Champagne Falls (Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, Australia)

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Champagne Falls

Champagne Falls is the first of two lovely waterfalls near the Lemonthyme Lodge Wilderness Retreat near the Cradle Valley section of Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park. The falls tumbles some 15m in a cool and shady area of Bulls Creek. Combining this waterfall with Bridal Veil Falls made for an excellent half day walk in the bush during our November 2006 visit here.

The day use car park was in the Lemonthyme Lodge complex. From there, we walked along a 4wd track up the hill past the manager's residence and continue onwards up the hill until the track started to level out and descend. Along the way, we noticed a nice lookout with a sign and picnic table to catch our breath on the ascent.

As the track started to descend from its apex, we see a signed fork where we had a choice of continuing on the 4wd track or taking the steep primitive track down to Champagne Falls. We did a little bit of a boulder scramble to get right in front of the falls. Bridal Veil Falls was further up the creek on the 4wd track.

We did the entire walk taking in both falls in about three hours at a comfortable pace. I reckon had we just did an out-and-back hike for Champagne Falls, it would've taken us two hours.

Directions: The trailhead is at the Lemonthyme Lodge.

To get there, drive west 12km on the B19 (Bass Hwy) from Devonport to the Leith Rd. Leith Rd eventually becomes Wilmot Rd (C132), which you take for about 50km south to the signed turnoff for Lemonthyme Lodge on the left. The road is definitely unsealed at this point.

Pretty cool spot to chill out and catch breath Take that road to its end where there's the lodge and day use car park.

Alternatively, from Cradle Valley turnoff drive east on Wilmot Rd (C132) for about 18km to the signed Lemonthyme Lodge turnoff to the right. About 8km from the Cradle Valley turnoff, there's supposed to be an access road to Quaile Falls, but we couldn't find the car park and the Cradle Valley Visitor Centre folks said the access to the falls was closed.

For the record, we kind of took an indirect route from Devonport by going south on the B14 and then on the C166 to the C132. Not the best way to go, but we got there.

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Walking up past the manager's residence

First look at the Champagne Falls

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Fixated on the falls