New access track to Minnow Falls

[Maraea48]

This track is on reserved land, do you have permission from Parks and Wildlife for these improvements? Dodgy infrastructure can be a public risk issue. If ok, sounds like a fine walk.

People have been going to the Minnow Falls forever. It is located on, both, Forestry land and Reserve. Doubt if Parks even know the Falls are there and probably do not want to know either. Certainly never did any track work there on any of the tracks in the area. The tracks are maintained by volunteer bush walkers and, like almost any of the tracks in Tasmania, you venture there at your own risk. Funds starved Park and Wild Live can barely maintain our high profile tracks!

Minnow Falls Bottom Pool ca. 1939

[Maraea48]

Minnow falls ladder replacements.
We finally received the hardware for the # 3 ladder. Plans were made to install it but the forecast was for rain. The best day according to the forecast was Friday 10-05-2019. The new design was assembled in the shed while it was raining. Friday morning came, after heavy rain over night, and an 5AM check on the rain Radar looked good, but out side did not look to encouraging with some drizzle and heavy over cast skys. We postponed the trip and then it started to clear up! the added attraction to see the falls in flood drove us to go up anyway. We started 30min later than originally planned. From the Minnow Falls lookout on bottom1 Rd we could see that the Minnow falls where pumping and so was “Not the Minnow falls” an unnamed fall which is further North of the Minnow Falls and often mistaken for the Minnow falls. We crossed the log bridge over the swollen Minnow river and proceeded up the rather wet track. Lindsay had a tough time carrying the ladder in his back pack, especially up the rather steep section from the bottom pool upwards, up the ladders and through the cave. The challenging track there was very wet, resembling a waterfall in places. We replaced the #3 ladder and it is now quite easy to negotiate, even with a heavy back pack. The plan was to extend the #2 ladder but we had to abandon that due to logistical problems [left the treads back home on the work bench] just have to plan another trip!

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Not The Minnow Falls, possibly the longest single drop waterfall in Tasmania.

The Minnow falls as seen from the Minnow Falls lookout on Bottom 1 Rd.

One of the upper cascades near the top of the Falls.

The top of the Middle Falls where it flow out of the top pool

Looking at the 80m tall Middle Falls from the Middle falls lookout plateau, only 15m away.

That log has been stuck in that pothole for over 80 years.

yep! the #3 ladder was past it use by date!

Yes! the New #3 ladder is looking pretty good!

Coming down the new #2 ladder

definitely needs a few more treads!

[Maraea48]

The #2 ladder has been extended and is now a lot easier to negotiate. The track at the top of the plateau is getting a little over grown, especially from the river up to the Minnow Falls Lookout [which is a little bit of a misnomer since you cannot see the falls from there] We explored some of the cascades and pools at the top of the falls.

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View from the Minnow falls lookout

View from the Minnow falls lookout

We have a visitor for lunch

the narrows where the falls exit the 2nd pool from the top

looking down to the head of the Middle falls where it flows out of the 4th pool below the first big [60m]drop

things you have to do to get a decent shot

looking back at the 2nd and first pools and some of the cascades below the top of the falls

#2 ladder is now easier to use

#2 Ladder has also been extended

[Maraea48]

Access road to the New Minnow falls Track is now open again.

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Big old dead tree fell across Bottom 1 Road

Road all clear again

[Maraea48]

Minnow Falls. Finally got to the bottom falls after a two day clean up and replacement of all tapes with yellow track markers. There is still tape in the minnow river area but it has nothing to do with the New Minnow Falls Track. People are making good use of the track, it is well worn and looking great! the Tasmanian Christmas bell, Blandfordia punicea, are developing well next to the pool and should put up a good show around Christmas. There are some nice native orchids about as well, atm.

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Bottom Pool and Falls

Last of the big drops, 50m drop before the bottom pool

Developing Christmas Bells at the Bottom pool

Tasmanian Native Orchid Chiloglottis triceratops

Double Headed Caladenia Cracens

Lower Falls

[Maraea48]

The Sheffield Tasmania facebook page [ http://www.facebook.com/sheffieldtasmania ] has just released the Kentish Walks Brochure for the New Minnow Falls Track. The brochure and the GPX file can be downloaded from the Kentish Walks facebook group. http://www.facebook.com/groups/kentishwalks
It is also available from Fudge N Good Coffee in Sheffield. The Fudge also shows the Kentish Walks video of all local walks and attractions on the big screen.

