The best waterfalls in Tasmania

The driving distance from the famous port town of Strahan in Tasmania to Russell Falls is about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

After taking a Gordon River cruise in Strahan, which finished around 3 p.m., we decided to stay overnight at a homestay near Russell Falls so we could visit the waterfall early the next morning.

We’re really glad we made that decision, because Russell Falls in the morning is incredibly peaceful and beautiful. There was not a single other visitor except us, and it felt like a hidden, mysterious world deep in the forest.

A 90-meter waterfall crashes down with a powerful roar, while a rainbow shimmers faintly through the mist.

It's very short — if you walk at a good pace, the return trip takes about 30 minutes.

Liffey Falls | Tasmania

It takes about one hour to drive from Devonport, or around forty minutes from Launceston. Just follow the signs and you’ll get there easily (make sure not to turn toward the campsite). The road has quite a lot of potholes, so if you’re driving a low-clearance car, it’s worth thinking twice—although many roads in Tasmania are like this.

The return walk takes about 45 minutes. The trail is very easy and well maintained. We only met a few people on the way back; for most of the time, it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. It’s a very peaceful walk with a strong sense of solitude.

I'd spent most of my Australia trip in South Australia, where the "waterfalls" are, generously, garden hoses trickling over rocks. So when I pulled into the car park for Nelson Falls, on the drive from Hobart toward Queenstown, I genuinely wasn't ready for what I was about to see.

It had rained the day before, and the falls were running at full volume. So much spray was hanging in the air that my camera lens fogged up after a single shot. I tried a long exposure anyway, and every frame came back with tiny water droplets smeared across the lens that no amount of editing could fix afterward. If you're the type who likes a perfectly clean shot, bring a lens cloth and expect to use it constantly. If you're the type who doesn't mind a bit of chaos in your photos, this is one of those waterfalls where the imperfections are kind of the point.

Here's what you actually need to know before you go.