HOGARTH FALLS

Welcome to Hogarth Falls

Immersion in nature is easy on the west coast – particularly when it comes to this small, spell-binding waterfall.

It’s a long journey to the sleepy west coast town of Strahan. It sits far from Tasmania’s northern and southern hubs at the gateway to World Heritage-listed wilderness on the central-western edge of the island. However, remoteness is part of this area’s rugged appeal, and getting there is part of the adventure! The journey to Strahan winds through seemingly boundless wet forest, and beneath breathtakingly wild mountains.

Here in this laid-back, waterside town of roughly 700 residents, you’ll find many natural gems in surprisingly close reach. It’s only a short journey from here to Ocean Beach – Tasmania’s largest beach facing the majestic, forceful Southern Ocean; or to Henty Dunes – a popular spot to go tobogganing down vast stretches of sand reaching heights of 30 metres in places, creating the illusion of a desert amid Tasmania’s west-coast rainforest. Strahan is also the starting point for two majestic cruises along the mirrored waterways of Gordon River.

But perhaps the quickest and easiest way to access nature from Strahan is to take the short walk to Hogarth Falls. This gentle trek begins from the trailhead at Peoples Park – which is a convenient 10-minute stroll from Strahan village. The journey takes you along a flat track through cool temperate rainforest beside a rippling, rich red-wine-coloured creek to a gushing waterfall. The track and the waterfalls are formed in such a way that you can get nice and close to the falls, feeling the water’s cool spray upon your skin as it runs down to the next cascade.

Step into the forest and spend 40-to-50-minutes exploring this tranquil wedge of west coast wilderness.

Walk to the waterfall

Stroll through Strahan to Peoples Park, via the Foreshore Walking Track, to access the trailhead to Hogarth Falls.

Walk from Strahan village for approximately 750 metres along the esplanade on a flat path by the water, where grand old boats dock. The air is fresh with the intermingling scent of sea salt and soaked leaves from the nearby stands of trees. You’ll soon reach the traditional cream and maroon picket fence, and the tall gate of Peoples Park. Walk through the open, grassy clearing here, past parked cars and benches, to the start of the walking track.

Puddles are strewn across the dirt track to Hogarth Falls. Small ferns blanketing the ground take shelter beneath taller giant tree ferns – their lower, decaying branches are russet-coloured, drooping beneath the fanned, forest-green top leaves. Some loftier trees, such as gums, shoot up higher still above the lower canopy, creating a multi-dimensional collage of greenery around you.

Signs along the track detail the native flora on the walk, featuring interpretive words and drawings courtesy of local schoolchildren about plant species such as tree ferns, blackwood and more. One such sign informs readers of the Dogwood plant, accompanied by a drawing of the veiny ovular leaves. According to the sign, Dogwoods are hardy plants with smooth bark capable of bouncing back remarkably quickly after a fire, and their petal-free flowers bloom a creamy-yellow colour during spring. Along the path, you may also discover other fragrant forest vegetation, such as sweet-smelling Tasmanian leatherwoods, or the distinctly aromatic sassafras – with its cinnamon-scented bark and stems that some say smell like Fruit Loops cereal.

Hogarth Falls

Listen to the sounds of nature and wander onward. Fallen logs are caked with dewy moss and rumpled fungi. The tannin-stained Botanical Creek babbles beside the track in a deep shade of mahogany. The earthen path becomes a boardwalk in some sections. The centre of the boardwalk is lined with a green, astroturf-like mat – try and stick to this central section, as the exposed wood on the edges can become slippery in this high-rainfall area.

Closer to the falls, the flow of the creek becomes faster and louder, and the waterway becomes wider. The current creates swirling patterns around fallen branches, debris and logs. This is when the path begins to climb and become narrower. Follow the trail, and the soothing sound of cascading water, until you reach a few descending steps that take you right to the foot of the falls. Water spills over rocks into a foamy pool before you, strewn with more sodden logs. Stained richly by tannins leeched from surrounding rainforest vegetation, the pool somewhat resembles a long black coffee capped with white froth where the falls make their entrance. The water flows past you down a second tier and into the creek below. Some beguiling wildlife call this creek home, including the elusive platypus, with its short brown fur, beady eyes and beefy bill perpetually glazed in a shiny wet sheen.

The return journey to the trailhead from here for 1.2 kilometres. But what’s the rush? Stay a while and enjoy the relaxing ambience and exhilarating sprinkle of droplets emanating from this small, but powerful waterfall.

Accessibility

Dog guides are welcome at Hogarth Falls. Pets are also permitted, so handlers should note that they may encounter other domestic animals along the path. There are picnic tables, toilet facilities and car parking spaces at the start of the walk. The track is close to the village centre at Strahan, where you’ll find a range of accommodation and food and drink options.

Strahan is a 300-kilometre drive from Hobart, a journey that will take a little over four hours. From Launceston, it’s 270 kilometres, taking about three-and-a-half hours by car.

There is no quick public transport route from Hobart to Strahan. Passengers need to travel via Launceston and Burnie, with the trip taking almost 13 hours. The bus leaves the Hobart Transit Centre each morning from Wednesdays to Sundays. Buses also depart during the afternoon on Sundays and Mondays, but this option necessitates an overnight stop in Devonport. The 747 Tassielink bus transports people between Burnie and Strahan daily, stopping within walking distance of Peoples Park. Find more public transport information at transport.tas.gov.au.