast. The falls themselves aren’t the biggest, but the journey is what makes them magical. Accessible only by canoe, kayak or a local boat cruise, you’ll glide about 4km downstream along the tranquil Pieman River before spotting the stairs that lead into lush rainforest. From there, it’s just a short stroll to the delicate cascade, framed by greenery and brimming with pristine, hidden beauty.
Near Corrina, West Coast
Parsons Falls
High in Tasmania’s Central Plateau, behind the Great Western Tiers, Parsons Falls feels far removed from the easy waterfall circuit. The 3.5km return walk begins near Lake Mackenzie Road and follows a rough, unsigned route towards the Fisher River, with steep sections, stairs and a scramble required to reach the base. In warmer weather, experienced hikers are rewarded with granite boulders, alpine air and a startling blue swimming hole beneath the falls. In winter, snow and ice can make this route dangerous, so save it for clear conditions and download a map before setting out.
Lake Mackenzie Road, Caveside
Silver Falls
For an easy Hobart waterfall walk, Silver Falls is hard to beat. Starting near Fern Tree Park on Huon Road, the route follows the heritage-listed Pipeline Track through the lower slopes of kunanyi / Mount Wellington before turning onto the Silver Falls Track. The waterfall itself is small, spilling over Browns River in a cool pocket of ferns and forest, but the short walk and city proximity make it a lovely nature reset. Finish with lunch or a drink at the Fern Tree Tavern across the road.
Need to know: Silver Falls is a short return walk from Fern Tree Park via the Pipeline Track and Silver Falls Track. Dogs are not permitted, as Browns River forms part of Hobart’s drinking water catchment.
Huon Road, Fern Tree
Russell Falls
Russell Falls is Tasmania’s great waterfall classic, and for good reason. Set inside Mount Field National Park, about 70 minutes north-west of Hobart, the tiered cascade is reached via a sealed 1.4km return walk from the Mount Field Visitor Centre. The Grade 1 track moves through cool-temperate rainforest, tree ferns and towering swamp gums, the tallest flowering plants on Earth, before the falls appear like a silver curtain in the forest.
For a longer walk, continue to Horseshoe Falls or take on the full Three Falls Circuit, a 6km loop linking Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls and Lady Barron Falls. Visit after rain for stronger flow, or return at night to see glow worms along the approach.
66 Lake Dobson Road, Mount Field
Dip Falls
In Tasmania’s far north-west, between Stanley and Wynyard, Dip Falls makes a strong case for taking the long way around. Set within the Dip River Forest Reserve near Mawbanna, this two-tiered waterfall spills over dark basalt columns, giving the whole thing a strange, stepped beauty. Visit after winter or spring rain, when the river has volume, then take in both perspectives: the upper viewing platform, or the staircase down to the base. A few minutes up the road, the Big Tree adds another reason to detour.
Dip Falls Road, Mawbanna
Halls Falls
About 25km west of St Helens, Halls Falls is a quiet north-east Tasmania detour near Pyengana, reached via Anchor Road off the Tasman Highway. The Grade 3 walk is around 1.3km, or one hour return, following a formed forest track to a small waterfall on the Groom River. It is not as mighty as nearby St Columba Falls, but its swimming hole, ferny surrounds and lack of crowds make it a lovely stop after Pyengana Dairy Company or Pub in the Paddock.
Anchor Road, Pyengana
Once you’ve chased the best waterfalls in Tasmania, give yourself somewhere worthy to return to. Book a secluded stay in the Huon Valley for misty mornings, forest views and southern Tasmanian stillness, or explore our guide to the best luxury accommodation in Tasmania for cabins, lodges and coastal retreats made for a longer island escape.
