Wannon Falls

Hamilton, Victoria, Australia

About Wannon Falls

For Subscribers Only. See Membership Options.

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Wannon Falls had that classic rectangular plunge that really pleased Julie since this was the type of waterfall she tended to like more than the others.

As you can see from the photo below, the Wannon River was flowing fairly well before making its 30m drop during our most recent visit to the area in November 2017.

Wannon_Falls_17_020_11152017 - Wannon Falls
Wannon Falls

This was not the case when we first showed up in November 2006.

That was when the falls was merely trickling as it was adversely affected by the drought that hammered the southeast of the country (especially Western Victoria) for the better part of the decade.

The wide alcove beneath the overhanging lip of the cliffs supporting the waterfall demonstrated that the falls had probably been around for a long time given its advanced stage of the underlying erosion.

Experiencing Wannon Falls

Like with the neighboring Nigretta Falls, this was practically a mandatory stop along the Glenelg Highway, especially if you happened to be in the Hamilton vicinity.

Wannon_Falls_009_11142006 - Wannon Falls with pathetic flow during our first visit back in November 2006
Wannon Falls with pathetic flow during our first visit back in November 2006

It was very easy to experience from the picnic area though it didn’t appear trivial to get a different experience by getting to the bottom of (and possibly behind) the waterfall.

Neither were we able to experience it from the other side of the gorge without seriously extending the excursion (something we didn’t want to do given the incoming rain storm).

However, we did experience Wannon Falls from a couple of locations.

The Viewpoints for Wannon Falls

The first one was from a distant viewpoint (see directions below) at the Thomas Clark Viewpoint.

Wannon_Falls_17_006_11152017 - This was the distant view of Wannon Falls from the Thomas Clark Viewing Area
This was the distant view of Wannon Falls from the Thomas Clark Viewing Area

From this vantage point, we could see the full context of the falls and the curved amphitheater it resided in.

The other viewpoint was close to the picnic area, which was reached from a different access road and car park.

A very short walk from the car park led us to a viewing area where we got the closer and expansive view you see pictured at the top of this page.

There were other tracks leaving from the picnic area that went further upstream, but we didn’t get to explore them so we can’t comment further on where they went.

Observations About Wannon Falls

Wannon_Falls_17_037_11152017 - Julie walking around the picnic area near the main viewpoint for Wannon Falls
Julie walking around the picnic area near the main viewpoint for Wannon Falls

Finally, there’s a couple of observations worth mentioning.

On that first visit to the falls back in November 2006, Julie and I saw water in the Wannon River further upstream as we were driving towards Hamilton from the Grampians National Park.

However, by the time it got to this falls, most of the waterflow was gone.

We suspect that the remainder of the flow of the river was diverted for agricultural purposes since the Southern Grampians Shire appeared to be a major agricultural region.

Wannon_Falls_17_032_11152017 - Closer look at Wannon Falls flanked by giant volcanic boulders that have flaked off the neighboring cliffs over the years
Closer look at Wannon Falls flanked by giant volcanic boulders that have flaked off the neighboring cliffs over the years

Another observation was the presence of tough volcanic rocks, including basalt remnants near the lip of the falls.

This made sense since the general area west of Hamilton was also known as Volcano Country.

And such volcanic rocks are typical of the geology necessary to give rise to waterfalls.

Authorities

Wannon Falls resides in the Southern Grampians Shire near Hamilton, Victoria. It is administered by the Southern Grampians Shire Council. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: south grampians, hamilton, volcano, victoria, australia, wannon, glenelg



Visitor Comments:

Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...

No users have replied to the content on this page


Share your thoughts about what you've read on this page

You must be logged in to submit content. Refresh this page after you have logged in.

Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:

If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...

Wannon Falls High Flow October 20, 2010 7:14 pm by Aaron Nuffer - In August 2010, Wannon Falls was flowing very well, creating quite an impressive sight. ...Read More

Have you been to a waterfall? Submit a write-up/review and share your experiences or impressions

Review A Waterfall

Nearest Waterfalls



How To Build A Profitable Travel Blog In 4 Steps

Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

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.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.