Penny Royal Waterfall

Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

About Penny Royal Waterfall


Hiking Distance: roadside
Suggested Time:

Date first visited: 2017-12-02
Date last visited: 2017-12-02

Waterfall Latitude: -41.44109
Waterfall Longitude: 147.12751

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

The Penny Royal Waterfall really felt more like a mall and amusement park backdrop than a legitimate waterfall attraction.

That said, the way the artificial falls was situated, it attractively dropped from a cliff past a swinging walkway and into a pool fringed by rides, restaurants, and some interesting replicas of old school boats.

Penny_Royal_006_12012017 - The Penny Royal Waterfall
The Penny Royal Waterfall

Situated on the cliffs adjacent to the mouth of the Cataract Gorge, we even noticed the falls dropping well in the distance from some spots within the city of Launceston (when it was flowing).

Penny Royal was actually a multi-use area that was part apartments / hotel, part dining mall / food court, and part adventure park with rides, climbing walls, fossicking, cliff adventures, etc.

The waterfall only ran during business hours as we had seen the water shut off after hours.

Just seeing this place as alive as it was during our November-December 2017 stays in Launceston felt new to us.

Penny_Royal_052_12012017 - Looking downstream from the Penny Royal Waterfall towards rest of the Penny Royal Adventures complex
Looking downstream from the Penny Royal Waterfall towards rest of the Penny Royal Adventures complex

That was largely because this place had been shut during our first visit to Launceston back in November 2006.

As for visiting the Penny Royal Waterfall, it was pretty easy.

All we had to do was park either on the street or in one of the pay-and-display spots in the Penny Royal car park.

Then, we just walked right through the entrance door and checked out the falls.

Penny_Royal_035_12012017 - Looking along some of the eateries and walkways leading up to the Penny Royal Waterfall from the far side of its complex
Looking along some of the eateries and walkways leading up to the Penny Royal Waterfall from the far side of its complex

It was free to walk about the property and experience the waterfall.

However, to do any of the adventures or excursions, we had to pay for passes either online or from the ticket booth near the entrance.

It only took me less than a half-hour to experience the falls and the complex without partaking in any of the adventures.

Authorities

The Penny Royal Waterfall resides near the city of Launceston, Tasmania. It is administered by the Penny Royal Launceston. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Penny_Royal_004_12012017 - About to enter the Penny Royal complex
Penny_Royal_005_12012017 - As soon as I passed through the entrance for Penny Royal, this was the view I was greeted with
Penny_Royal_013_12012017 - Looking directly at the Penny Royal Waterfall from within its complex
Penny_Royal_015_12012017 - Portrait and long-exposed view of the Penny Royal Waterfall from within its complex
Penny_Royal_020_12012017 - Examining the Penny Royal Waterfall from across the man-made pond
Penny_Royal_026_12012017 - Another look across the man-made pond towards the Penny Royal Waterfall from further within its complex
Penny_Royal_032_12012017 - Approaching the far side of the Penny Royal complex where it looked like the apartments were on the left and the businesses were on the right
Penny_Royal_048_12012017 - Looking right up from the bottom of the Penny Royal Waterfall. That bridge up there was for the Cliff Adventures excursion
Penny_Royal_051_12012017 - Looking back at the Penny Royal Waterfall as I was about to complete the little circuit around the complex
Penny_Royal_062_12012017 - Last look back at the Penny Royal Waterfall before leaving
Launceston_006_jx_11252006 - For a trip back in memory lane, this was the Penny Royal Gunpowder Mills back when it was shut during our first visit to Launceston in late November 2006
Launceston_007_jx_11252006 - Another look across the buildings making up the apartments of the Penny Royal area back in late November 2006


Penny Royal sat adjacent to the mouth of the Cataract Gorge just before the King’s Bridge on Bridge Rd west of the Launceston CBD (said to be a 10-minute walk from there).

From within the Launceston CBD, the key was to head west on Paterson St.

It became Bridge Rd towards the west end of Kings Park.

Penny_Royal_003_12012017 - The car park for the Penny Royal complex
The car park for the Penny Royal complex

The turnoff for the car park for Penny Royal was on the left just past the underpass of the A7 highway (West Tamar Rd).

For some context, Launceston was about 103km (over an hour drive) east of Devonport, 167km (over 2 hours drive) west of St Helens, and 201km (nearly 2.5 hours drive) north of Hobart.

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Long video showing just about all the views of the falls from within the general area of Penny Royal

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Tagged with: penny royal, cataract gorge, launceston, tasmania, australia, waterfall, fake, artificial, rides, kings bridge



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Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
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