Vanishing Falls at Upper Meander

[roseart]

I am not sure whether this is a new topic or not
But I reckon someone will piont me in the right direction
In our local rag yesterday there was a photo of Vanishing Falls at Upper Meander.
I have checked out the Meander Map - and unless my eye sight is worse than I thought
I did not see these falls marked
I have asked some friends and they thought these falls might be in the area above Chasm Falls
I am just wondering if anyone knows where these falls are because from the photo in the paper
they are worth walking into

[ollster]

they are worth walking into

Err, do you mean Vanishing Falls in the SW? I don't know of any others. Listmap mentions a Vanishing Creek in the Meander? Is there a picture online somewhere?

I know ScrubMaster (forum member) has been there - took him 3 attempts IIRC. I was talking to him about it a couple of weeks ago. On one attempt it took them over 2.5 days to get through the Bob's Knobs area and down to the Salisbury (average speed of about 0.2kph for most of it). It's apparently got uber-scrub around the Knobs, apparently. I think he's also attempted it from Mt Bisdee on the Southern Ranges (which is another uber-scrub fest).

From what I can gather, it's not for the faint hearted, and it's obviously almost all offtrack in extremely wild country.

Of course, if it's a different set of falls, ignore me!

[roseart]

I don't think I mean Vanishing Falls in the south west. All I have to go on is what I read in yesterday's local rag. I did a google search and discovered Vanishing Falls in south west and managed to find a photo of those falls. The photo in yesterday's paper that was listed as Vanishing Falls at Upper Meander and the photo of Vanishing Falls in the south west are two different falls

[walkinTas]

This map on the wiki shows all the falls on the current list. Vanishing Falls at Upper Meander isn't one of them. They might mean havelock falls! Other possibilites are Upper Liffey or Montana.

The waterfall in the area above Chasm Falls is Smoko Falls. They aren't shown on the above map (because don't have coords). See discussion about Smoko Falls. If you look on the map you can see Chasm Falls. Where the Chasm Falls track starts you will see the Smoko Falls Track heading north in behind Mother Cummings Peak. Smoko Falls should be on the East cliff face just before the track turns west up onto Mother Cummings Head. My understanding is these falls are seasonal (so vanish for part of the year).

Does this photo look anything like the one in the paper?

[roseart]

Sadly the photo in paper looks nothing like the one you suggested.
I think your photo is Smoko Falls
We have walked into both Smoko & Chasm Falls.
If my memory is correct Smoke Falls & Chasm Falls are different steams.
I saw Havelock Falls on the map & wondered if they might the falls being referred too.
Does any know if I am breaching copy rite by scanning the photo in the paper
& posting it on this site?
I have checked the Advocate site on the internet to see if it might have the photo of the falls
but have not been able to see it

[sthughes]

No cant answer that but I did see the pic - looked like sweet place to go! I was wondering too, surely someone on the forum knows.

[tasadam]

I have sent him a message from another source, hopefully he will get it and reply here or contact me with the details so I can share.

[walkinTas]

I hope he responds.

Random guessing - there is a vanishing creek just northwest of Western Bluff (but no falls marked on the map). There are however unnamed falls marked in what looks like a steep little gully in nearby Kansas creek, and there is a bit of a start to a track leading in there (on the 1:25000).

Nah! Neither creek looks like it would lead to the scene in the paper. Wrong area anyway.

And no roseart, now that I've seen the picture I'm confident it isn't havelock falls or any of my other suggestions either.

[tasadam]

The photo in the paper was taken by Peter Tonelli. I have written to him asking for information, here is his reply (copied here with permission).

Hi Adam, I walked into the area (Bastian Falls) about a month ago with a small group and guide Neville Badcock (phone number removed but I have it if anyone is interested, PM me) who knows the area well, he took us to a few ‘off the track’ falls other than those as part of the Bastian Cascades, I wasn’t sure if this one was part of Smoko Creek drop into the Meander but someone said at the time the locals called it Vanishing Falls, I couldn’t find it marked on the Lake McKenzie 4438 / Borradaile 4238 1:25000 Tasmaps (+ I didn’t take a GPS), I can appreciate the name my seem to conflict with the identical nomenclature of the falls in the SW…. so I had to go with what I was told …it’s a bit like the 2 Franklin Rivers!

Hope this helps with any confusion, kind regards – Peter Tonelli

and

I have spoken further to one of the team and they also said they have heard it referred to as Hidden Falls if that’s any help!

[walkinTas]

It is very interesting tasadam. Following on from previous conversations, this just adds further to the mystery of falls in the Meander Valley.

Here is a scan of the article as it appeared in the Advocate, Tuesday September 21 (reproduced here with the permission of The Advocate). The title of the article was "Picture a technical challenge". And also a larger zoom on the picture of the falls.

