September has been unbelievably wet, and you may well be wondering what on earth to do to entertain stir-crazy kids who have been indoors for much of the school holidays. Or perhaps you are feeling quite cooped up after all the wet weather and desperately in need of fresh air and scenic vistas?
Maybe you just feel like heading in the opposite direction of the weekend’s footy finals crowds?
Whatever the reason, why not celebrate one of the best outcomes of our wet weather and check out some of Victoria’s little-known waterfalls, that are at their most spectacular at the moment! Did you know that there are numerous waterfalls within driving distance of Melbourne?
Similar story: Don’t go chasing waterfalls: One adventurer’s unique ambition.
Trentham Falls make for a majestic sight.
I went chasing waterfalls with some friends very recently. We enjoyed a neat little day trip, driving up through Kyneton to Turpins falls, then on to The Cascades near Metcalfe and finally to Trentham falls. We came home via Woodend, and were back at 2pm. Of course, we stopped off at various bakeries in Kyneton and Woodend, but you could easily tailor your excursion to suit by visiting Daylesford, doing a walk in the Macedon Ranges, at Hanging Rock, walking in Lerderderg State Park, or possibly dropping in some of the nearby wineries.
Near Melbourne
Victoria’s highest; single-drop waterfall is only a bit over an hour out of Melbourne. The Coliban river near Trentham runs through a calm eucalpyt woodland, before very suddenly plunging 30 metres over the edge of Trentham falls. The long-extinct volcanic activity in this area is also very evident. At these falls, the pillars and columns formed by slowly cooling larva give the falls a prehistoric feel. It’s not hard to imagine the dinosaurs walking through this area!
Nearby, The Cascades (Coliban river, Metcalfe), are not so much a waterfall, as a rocky area where the water runs and tumbles over huge boulders. Fanning out on big flat surfaces, then diving into deep pools. Turpins Falls (Campaspe river, Langley) have a much larger volume of water pouring over them, and create quite the racket! If you’re very lucky, you’ll spot some kayakers going over the 10-metre drop into the deep pool below.
Other waterfalls near Melbourne:
- La La falls (Warburton)
- Olinda Falls (Olinda)
- Steavenson Falls (Marysville)
Eastern Victoria
- Toorongo Falls (Noojee/Gippsland)
- Agnes Falls (Welshpool/Gippsland)
Northeast
- Ladies baths (Mt Buffalo)
- Woolshed Falls (Beechworth)
- Newtown Falls (Beechworth)
Great Ocean Road
** Be sure to check road access prior to setting out as several roads in this area have been closed due to flood damage
- Erskine Falls (Angahook Lorne State Park/ Great Ocean Road)
- Hopetoun Falls (Great Otway National Park/ Great Ocean Road)
- Triplet Falls (Great Otway National Park/ Great Ocean Road)
- Hopkins Falls (Warnambool/ Great Ocean Road)
- Beauchamp Falls (Great Otway National Park/ Great Ocean Road)
- Stevenson Falls (Colac Otway Region/Great Ocean Road)
- Sheoak Falls (Angahook Lorne State Park/ Great Ocean Road)
Western Victoria
- Wannon Falls (Hamilton/ Southern Grampians)
- Nigretta Falls (Hamilton/ Southern Grampians)
- MacKenzie Falls (Grampians National Park)
Further Information
Visit Victoria – Waterfalls
Travis Easton’s Melbourne’s Waterfalls: 314 Waterfalls within 100km of Melbourne