Location: Lyell Highway between Queenstown and Derwent Bridge
Length: 800 metres
Grade: 2 (suitable for most with some steps)
Distance from: Hobart - 233 km, Launceston - 228 km, Devonport - 222 km
Everything at Nelson Falls is alive. The rocks breath as they are covered in moss, the trees drink the crisp, cool and clear water to grow to dizzying heights, and dripping giant ferns wave with force of the falls. And this stretch of land has always been alive. Interpretive signs will teach you all about the dense rainforest and what it may have looked like thousands of years ago when Tasmania was attached to the supercontinent Gondwana. The earth has moved and the relatives of these rainforest trees are now found on New Zealand and in South America.
The falls are a chorus of beauty. The water sings as it spatters down a stepped cliff. It splits and splashes to create dozens of little waterfalls. And there's nothing more mesmerizing staring at the water of the falls. The rest of the world is put on a pause and time stands still as your eye tracks a droplet to the bottom.
Nelson Falls is not to be missed during a drive out to the west coast. This easy, flat and short hike is a great way to stretch the legs on a drive over Lyell Highway. The track is wheelchair friendly save for a few steps at the end of the trail to the viewing platform.
The track is 24 kilometres east of Queenstown and 59 kilometres west of Derwent Bridge. The carpark is well-signposted and sits on the southern side of Lyell Highway.
The drive from all three major Tasmanian cities is about 3 hours. Hobart is 233 kilometres away, the drive from Launceston is 228 kilometres and Devonport sits 222 kilometres to the north.
There are no facilities at the carpark. You'll have to head 33 kilometres east to the Franklin River to find picnic and toilet facilities.
