Un-named waterfall

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Un-named waterfall

Postby chippy » Mon 30 Dec, 2024 8:00 am

Some time ago I was fortunate enough to fly passed Western Bluff in a helicopter. This was after a substantial rain event, and I saw what looked to be a sizeable waterfall which I was unaware of previously. When I got home I looked at the LISTmap and identified where it was, realising that it was an un-named waterfall. This surprised me, as from the air it looked significant enough to be named. I looked at the Waterfalls of Tasmania website, and it wasn't listed there.

Yesterday I decided to finally visit this place. So I took the short drive from home to a suitable place to pull off the road and head up the valley. I made a beeline for the creek bed, with the plan to follow that all the way to the falls. When I reached the creek it was dried up, presumably running underground. It made for very easy walking over the dry river rocks. Eventually I reached water upstream of the sinkhole that swallows the creek, so the walking was a combination of beside the creek, or in the Soft Tree Fern forest. At times in the forest I felt like I was following a faint track, and I did on occasion find some deteriorated pink tape. So obviously others have sought out this waterfall, too. I do think tapping a route there to be pointless, as you follow a creek the whole way. So the old pink tape came home with me.

About two thirds of the way there I decided to gain some elevation on a cliff line on the southern side of the creek. There was beautifully open ground, predominated by large stands of Melaleuca pallida. Most of the flowers had died or dropped, but it would have been a sight to see at the start of December! From this higher elevation I gained a fantastic view of the waterfall after rounding a small ridge. And what a sight! Although the flow wasn't as much as when I first saw it from the air, it was still breathtaking. The total height if the falls would be about 90m judging tree height and counting contour lines on the maps. And it involves at least 7 tiers, however there might be more at the very top as it was hard to see due to some rocky outcrops blocking the view.

From there I contoured my way around the valley to the waterfall, arriving on at the pool between the 3rd and 4th tire up. I then made my way down the falls to the bottom, where I enjoyed some lunch in the dappled sunlight. The forest was really lovely, with many mature Sassafrass, Myrtle, and Tree Ferns, surrounded by Dogwood. When I headed back, I stuck to the creek the whole way. I found several beautiful waterholes, some of which were deceptively deep!

I certainly will go back next time we have a large rain event. And I also think a visit to the top would be warranted, to truely get an understanding of its size.

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A fine place to park.

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Limestone cliff-lines.

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Dry creek bed.

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Wet creek bed.

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A first glimpse of the falls.

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Beautiful hidden valley.

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In-between tiers of the waterfall.

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At the base of the falls.

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Plunge pool.

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Potato orchid.
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Re: Un-named waterfall

Postby bernieq » Sat 04 Jan, 2025 10:22 am

chippy wrote:I do think tapping a route there to be pointless, as you follow a creek the whole way. So the old pink tape came home with me.
Well done, that man !

Thanks for the write-up and the pics - lovely bush.

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Re: Un-named waterfall

Postby oldpiscator » Sat 04 Jan, 2025 3:29 pm

Great report. Thank you.
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Re: Un-named waterfall

Postby ofuros » Sat 04 Jan, 2025 7:06 pm

Curious minds...need to know. Nice one.
Mountain views are good for my soul...& getting to them is good for my waistline !
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