Russell Falls

How to get there

1. Drive from Hobart via A10/Lyell Highway to New Norfolk, then B62/B61 Gordon River Road via Westerway to the township of National Park (~70–75 km / just over an hour).
2. Park at the Visitor Centre car park. A Tasmania Parks Pass is required (System A — not a separate “falls ticket”).
3. No public transport to the park. Avoid night driving — wildlife on the road.
4. Buy or screenshot a Parks Pass on home Wi-Fi before peak weekends. The Visitor Centre still sells passes.

How to do it (step by step)

1. Buy or validate a Parks Pass at the Visitor Centre or online before you start.
2. Follow the sealed path to the main viewing platforms. Stay behind the rails; the rock is wet and slippery.
3. The main sealed path is the accessible out-and-back. The loop return is not fully wheelchair-accessible — confirm on-site.
4. After rain the falls are louder and the ferns wetter; after dry spells they can look thinner. Either is still the walk.
5. Evenings: glow-worms are sometimes visible on the approach — no torch blast into the banks, no leaving the path.
6. Decide at the platforms whether Three Falls Circuit energy remains. Turning around here is easy.

What to expect

Russell Falls is Tasmania’s most photographed waterfall for a reason: three mossy tiers in a fern amphitheatre, minutes from a café. It is also the busiest 400 metres in the park. A good first stop; you can still add more if you have time.

The official figure is about 1.4 km return and 25 minutes. Photographers and families often take longer. The sealed path is Grade 1; the optional loop return is not fully accessible.

This is still a national park walk. Stay on the formed path. Trees fall in wind. Tracks can close.

Best conditions

After rain the three tiers look fuller and the ferns wetter. After a dry spell the drop can look thinner — it is still the walk. Midweek mid-morning is quieter than a fine Sunday from Hobart.

If wind is high, check Parks Tasmania alerts before you start. Falling-limb closures happen on this precinct the same way they happen on Three Falls Circuit.

Crowds & time of day

Fine weekends and school holidays fill the platforms. Take the photo you can get, then move. The rest of Three Falls Circuit thins out after the first viewing deck.

Evenings can show glow-worms on the approach. Stay on the path and keep lights off the banks. Leave time for a dusk wildlife buffer on the Hobart return — or stay at the Tyenna campground (first-come, first-served, separate fee).

Logistics

You need a Tasmania Parks Pass (day / holiday / annual — verify current prices). There is no separate Russell Falls ticket. Toilets and the Waterfalls Café sit at the start.

Turning around is easy: walk back along the sealed path from any platform. If wind is high or staff have closed the track, stay on the formed path.

What to pair (and what not to)

Strong pairs: Three Falls Circuit if the group still has legs; Tall Trees as a short add-on; picnic or café time if weather turns. Printable skeleton: half-day Russell Falls itinerary.

Weak pairs: Lake Dobson Road and Tarn Shelf after a late Hobart start. The alpine shelf is a second decision that needs an open gravel road and daylight.

Map (orientation)

Pin may be approximate. Confirm trailheads, parking and track status on Parks Tasmania before you drive.

Extra tips

• Do this first on a first visit — then decide if Three Falls Circuit energy remains.
• Weekends and school holidays are busy at the platforms. Mid-morning midweek is quieter.
• Waterproofs still matter: rainforest spray and sudden showers.
• Pair with Tall Trees only if the group still has legs. Leave Tarn Shelf off a late Russell Falls start.
• Ask at the Visitor Centre about TrailRider hire if you need assisted access (book ahead).