Tag: waterfall

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Svengali Falls 2019 Mar

Svengali Falls 2019 Mar

These are “lower Svengali Falls.” The main ones are just visible behind.
“Carrie”, I screeched (yes, screeched), “I can see them up ahead; Svengali Falls.” We both did a whoopee of excitement, and, when she joined me, a high five that was very, very, both highish and fivish. We were relieved and happy. I feared we were doomed to spend the rest of our lives trying to make a way up this tangled stream. Carrie was confident that we’d reach it, but thought it could take a lot longer than it did. She also feared that one of us might get injured in the attempt.

This is in an easy section. All we had to do was continue up the slippery creek. The difficult sections demanded too much attention to go a-photgraphing. Injuries certainly seemed a highly likely item for the menu: not only was the rainforest rotted from the inside out so that logs appeared to be logs and trees, trees, until you put some weight on them, after which they’d crumble to mossy humus, but also, the creek itself, being the lowest point between two steep sides, held the debris from every storm that has ravaged the area for probably millennia. In order to move forward, we sometimes had to climb big distances up seemingly vertical cliffs; other times, we had to find a way around whopping logs whose girths were greater than our height; still others, there would be a fallen, multi-furcated tree that presented us with a jumble of branches that was daunting, and insurmountable. Up another diff we’d go. Climbing over seemed far too risky, as each branch was slippery and of unknown strength. It would be possible to fall metres if one collapsed.

I had warned Carrie that she’d get her feet wet, as a minimum. I hoped we wouldn’t be wading waist deep, but it was impossible to tell in advance. I didn’t even know if we could get through if the water was too high. I hadn’t bothered to contemplate the wetness of passing ferns and leaves and of the mossy logs we necessarily sat on to get over them. Let us just say: “We got wet.”

Behind are the upper – the real – Svengali Falls. We climbed up a steep spur to the left to get nearer the base, but the most photogenic position was here, so this is what you’re getting. She’s vain enough having been hidden for so long, to want to appear with her best side forward.
I was so excited to achieve our goal that I honestly didn’t care one iota about the quality of any photos I might take. This was a waterfall whose objective was the achievement of getting there, and the sense of adventure that moving through territory like that entails. As we retraced our steps (photo session completed), we were in more of a mood to spend the time appreciating the green wonderland we were momentary part of. It was a special feeling to have overcome the hurdles of the exercise and to be part of such primaeval forest. Another high five as we gained the track for “normal” people at the was in order. Mission complete.

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Myrtle Forest Falls 2019 Mar

Myrtle Forest Falls 2019 Mar


Not much water in Myrtle Forest Falls today – but that’s OK; our purpose is to give the children an adventure, not to take a champion shot of a waterfall caught with its pants down.
It was time for a big adventure. We had originally wanted to take the children up Collins Cap, but set out far too late, so adjusted our goals. Our new one was the saddle before the last climb. That was doable for two small children (3 and 7). I think it is important with young ones to make a goal that is reachable so they have the feeling of success. When the goal is badly chosen (like today), they are happy to make a different one, but they do like to know where they’re heading, and to reach that spot. “How far to go now?” needs a distinct answer. We show the children the map, and Gussy takes a great interest in the altimeter on his dad’s watch (which he is allowed to wear on walks so he can plot our upwards progress).


Inspecting some insect or other
On this day, with our late departure, we had lunch almost at the start, where there is a picnic shelter. The children had plenty of time to explore while we ate more than they did. Both of them love to inspect every insect and fungus … and anything else they can find.



They enjoyed the waterfall that followed shortly after that, but were eager not to dally. I photographed, promising to catch up as soon as possible, which happened at the roped section. If I remember correctly, Abby had declared it time for some of the promised lollies. It seems that after our Lord Howe Island adventures, Abby has decided that a walk isn’t a walk if it doesn’t have a roped section, so it was good this walk obliged. She enjoys the challenge of negotiating the obstacles with the aid of the ropes that add excitement.


Inspecting a lizard
Up we climbed through the beautiful mountain pandani forest. By the time we reached the intersection of this little track and the big wide fire trail, Gussy was temporarily running out of steam, and Abby needed a piggy back. Luckily, this was our chosen goal. They knew this was the turnaround point, so their energy picked up immediately they saw their target for the day had been reached, and suddenly they had zest for running races along the flats with their dad. We laid out the picnic afternoon tea, and some other children came past with their mum, who commented on our special bushwalking food. I knew from her voice and body language that she, too, must have prepared something special for her two girls out on their adventure. We shared a complicit smile: two families teaching the next generation to love and care for the bush.
(The track to this area is very clear. It begins at Myrtle Forest Picnic shelter, which can be googled. It took us maybe half an hour to drive north from Hobart to reach it.)

