It was my third day in Tassie.
I’d already seen five waterfalls (O’Grady Falls and Silver Falls in Mt Wellington and Russell Falls, Horseshoe Falls and Lady Barron Falls in Mt Field National Park) in two days, and I had three days to go.
I began my first solo journey in my little hire car (a Kia from Drive Car Rental, a review in the footnotes of Russell Falls blog post). I had the idea that I would drive right up to the beginning of the track to Myrtle Gully Falls – the Myrtle Gully Track, which can be accessed from Old Farm Road behind Cascades Brewery.
I began my journey from Liverpool Street in Hobart’s CBD, as I was staying at The Pickled Frog Backpackers (review in the footnotes of O’Grady Falls blogpost. If you’re more of a hotel person, try hotels.com for comparison prices). Driving directions to the Myrtle Gully Track are as follows:
- Head South-West on Liverpool Street towards Murray Street
- Turn left onto Murray Street
- Use the right three lanes to turn right onto Davey Street/A6 and stay in the right lane, following this for 1.3kms
- Turn right onto Southern Outlet/A6
- Turn left onto Macquarie Street and follow for 2.3kms as it turns into Cascade Rd
- Soon you’ll pass Cascades Brewery on the right (it will be very obvious, it’s a big factory)
- Directly after the Brewery and carpark, turn right onto what’s labelled Old Farm Road, but here looks like an industrial area you’re not meant to drive on (don’t worry, you can). Just beware of trucks and machinery from the Brewery
Here in the clearing there’s a blocked off road to the left, and the Cascades Walking Track also begins straight ahead. If you’re a keen hiker, you can find more information on this trail here.
Below you can see the beginning of the Cascades Track, and Old Farm Road continuing behind the Brewery – follow this.
- Continue behind the Brewery along Old Farm Road and follow the road as it curves to the left up a small hill
- This is ‘officially’ Old Farm Road – and it’s true to its name. It’s a very thin, single lane road that winds behind private farms and is a bit bumpy at times. Be careful going around blind bends and watch out for potholes in the road
- Finally you’ll reach the end (it’s a No Through Road) with a small carpark off to the left
I stepped out of my little Kia into a crisp, cold air. Ahead of me was the end of Old Farm Road:
The Cascade Walking Track continues here, too.
I turned and took one last glance at Old Farm Road behind me:
And then I observed the hill that curves up to the right, where The Main Fire Trail also begins.
The Myrtle Gully Track begins fairly straight ahead. I adjusted my camera bag strap on my shoulder and began on the track.
The track is very short and the walk is easy.
A small staircase elevated slightly, but it wasn’t difficult. It was here that the sound of trickling water below me filled my ears.
That’s because Secret Falls flow almost underneath this track, down the river bank. Head to that blog post to see how to get to them.
Before long I reached a bridge which provides a viewing for the falls.
Unfortunately they were all but bone-dry when I visited. This was probably due to the lack of rainfall recently experienced by the region.
Thick, squishy moss covered the rock face. Water still trickled down intricately, soaking the moss through.
The lack of water meant that I could get right up close to the top tier of the waterfall, so that was pretty cool. Where I’m standing in the below photo would usually be flooded with fresh, flowing water.
It was disappointing, but not as disappointing as it would have been if I’d trekked a whopping, strenuous distance to reach them. Luckily I hadn’t come from the opposite direction deep inside Mt Wellington (refer to the map below to see the other trails).
The Myrtle Gully Track can also be reached if you begin hiking from further up Mt Wellington, though the walk would be much longer. The North-South Track in the above photo meets up with the Old Farm Fire Trail. I talk about this particular track in the O’Grady Falls blog post. If you’re a keen hiker, there’s some great information here.
As you can see, Myrtle Gully Falls were very dry. But it also allowed for some unique, close-up shots that I would never have otherwise got, and probably will never capture again.
There’s always a positive side to visiting falls.
It was very quiet and the air was cold and brisk. Make sure you wear warm clothes when visiting Mt Wellington.
Up above the mossy waterfall, a furry animal rustled in the ferns. I barely caught a glimpse of whatever it was, but it was awesome to know I was surrounded by wildlife.
It was disappointing that the falls weren’t flowing, sure, but it was still a great experience.
After Myrtle Gully Falls, I walked back the way I had come to try my hand at finding Secret Falls. Discover them with me!
Lastly, New Town Falls are also nearby, though I didn’t tackle the trek. Waterfalls of Tasmania have some good information if you’re keen on seeing them.
Quick Facts
| Last visit | June 2017 |
| Best Time | July-September after heavy rainfall |
| Start / Finish | End of Old Farm Road |
| Unsealed Roads | Yes, blind corners and potholes |
| Walking distance | 1km return |
| Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Facilities | None, town 10 mins away |
| Lat & Long | 42.8955°S 147.2637°E |
| Nearby | Secret Falls, Strickland Falls, Cascade Brewery |
| Watercourse | Unknown |
