Nelson Falls

On the Lyell Highway, Nelson Falls is located about 30 kilometers (km) east of Queenstown, Tasmania, and has great parking and easy access by foot to the waterfall. The walk from the parking lot is lovely, passing through a region-typically lush jungle. The accessibility to Nelson Falls is one of its outstanding features. Additionally, it is kid-friendly, making it the perfect place to stop on a road trip around Tasmania.

Brilliant "education signs" along the path to the waterfall encourage you to envision what the environment might have looked like hundreds of millions of years ago. The interpretive markers placed along the walk explain how the habitat has changed and how some of the plants that are thought to be unique to this region of Tasmania are actually ancient species that have endured thanks to the cool, temperate climate that the Nelson Valley rainforests demand.

There are only a few small steps on the well-maintained waterfall route, making it quite simple to reach Nelson Falls. Like virtually all waterfalls in Tasmania, Nelson Falls is most beautiful during the winter and spring months and is surrounded by a lush rainforest (June - October).

Location: Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park; 70km east of Strahan