Western Tasmania isn’t short of waterfalls – the mountains and three metres of rain brought in each year from the Southern Ocean ensures that. But what we’re exploring today is something very special. It’s one of Australia’s best.

Our walk started from the deserted Montezuma Falls parking area accessed from Rosebery via the blacktop and dirt Williamsford Road. It’s a relatively easy 11.5km return walk, which follows the old Montezuma Silver Mining Company’s Northeast Dundas Tramway that once ran between Zeehan and the mine at Deep Lead (now known as Williamsford).

A World First

The train used on the tramway was of an unusual design known as a K Class Garrett. Named after its designer, Herbert William Garrett, the locomotive was articulated and divided into three interlinked units; the steam engine unit used to drive the wheels, the boiler/cab unit and the fuel/water unit. The advantage of this design was its ability to negotiate tight, twisting curves – a necessity among the terrain of western Tasmania. It is believed the Garrett design chosen for the tramway was the first of its type in the world having already been rejected by the government of New South Wales.

Signs of the Past

Glimpses of the old tramway are still very evident as you pass between moss and tree-lined cuttings blasted through rock and many timber sleepers exposed, some with hand made nails still in place. More impressive though are the original bridges that cross the streams and gullies. No longer safe to cross and sectioned off, the bridges are now home to many forms of moss, fungi and lichen with young trees even taking hold in the slowly decaying timbers.

Watch your Step

The track remains wet and muddy in places throughout the year and you’ll find yourself navigating across thoughtfully placed rocks and logs to avoid some of the worst spots. Though mostly level, the track requires sensible footwear and not the thongs that we witnessed several people wearing.

Thick rainforest hides much of the view of the Pieman River below, which is amazing considering the valley was heavily felled in the 1890’s. Now autumn, bright yellow and red Myrtle leaves litter the track like confetti among the many large tree ferns and moss covered leatherwood and sassafras trees. It’s for good reason the stunning, unspoilt scenery has made this a very popular walk.

A surprise Reveal

The highlight of the walk, of course, is the waterfall and although you can hear it in the background as you approach, its sudden appearance around a corner still comes as a surprise. Climbing a small observation deck just beyond the narrow suspension bridge and you get your first view of Montezuma Falls. But look upwards and there’s more. Crane your neck even further and the top of the 104-metre fall, Tasmania’s largest single drop, comes into view. It’s a surprising reveal and completely unexpected.

Without a frame of reference it is hard to portray the true size of the cascading fall. You really have to be there to witness it for yourself. To stand back a little further requires a walk across the suspension bridge. It’s not for those with a fear of heights or a platform that sways with every step. It’s a white knuckle crossing and a real test of those brave pants.

A hike to Montezuma Falls is absolutely recommended if you are ever in the area and a must if planning a trip around this spectacular island.

Our last day in Cradle Mountain National Park and despite snow overnight and bitterly cold winds, we were determined to make one last trip to Dove Lake to try and capture a photograph of last night’s snow on the mountains. The weather had other plans.

A Big Disappointment

But first we wanted to visit the close-by Wilderness Gallery located beside the Cradle Mountain Hotel. We had visited the gallery previously many years ago and vividly remember the stunning photographic landscape exhibition. We checked the gallery’s website to make sure it was open during this Easter Monday. Disappointingly we arrived to find it closed. We were later advised staff shortages were responsible. A simple update to their website shouldn’t have been that difficult to do.

Too close to the Edge

Everyone taking the shuttle bus to Dove Lake from the Visitor Centre will be aware that the road isn’t in the best condition. It is also very narrow in places with large trees restricting passage even further. Our driver this morning didn’t help settle any passenger’s discomfort when she described an accident here in 2001 where the road beneath a bus, making space for a passing vehicle, collapsed and fell 33-metres before hitting a tree leaving 4-people dead and 14-injured, some seriously. A subsequent report to the government recommended improvements to the road but were restricted by its World Heritage Management Plan, which stated: “Retain the Cradle Mountain Road from the Visitor Centre to Cradle Valley car park as a narrow, winding tree-lined road to protect the character of the park.” Good to know where public safety priorities stand. In the end there were improvements with some of the gravel road surfaces being sealed and kerbside markers installed. From our experience it still needs more work on the potholes.

Blowing a Hoolie*

We were greeted by a strong gusting wind and rain as soon as we climbed off the bus. The view towards the mountains was little more than an icy grey mist and we chose to wait in the glass fronted viewing shelter in the hope that the weather would improve. It was a while but patches of blue sky occasionally appeared and the vegetation around the lake briefly took on a some colour. Eventually the sun stayed long enough to produce a rainbow across the lake as we attempted to take a photograph between raindrops on the window. Needless to say we didn’t stay much longer.

Knyvet Falls

Wanting to make the best of the day we joined our travel buddies on a short walk from the Ranger Station near Cradle Mountain Lodge. It was a walk we were so glad we took.

Descending into Dove Canyon beside Pencil Pine Creek was like stepping into another world – a very green one. Masses of twisted trees were covered in lichen, mosses and old man’s beard. Streams trickled among mounds of moss, fungi and golden leaves fallen from Myrtle trees while in the background the river was tumbling among the granite boulders that remained from the last ice age. It was a magical place.

Protecting the delicate mosses from footfall was a boardwalk for the entire length of the walk, which snaked around trees, up and down slopes and across streams. There was so much to look at and photograph we were soon being overtaken – tricky on a narrow boardwalk without passing places!

It helped that we were protected from the cold winds and passing showers overhead. We were in no rush to move on and could have happily spent hours wandering around here but there was something else to see a little further along and in the background we could hear it – the rush of falling water.

Named after Knyvet Roberts, an early explorer who, along with three colleagues, completed a 5-day cross country hike to Lake St Clair in 1908. It was a time before maps were available and with no defined track over rough country, mountains and rivers. All four survived their gruelling adventure living on the few supplies they carried and echidna, which they occasionally managed to catch.

Knyvet Falls is a wide but not a particularly long drop but it does make up for it in volume – at least at the time we visited in April. The water here, common to the West Coast, is more the colour of a milk-less tea than the crystal clear water you would expect filtering down from the mountains. It is caused by tannins leaching from the roots of the button grass plant and the peat on which it grows.

Unfortunately the viewing platform is perhaps the worst place to get a good photograph of the falls. Several images published via the Internet show a view from the front-left side of the falls but to reach there requires stepping-off the path and that risks damaging the delicate plant life. The main highlight of this walk, though, for us at least, was the coverage of mosses and lichen that forms on anything stationary long enough for it to get a hold.

Time for a little Warmth

There’s nothing better than a hot drink in front of a log fire after a walk in the cold weather. And that’s exactly what we had in mind as we crossed the road and headed for the Cradle Mountain Tavern. We weren’t alone. Two roaring log fires were warming the chills off the hikers with wet clothing draped across the back of chairs.

Mulled wine by the mug was on offer. So too were delicious hot cross buns eased along with a latte and the good company of our travel buddies. It was a great way to relax before catching the shuttle back to camp.

One last cold night before we move on and the promise of warmer, drier weather ahead. Cradle Mountain was everything we hoped it would be. Mixed weather didn’t spoil our visit, instead it emphasised the wild and unpredictable nature of high altitude wilderness.

* The word ‘hoolie’ is believed to come from the Orkney Scots word ‘hoolan’, meaning a strong gale and the Irish word for a noisy party.