- August 24, 2026
A quick, easy forest walk to a coastal lookout just east of St Marys — one of the simplest scenic…
Tucked away in Tasmania’s far north east, the Blue Tier Regional Reserve and the nearby Pyengana Valley are one of the state’s best-kept walking secrets. Up on the Tier itself you’re wandering through cool temperate rainforest — myrtle, sassafras and man ferns draped in moss, with some genuinely enormous eucalypts along the way — while down in Pyengana the drawcard is a string of waterfalls tumbling off the escarpment toward St Helens and the coast. None of the walks below take more than a couple of hours, which makes this an easy add-on if you’re already heading to or from the Bay of Fires. The Tier sits above Weldborough and Lottah, reached via a mix of sealed and well-maintained gravel forestry roads, while Pyengana is a short detour off the Tasman Highway between St Helens and Scottsdale. Pack a raincoat — this is some of the wettest country in Tasmania, and the forest looks all the better for it.
A short, easy loop through mossy myrtle rainforest just off Blue Tier Road, with boardwalks over the creek and a picnic shelter at the trailhead. It’s an ideal leg-stretcher on the way up to the Tier and genuinely suitable for all ages and abilities.
Distance: 400m circuit • Time: 15–20 minutes • Difficulty: Easy (wheelchair/pram friendly) • Dogs: Yes, on leash
Nearest campground: Branxholm Park and Camping Area, on the Ringarooma River about 25 minutes’ drive away
This loop follows an old water race used during the area’s tin-mining days, winding through dense myrtle and sassafras forest to the Blue Tier Giant — a swamp gum with a girth of more than 19 metres, thought to be the widest living hardwood in Australia. The track can get muddy and slippery after rain, so decent boots are worth the effort.
Distance: 3.4km loop • Time: 1–1.5 hours • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: Yes, on leash
Nearest campground: Branxholm Park and Camping Area
A quick roadside loop through dense temperate rainforest right on the Tasman Highway at Weldborough Pass, with interpretive signage along the boardwalk. It’s short enough to squeeze in without breaking a road trip, and a nice contrast to the more open Tier walks above.
Distance: 300–500m loop • Time: 10–15 minutes • Difficulty: Easy • Dogs: Yes, on leash
Nearest campground: Branxholm Park and Camping Area, about 15 minutes away
One of the taller drop waterfalls in the state, viewed from a platform above the gorge. The short version is a there-and-back to the falls lookout; the longer circuit continues on to Cash’s Gorge Lookout through changing vegetation, from tea-tree forest to buttongrass boardwalk, for wider views over the surrounding farmland.
Distance: 2.5km return to the falls, or ~3km for the full Cash’s Gorge circuit • Time: 45 minutes–1 hour • Difficulty: Moderate • Dogs: Yes, on leash
Nearest campground: Branxholm Park and Camping Area, about 30 minutes away
A rainforest track down to a series of cascades and deep rock pools on the Ransom River, with a couple of lookout points along the way. It’s a popular swimming spot in summer, though the pools are cold year-round. The track has some steeper, rougher sections, so it’s a step up from the easy strolls on the Tier.
Distance: 2.5km return • Time: 45 minutes–1 hour • Difficulty: Moderate (Grade 3) • Dogs: Yes, on leash
Nearest campground: Moulting Bay Campground, near St Helens, about 30 minutes away
A gentle, well-formed track through rainforest ferns to a viewing platform at the base of St Columba Falls, one of Tasmania’s tallest waterfalls at around 90 metres. It’s an easy add-on to Halls Falls if you’re already in the Pyengana valley — combine it with a stop at the Pyengana Dairy Company for cheese and a pancake on the way through.
Distance: 1.2km return • Time: 30–45 minutes • Difficulty: Easy (Grade 2) • Dogs: No — not permitted in this reserve
Nearest campground: Moulting Bay Campground, near St Helens
All of the walks above sit within regional or state reserves rather than national parks, so none of them require a Tasmania Parks Pass — entry is free. Camping is a different story: Branxholm operates on a small honesty-donation basis ($20 per site suggested, payable at the toilet block or via the Strada app), while Moulting Bay is informal foreshore camping with a four-week stay limit. Neither site has power, so come prepared if you’re relying on it.
Dogs on leash are welcome on most of the Blue Tier tracks and at Halls Falls, but they’re not permitted at St Columba Falls — check signage at the trailhead if you’re unsure, as rules can vary reserve to reserve even within the same valley. This is genuinely wet country — some of the highest rainfall in Tasmania falls up on the Tier — so tracks can be muddy and slippery even in the middle of summer. The unsealed forestry roads up to the Blue Tier trailheads are well maintained but can be affected by logging traffic or heavy rain, so it’s worth checking conditions locally before you head up, especially outside the main summer season.
A quick, easy forest walk to a coastal lookout just east of St Marys — one of the simplest scenic…
A varied coastal loop near St Helens combining sandy footpaths, forest and heathland, with wide views over Georges Bay.
A remote climb across an unstable dolerite scree slope to the 1,527m summit of Stacks Bluff, the sixth-highest peak in…
A steady climb from eucalypt forest at Carr Villa up onto the open alpine plateau near the Ben Lomond Alpine…
A rocky climb across the Ben Lomond plateau to the 1,572m summit of Legges Tor, Tasmania's second-highest peak.
A short but demanding cross-plateau route over exposed dolerite scree and the boulder field known as Little Hell — rated…