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Minnow falls in Paradise Brochure p1

Minnow Falls in Paradise Brochure p2

[Maraea48]

Recently Flying High Productions was at the Minnow falls when some people where abseiling the lower falls.
I thought we should share their photos

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Looking Down from the middle falls platform

Quite a drop

Quite a bit of water too!

That log has been there for over 80 years

[Maraea48]

With our current restrictions, access to the Minnow Falls is closed, but we managed to get a few long range shots of the falls after recent rain.

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Best flow for a while, top of the 80m middle Falls. Crop and long range zoom lens equivalent of about 1200 mm

The upper falls that can only be seen from a long way away. Crop and long range zoom lens equivalent of about 1200 mm

The start of the upper falls not far from the upper river crossing

Looking down on the start of the upper falls, would not want to stand there when it is in flood!

[Maraea48]

Not the Minnow Falls is an unnamed waterfall on the eastern side of Mount Roland, it is often mistaken for the Minnow Falls which is 750m further South. Unlike the Minnow Falls, Not the Minnow Falls can be seen from far and wide after heavy rain. It can be seen from the centre of Sheffield all the way east to Mole Creek it is even visible from some lookouts on the Badgers. A telephoto lens allows us to have a closer look.

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Not the Minnow falls viewed from the North

Close up of the main falls

[Maraea48]

The multi-tiered Minnow Falls are hidden deep in the forests on the Eastern side of Mount Roland. After heavy rain glimpses of two of the falls can be seen from Paradise Rd and Union Bridge Rd. The Falls can be visited via the new Minnow Falls track, The [old] Minnow Falls Track and the Minnow Falls Skyline track. The sixty meter top tier of the 3 main falls is difficult to reach and difficult to view, but a good telephoto lens gives us a closer look.
More details about Sheffield Tasmania can be found on the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/SheffieldTasmania/
Brochures and gps files for walks in the Kentish area can be downloaded from the Kentish Walks facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/kentishwalks

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The top tier of the 3 main falls

A closer look at the top of the falls

In this photo Lindsay Parker is lying on the rock that is totally submerged in the previous video where the water starts it's thunderous decent down the first major falls.

[Maraea48]

The Minnow falls has become the "must do" walk for the waterfalls crowd! Since the relaxing of the covid 19 lockdown it has been one of the most visited pages, together with Forth Falls and Redwater Creek Falls, on the Waterfalls of Tasmania web site. There has been a huge increase in traffic on the New Minnow Falls Track and it is a very popular subject on the Waterfalls of Tasmania facebook group, which currently has more than 36,000 members. The Kentish Walks facebook group, which was set up to promote all the walks in Kentish, has also tripled its membership numbers since the lock down restrictions were eased. The Minnow falls is now easy to find, well sign posted and marked with permanent markers and information signs at strategic points. As one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the North West of Tasmania it has finally got the recognition it deserves and has become one of the most exiting day walks in Tasmania. Brochures and GPX files are available from the files section of the Kentish Walks Facebook group.

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Track info sign

Screenshot (97).png (241.1 KiB) Viewed 23810 times

Track info sign

Minnow Falls Brochure facing page

Minnow Falls Brochure back page

[Maraea48]

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Last edited by Maraea48 on Sun 29 Nov, 2020 6:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

[Maraea48]

Very sad to find out that our friend, Bill Shepherd, passed away on the Badgers Ridgeline track, Friday 20th November 2020. On top of the Morgan Skyline, 2.1km way from Morgan Rd on his way to Badgers Rd. May his soul rest in peace. Condolences to his wife, family, friends and all those who knew him. A tireless worker, who has done so much for us, he will be sorely missed by the Bushwalking community. More details can be found on the Kentish Walks Facebook page. www.facebook.com/groups/kentishwalks