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Horsetail Falls 2019 Mar

Horsetail Falls 2019 Mar

As I drove past Horsetail Falls near dinner time on my way in to Queenstown, I noted that they were flowing properly, and made a mental note to return to them after dinner. The last time I saw them, they were a mere trickle, and not worth the effort of getting out the camera. The great guy who checked me into my Hotel confirmed that they were flowing well at present, so, dinner consumed, I set off to give them a go. Unfortunately, I wasted far too much time looking for Pearl Creek Falls first, so arrived a little later than I wished. I thought it didn’t matter, as it was raining lightly, which I hoped would add to the atmosphere.
I parked, hastily grabbed my gear and set out, planning to go across roughly on contour from the top of the track to the falls for a closer image. However, I was only about three-quarters of the way up the track when the light started to do magic things. There was no point going further: the light was happening (despite the rain) right now. I speedily set up the tripod and began to shoot as the whole mountain turned aflame, and wispy clouds floated around the summit of Mt Owen above the falls.

One of the best things about this night was that I got to share this beauty of our world with another photographer, and, wonder of wonders, this person was a female (Rebecca Brogan). I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but tripod-carrying, out-by-themselves-photographing-odd-spots females are a rare breed. Of course we hit it off, and stood there in the rain chatting until well after dark. Pelting, bucketing rain forced us to say a temporary goodbye before getting in our cars. I was scheduled to meet my friend Carrie so we could do Svengali together on the morrow, but right now, the rain was so strong I couldn’t drive. At least there’d be a good drop for us over at Rosebery. I hoped we wouldn’t get drowned or washed back downstream by the mighty current that might eventuate.

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Tarraleah Falls 2019 (Wilsons Falls)

Tarraleah Falls 2019 Mar

I’m afraid Tarraleah Falls (called by some Wilsons Falls, as they lie on Wilsons Creek, although the sign proudly announces that they are Tarraleah Falls, so I’ll go with the sign) were not up to much on the day I visited. There had been rain in the area, but I guess it hadn’t had quite the impact I was expecting. Anyway, it didn’t matter: I was just driving between Hobart and Queenstown, so thought I’d visit the falls for a lunchtime break. One can’t drive the whole day! The actual walk to the falls was both longer and prettier than I expected. I had feared it would only be a wander of a few hundred metres. The walk was eighteen minutes in each direction, on a narrow track through a ferny, shady forest. It was a dog-friendly walk, which always pleases me (and Tessa).

 Play equipment for dogs?? Jessie thought so.
I was not alone in the car park, and met others on the walk. A new crew had assembled in the carpark by the time I returned. The area seemed to be quite popular, although most people got out of their cars, surveyed the lookout view, and got back in and drove away. I don’t think the open cafe did much business, which is a shame.

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Netherby Creek Falls 2019 Mar

Netherby Creek Falls 2019 Mar

Both Carrie and I are in agreement about our trip to Netherby Falls on several counts:
(i) We are happy that we have seen them but we don’t feel driven (ha ha: the driving was part of the problem) to see them again.
(ii) As the drive took more than twice as long as the walk (20 mins in each direction – and even that was by deliberately extending the route), and the wait for a steak sandwich in Waratah afterwards was equally as long, we don’t feel that the outcome justified the effort.

(iii) I “only” own a Subaru Forester AWD (don’t you dare rubbish my baby: I love her, and she’s got me into many tricky locations, but she is not a 4WD monster, and acts her size). The drive in was downright scary. Worst was the puddle with no apparent bottom, and no edges to speak of. We held our combined breaths while I nose-dived in and hoped for the best. We’re both fit, so I figured we could easily run out for help if that were needed, but the extra heartbeats way outweighed any beats caused by exertion of a physical nature later. I think we may have kind of given a little scream during this process.

(iv) The falls are way down on any list of beauty stakes. I was spoiled by seeing many falls this long weekend that were truly wonderful, so this one with its clogged base of fallen timber and its lack of green forest in the immediate vicinity did not really do it for me. Lower down was a different matter: Netherby Creek was lovely, and the forest I deliberately steered us through was also a joy to be in, but the falls themselves were too open on one hand yet clogged on another to warrant a return trip. Life is short and finite. I will use my finitude to see things of greater beauty.

We were following instructions from the Tarkine book to get there. These were OK, but nothing beats real contours, and as the drive was more challenging than the walk, I am including both maps. (Also, that book has no index, which makes finding anything a bit of a lottery).

I intentionally headed for the beautiful forest rather than taking a faster straight line through open (unappealing) heathland. The forest was quite interesting, having a lot less understory than usual (until you got lower to the rather crowded creek). You could run through that forest. It was not Tassie’s lushest mossy forest, but we both enjoyed being part of it for the short while we were there.