Waratah Falls

North West / Waratah, Tasmania, Australia

About Waratah Falls

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Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

Waratah Falls was the feature waterfall in the town of Waratah, which was built right above its brink in an area said to have one of the wettest and coldest climates in Tasmania.

So perhaps it shouldn’t have been so surprising to Julie and I that we saw the waterfall flowing as well as it did on both of our visits – once in late November 2006 and then in early December 2017.

Waratah_Falls_17_056_12012017 - Waratah Falls
Waratah Falls

During our visits, we also saw a relic of the Dudley Kenworthy waterwheel just upstream from the waterfall.

From an interpretive sign, we read that this was the site of first industrial use of hydroelectric power in Australia in 1883.

It followed after the town was renamed from Mount Bischoff to Waratah.

Power from the Waratah River was used to free up tin ore from its host rock while also incidentally providing street and building lighting in town.

Waratah_Falls_015_11262006 - Waratah Falls as seen during our first visit back in late November 2006
Waratah Falls as seen during our first visit back in late November 2006

We managed to experience the waterfall in two different ways.

Experiencing Waratah Falls from a lookout west of the Waratah River

The first and easiest way was from an overlook on Main Street west of the Waratah River, where we got the view you see pictured above.

From this vantage point, we were able to have a sweeping view of the waterfall plunging over a basalt face backed by the town itself perched atop the cliffs.

In each of our visits, we happened to see blooming wildflowers lining the foreground.

Waratah_Falls_17_015_12012017 - Context of the gazeebo and the Main Street Lookout during our December 2017 visit
Context of the gazeebo and the Main Street Lookout during our December 2017 visit

We also noticed that there was what appeared to be a track that descended to the bottom of the falls on the opposite cliff across the river.

Experiencing Waratah Falls from its base

The observation of there being a track going to the base of Waratah Falls led us to this second way we experienced this waterfall.

We were able to access the base of the waterfall after driving about 600m to the park by Annie Street then doing about a 400m walk.

Along the track, I took the signed spur path to the left after 130m or so (going away from what appeared to be some kind of power substation behind fencing further on).

Waratah_Falls_17_040_12012017 - Following the gravel track descending to the base of Waratah Falls
Following the gravel track descending to the base of Waratah Falls

Then, the gravel track descended amongst wildflowers and shrubs (some were carrying berries) before arriving at the rocky and misty bottom of the falls.

Keeping to the hydroelectric theme, I noticed a floodlight pole pointed right at the waterfall so I’d imagine that it would be floodlit at night.

After having my fill of the bottom of Waratah Falls, I then walked back up to the parked car.

During the ascent, I noticed a denuded mountain back across the river further downstream.

Waratah_Falls_17_067_12012017 - This unsightly mess must have been the mine at Mt Bischoff (the original name of the town of Waratah), which I noticed while walking to the base of Waratah Falls
This unsightly mess must have been the mine at Mt Bischoff (the original name of the town of Waratah), which I noticed while walking to the base of Waratah Falls

I’d imagine that scar in the landscape was Mt Bischoff along with the Mt Bischoff mine.

When I got back to the car, I had only spent about 20 minutes away from it.

Authorities

Waratah Falls resides in the town of Waratah, Tasmania. It is administered by the Waratah-Wynyard Council. For information or inquiries about the area as well as current conditions, visit their website or Facebook page.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: waratah, north west, wynyard, braddon, dudley, kenworthy, waterwheel, electricity, hydroelectricity, bischoff, reservoir, tasmania, australia, waterfall



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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.