A complete waterfall guide to St Columba Falls Tasmania. Visit this epic waterfall in the Saint Columba State Reserve near Pyengana. Read this detailed waterfall guide based on my experience with photos to inspire your visit.
After being locked in our van for the past few days following what felt like endless rain, we were stoked to finally get out there again and start exploring.
The first port of call was St Columba Falls near Pyengana. This waterfall is one of Tasmania’s tallest waterfalls at over 90 metres! After so much rain, we were ecstatic about the prospect of seeing it in full roar– and we weren’t disappointed!
Where Is St Columba Falls
The waterfall is located within the St Columba Falls State Reserve, near the small village of Pyengana. This is approximately 2 hours drive from Launceston or 1 hour from Bay of Fires.
While you can see the actual waterfall from the road, there is a short track leading to a viewing platform directly below the waterfall which is a must if visiting the falls.
The road leading to the waterfall trailhead is sealed the entire way and easily accessible. We got there in our big van without any trouble. However, the road is a little winding and narrow in some sections.
How to Get to St Columba Falls
Since there aren't any public transport options, this guide will focus on getting to St Columba Falls with your own means of transport.
Basically, you'll want to enter the pin above on your GPS or phone. This will take you on to "St Columba Falls Road", which is the only way in and out to the waterfall car park.
From St Helens
If you're driving from St Helens, expect around 30-minutes of driving to reach the falls. To begin, take the Tasman Highway all the way until you see signs for "St Columba Falls Road" (C428). Follow this road for 15 minutes (11 kilometres) before arriving at the waterfall car park.
From Launceston
From Launceston, expect a 2-hour drive to the falls, again following the Tasman Highway until you reach the turn-off on St Columba Falls Road.
St Columba Falls Map
Below is a map of the waterfall location in relation to the road in. It also shows the short walking track down to the viewing platform.
Car Rentals in Tasmania
Unfortunately, the cost of bringing your own car on the Spirit of Tasmania has skyrocketed in recent years.
Now, it is usually cheaper to rent a car on arrival. I recommend using RentalCars.com in Tasmania to compare rates for different vehicles across dealerships.
(Rentals are limited in Tasmania so it's a good idea to book in advance).
The St Columba Falls Walk
- Hiking Distance: 1.2 km return
- Hike Duration: 20-30 minutes return
- Difficulty: Easy
The St Columba Falls walk begins at the car park and winds down the valley, crosses a short bridge and finishes at a wide, wooden viewing platform just below the waterfall.
At the start of the walk, there is a small hut with information about colonial history and a little about the historic Pub in the Paddock (near Pyengana).
The walk to the waterfall is quite short and the ground is firm and well-graded. There is a slight incline on the way back up, but nothing to worry about for even the most unfit of us out there.
We enjoyed the walk to this epic waterfall as we found it very scenic. There were plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos of the river, bridge, forest of man ferns and ancient myrtle rainforest trees.
The Ultimate Tasmania Travel Resource
Looking for more Tasmania travel guides & adventure inspiration? Below are my most comprehensive blog posts that will serve as a great free resource for your trip.
St Columba Falls - What to Expect
St Columba Falls Height: 90 metres
Unsurprisingly, St Columba is considered one of Tasmania's tallest permanent waterfalls! What they mean by this is that it's running year-round, even without much rainfall. That's because the waterfall has a huge catchment area, 4200 hectares of it including Mt Victoria and Mt Albert.
Visiting after heavy rain meant that it was absolutely roaring when we arrived. It was difficult to even stand at the viewing platform without getting soaked!
However, we were really happy we made the trip out to the waterfall following heavy rain since we were able to capture some unique photos showcasing the waterfall in all its glory!
About The Hotel - The Pub in the Paddock
On the drive into the waterfall car park, you might have seen signs for the "Pub in the Paddock" hotel.
This is a historic hotel that dates back over 120 years to colonial times! In fact, the waterfall itself is named after the woman who built the pub when her boys found it while exploring the nearby rainforest.
More Epic Adventures in Tasmania
I hope that this quick guide to visiting St Columba Falls near Pyengana, Tasmania has been useful in planning your trip.
For more useful adventure guides and epic Tazzy travel inspiration, make sure to check out some of the other destinations throughout Tasmania covered in this blog.