~ nearby waterfalls ~

Attractions at nearby Eastern Tiers

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To the west of the Douglas-Apsley National Park is the 'M'* unsealed logging road which is the main access not only to forestry devastation areas, but also to a number of postage-stamp Forest Reserves which have attractive waterfalls well worth visiting.

This (sometimes restricted access) gravel logging road network runs along the forested Eastern Tiers, north-south from St Marys to Little Swanport. The north end of the M road ('MG') road starts from 4km east of St Marys toward Elephant Pass on the A3 Tasman Highway, the turnoff south, a substantial gravel road (not sign-posted). The south end of the M road ('MS') ends with McKays Road and then Bresnehans Road 0.8 km north of Little Swanport bridge. The M road is also intersected by the gravel C301 "Old Coach" road linking Royal George - Cranbrook, and the sealed B34 Lake Leake road, linking Campbell Town - A3 (turnoff between Swansea and Cranbrook), for more intermediate access to the falls. The C301 road can also be reached via the 'O' link road from Cherry Tree Hill along the Tasman Highway. Beware of changing rough and slippery road conditions, blind corners, and the massive log trucks speeding deathly loads and frenetically returning along these roads between clearfell coups and the Triabunna woodchip mill.

*the naming of Forestry roads shows lack of imagination, and how out of touch with the land these guys really are.

Meadstone Falls

This the northernmost waterfall in this area.

The falls are in the Mount Puzzler Forest Reserve. Just east of Fingal (A4), turn south onto the Valley Road 'MG28'. One of the junctions along the way is a link road connecting east to the MG road. Drive straight on (except where the signposts lead) you 25 km along increasingly rough roads to the trackhead carpark, where there are no facilities. The walk into the falls takes about 45 minutes, through a beautiful bush setting. At times the track can be a bit hard to follow, but it is mostly obvious and well marked with cairns and posts. The views from the perched lookout at the end of the track, both upstream to the falls and downstream at the Puzzler Gorge setting, is breathtaking. There is a short alternative route near the end which takes you rock-hopping and scrambling (some difficult bits) for a couple hundred metres along the bouldery and sculpted St Pauls riverbed, between the top of the falls to a hard-to-spot chute leading down from the main track.

     
Click on thumbnail to see enlarged picture of Meadstone Falls.
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To find Harding Falls, find the Royal George - Cranbrook C301 Old Coach road junction, travel 7 km north along the MG road, then turn east onto 'MG11' to reach the falls car park in another 2 km. There should be signposts at all turnoffs. The MG11 junction is about 6 km south of the Apsley Myrtle Forest walk car park along MG road. There is a toilet at the car park. The fairly level walk to overlook the falls takes only about 10 minutes. To continue to the base of the falls, the track zig-zags down for another 20 minutes or so. There is plenty of space at the bottom of the falls to relax by the Swan River and have a picnic lunch on a pleasant day. The flow and character of the falls can vary greatly.

       
Click on thumbnail to see Harding Falls.

Meetus falls are located north off the Lake Leake highway, some 10 km along M road, then turn off southeast along rougher roads to the carpark. The way is adequately signposted. There is a well built picnic shelter at the car park, and toilet facilities close by. The return walk to the excellent falls lookout takes about ½ hour. It gets a little steep and a bit slippery in the last section of track. The falls are great all year round but even better after rains. There is a rougher and more slippery track which forks off down towards the bottom of the falls, where the view is somewhat obscured by cliff edges. Another track fork then continues downstream in the rainforest for several hundred metres, and gradually becomes quite obscure (news is that the track markers have now been removed, which would make it virtually impossible to follow). This route then heads up the side of the valley to meet with old logging tracks which in turn lead back to the carpark (this circuit takes 3-4 hours with track markings intact). There is also another easy 10-20 minute walk from the car park (upstream) along the Cygnet River.

               
Click on thumbnails to view Meetus Falls scenes.

Lost Falls

This is the southernmost waterfall in this area.

Lost Falls are located south off the Lake Leake Highway turning on the opposite side from Meetus Falls along the MS road. There should be signposts. Drive some 3-4 km south along MS, then turn off east. The road gets a bit rough towards the end but is still passable with care. There are no facilities at the car park. The falls have been known to be totally dry during summer months but during winter they have a pleasing amount of water coming over them. The walk to the view near the top of the falls takes only 10 minutes. There is a short detour to rockpools upstream of the falls. From the carpark you can also head towards the small hillock for 15 minutes up to a eerie flat, bare rocky platform which offers stunning views of Coles Bay and the Hazards

   
Click on thumbnail to see Lost Falls.

 
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