Short Walks In Launceston & Tamar Valley Northern Tasmania

Launceston doesn’t get talked about as a bushwalking base the way Hobart or Cradle Mountain do, but that’s part of its appeal — you can walk a dramatic river gorge before breakfast, be back in town for a coffee, and still fit in a rainforest fern gully or a river-mouth wetland by lunch. The Tamar Valley spreads out either side of the river north of the city, mixing vineyards and orchards with pockets of bush that hide short, rewarding walks. None of these require a big pack or an early alpine start — they’re the kind of walks you can slot around a weekend of wine tasting or a stopover on the way to the coast.

1. Cataract Gorge — First Basin & Suspension Bridge Loop, Launceston

The Gorge is Launceston’s signature walk and it’s only a ten-minute stroll from the CBD. The loop follows the South Esk River past the First Basin’s swimming pool and grassed picnic grounds, crosses the historic Alexandra Suspension Bridge, and threads back along the cliff-side Zig Zag Track with views over the gorge walls. Keep an eye out for the resident peacocks and wallabies. Distance: ~2.5km loop • Time: 45–60 min • Difficulty: Easy-moderate (some steps and a narrow cliff track) • Dogs: Leashed dogs allowed in the reserve generally, but not on the Zig Zag Track, the main Cataract Walk, or the Bridge Walk Loop — check signage before you set off Nearest campground: BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park, Glen Dhu Street — a two-minute drive (or a walkable 20 minutes) from the Gorge entrance.

2. Duck Reach Power Station Walk, Cataract Gorge

For a longer version of the Gorge walk, continue past First Basin along the South Esk to the old Duck Reach Power Station site — once the first publicly owned hydro-electric plant in the Southern Hemisphere. The track is shaded and follows the river the whole way, with interpretive signs at the power station ruins. Distance: ~5km return • Time: 90 min return • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: Leashed dogs permitted on this section (check current signage, as rules differ from the inner Gorge tracks) Nearest campground: BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park, Glen Dhu Street.

3. Trevallyn Dam Walk, Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area

On the opposite bank from Cataract Gorge, Trevallyn Nature Recreation Area is a sprawling bush reserve popular with mountain bikers, but its walking tracks are just as good. From the Cliff Grounds car park, a track follows Aquatic Point around to Trevallyn Dam and on to the Hoo Hoo Hut lookout, with wide views back over the South Esk and the gorge. Distance: ~4–6km return (track choice dependent) • Time: 1.5–2 hours • Difficulty: Moderate, some hills • Dogs: Dog walking is permitted in this reserve Nearest campground: BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park, Glen Dhu Street — about a 10-minute drive.

4. Tamar Island Wetlands Walk

A flat, family-friendly boardwalk out to Tamar Island through reed beds and open water on the lower Tamar — one of the best spots in the region for waterbirds, including black swans and native ducks. The visitor centre near the car park has interpretive displays on the wetlands. Fully accessible for prams and wheelchairs. Distance: ~4km return • Time: 1.5 hours return • Difficulty: Easy, flat boardwalk • Dogs: Not permitted Nearest campground: BIG4 Launceston Holiday Park, Glen Dhu Street — roughly 10 minutes’ drive.

5. Notley Fern Gorge Circuit

A short drive north-west of Launceston, this pocket of remnant rainforest feels a world away from the vineyards outside it. The circuit track crosses the creek several times beneath towering tree ferns and eucalypts, passing “Brady’s Tree” — reputedly once a hideout for the bushranger Matthew Brady’s gang. There’s a steady climb on the return leg. Distance: 1.5km circuit • Time: 30–45 min • Difficulty: Easy-moderate (creek crossings, uphill return) • Dogs: Check current signage at the reserve — not consistently permitted in Tasmanian state reserves of this type Nearest campground: Legana Caravan Park, about a 15-minute drive away on the West Tamar Highway.

6. Brady’s Lookout Walk, Rosevears

A short, sharp climb from the car park on the West Tamar Highway leads to a cliff-edge platform with one of the best views in the valley — the Tamar River winding away to Bass Strait one way and the Ben Lomond massif visible on a clear day the other. Like Notley Fern Gorge, it’s named for bushranger Matthew Brady, whose gang is said to have camped nearby. Distance: under 1km return • Time: 15–20 min • Difficulty: Easy, short uphill section • Dogs: Leashed dogs generally permitted in the reserve — check signage Nearest campground: Legana Caravan Park, roughly a 15-minute drive south.

Planning Your Trip

Good news for the wallet: unlike Cradle Mountain or the Southwest, none of the walks above sit inside a national park, so no Parks Pass is required for any of them — they’re council or state reserves with free access. Dog rules vary walk to walk within Cataract Gorge itself, so check the signage at each trailhead rather than assuming one rule covers the whole reserve. The South Esk River through the Gorge can rise fast after heavy rain upstream, and the First Basin pool is closed to swimmers during high flow — if you’ve had a wet few days, check the Gorge’s current status before you go, and give the Zig Zag Track a miss in wet or windy weather as it runs close to the cliff edge. Elsewhere in the valley the walks are low-key and low-risk, but as always in Tasmania, pack a rain layer even on a clear morning — weather here changes quickly.