[tastrekker]

I have spoken further to one of the team and they also said they have heard it referred to as Hidden Falls if that’s any help!

That's funny! Another potential nomenclature double-up with the falls on Griffiths Rivulet near Sandspit River.

I vaguely remember seeing the photo on Tuesday and it certainly looked typical of the falls in the Split Rock, Bastion Cascades, Chasm Falls area. They are the three groups of Falls which I know of that have tracks to them. Numerous other streams would flow over the same band of rock when there's a bit of water about so I'm not surprised to hear about "a few 'off the track' falls" in the area.

A while back, I remember reading about a proposal to 'remove' many of the existing tracks in the area and focus development on a track which follows the 800-900 metre contour visiting the major rock formations and waterfalls along that extensive band of rock. Does anyone else remember this?

[north-north-west]

Whatever it's called, it's a ripper of a waterfall. Would love to visit it.

[roseart]

This just gets more and more interesting.
I have been chatting with a "senior bush walker" - hopefully that is the politcal correct term-
anyway they seem remember these falls may also be known as Hidden Falls and are located up stream from Bastion Falls. Can anyone verify this inforamtion? I went and checked out some 1- 25,000 maps of this area in a shop yesterday and it seems that later editions of the tasmaps are not even marking falls like Bastion Falls anymore. This is really sad

[whiskeylover]

Being a local, I am 95% certain from memory that the falls pictured are what we call Split Rock Falls, on the Split rock circuit - but it is not off track. It is a bit of a scramble in places and it is possible the track has deteriorated to the point of being impassable since I was last there. You get there by turning left at the bottom of the "Split Rock". The track used to go up past those falls to the right and onto the escarpment, but that part of the track which completed the circuit may have washed away or become too steep and slippery as it always required a rope that was tied to a tree there.

[Taurë-rana]

Split Rock Falls is what I immediately thought when I looked at them too, but there could be more than one similar waterfall in the area. I have a photo of Split Rock Falls, must find it...

[GerryDuke]

I also gave Neville Badcock a call today. He said the falls in the photo are above the lower Bastion Cascades. He said the falls in the picture are called Hidden Falls. He sent me a picture of another nearby waterfall also. That one looks like the one that is on the brochure for a well known Gallery at Pencil Pine!

I later rang another colleague of mine who took me on the Stone Hut - Bastion Cascades circuit about 18 months ago. He mentioned then that he would have liked to have taken us up to the other cascades - about an hour or less diversion. We ran out of time. However, he has offered to take me in next Friday 1st. If anyone is interested in tagging along they can PM me. I haven't looked up how to use the meet up tool as yet (along with other rules - gets me into trouble with the moderators at times - LOL)

Gerry

[whiskeylover]

My memory may be playing tricks on me, so I might have to join you on that wander. I thought the falls above Bastion Cascades either didn't have a name or were part of the Bastion Cascades (Cascades implying a number of drops). I also thought they were smaller than the ones pictured. Which ever falls they are, he has done well to get this angle of them, as I think you would have to scramble up a very steep slope to get the right spot. I'll PM you re-details of walk.

[roseart]

Gee I would love to be a member of the party that walks into Vanishing Falls on Friday
but sadly I have prior commitment called work.
At this point in time there are a few of us hoping to explore the area above Bastion Falls on Saturday (2nd). I remember earlier on this year coming down from "The Crofts' heading towards Bastion Falls and happened to notice a track that appeared to head upstream back towards the tier along the creek. We wondered then where that track might have lead too - maybe it goes into the area of Vanishing Falls? Gee if the group that is planning to go into Vanishing Falls on Friday could tag the track, it would be mighty helpful? I hope that a suggestion like this won't get me into strife with those who over see this wonderful site

[walkinTas]

I thought the falls above Bastion Cascades either didn't have a name or were part of the Bastion Cascades (Cascades implying a number of drops).

In my early research for the list of Tasmanian Waterfalls I had both Bastion Falls and Bastion Cascades. I found no further reference to Bastion Falls and presumed the Falls and Cascades were the same thing. However, if there is a fall over Bastion Bluff then it would make sense if it was called Bastion Falls.

[whiskeylover]

Had an amazing walk yesterday. Viv Blazeley is a marvellous man. What a walk! Not for the faint hearted or the inexperienced. Essential to have a guide for this one as even if you've been there once you'd have trouble finding the way again. Can't wait to see Gerry's photos. But I'll shutup now, as I might have to be moderated due to this being an untracked walk.

[GerryDuke]

Made a new topic for the images Karin. Here:
viewtopic.php?f=42&t=4974&p=59447#p59447

Not sure if the link will work!

Gerry