Lilydale Falls is a set of two easy-accessed cascading waterfalls just 25 minutes from Launceston, Tasmania. Not only are these waterfalls worth stopping for, but the Lilydale Falls reserve also serves as a great free overnight camping spot for those seeing Tasmania by road.
When I say that Lilydale Falls is easy to access, I really mean it. You’ll find the car park for Lilydale Falls, known as “Lilydale Falls Reserve” just off the main road. The waterfalls are also just a quick 10-minute walk from the Lilydale Falls reserve. Even if you don’t stay the night, the falls offer a great opportunity to stretch your legs and get some fresh air in the fern-filled forest.
How to Get to Lilydale Falls
Lilydale Falls is located just off Golconda Road, just a couple of minutes north from the town of Lilydale. Both cascades flow on "Second River", which is usually just a gentle stream sourced from the hills at Mount Arthur Forest Reserve.
It only takes roughly 25 minutes to reach these waterfalls if driving from Launceston. The road here is also sealed and in good condition.
The Walk to Lilydale Falls
The short walk to Lilydale Falls from the reserve begins by following a track underneath the old railway bridge crossing. Expect an easy, 1-kilometre return walk which involves only a little bit of incline but is mostly flat. We spent roughly 45 minutes at this stop, which included time to take photos and enjoy the scenery at both waterfalls.
Along the way, you'll spot plenty of soft tree ferns and some towering eucalypts typical of Tasmanian forests.
After roughly 300 metres you'll arrive at the fork which splits to the two waterfalls on the Lilydale Falls walk. If you take a right at the first fork you will descend some well-maintained wooden stairs to the base of the first waterfall.
Waterfall Number One
The first waterfall on this walk is wider than the other, with dense forest surrounding its basin. Immediately, you'll notice a huge fallen tree just beside the waterfall. We took advantage of this by climbing up on it to get a unique vantage point.
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The Second Waterfall
After snapping some quick photos of the first waterfall at Lilydale Falls, we continued up the steps and onwards to the second waterfall. At first, we were expecting a slightly longer walk, but the trail ended at another wooden viewing platform before we could even settle into the track.
The second waterfall features a wider clearing and a slightly deeper plunge pool. Nevertheless, both pools are too shallow to consider swimming in. Instead, we again snapped some photos and enjoyed the view before turning back to the reserve.
Lilydale Falls Reserve
Lilydale Falls Reserve, the car park in which the waterfall trail begins, is also a free camping area. There is enough room here for approximately 15 vehicles at max capacity. While we actually didn't stay here in our van, the reviews on the CamperMate app said it can get fairly crowded.
There's also an alpaca farm on the opposite side of the road, which Haylea was pretty stoked about!
Lilydale Falls Free Camping
This freedom camping spot at Lilydale Falls reserve is mostly a large, flat gravel car park. There are toilet facilities and a large grass clearing where apparently, tents are permitted.
We also noticed that there were some firepits in the reserve. All in all, it looked like a great spot to spend the night after checking out the two cascades at Lilydale Falls. Regardless, we continued on, en route to the East Coast.
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More Photos of Lilydale Falls
Below are some more photos we managed to snap of Lilydale Falls. Unfortunately, there hadn't been much rain prior to our visit, as you can see from the meager flow. Either way, we enjoyed our stop and I reckon you will too!
More Tasmania Travel & Adventure Guides
I hope that this quick guide to visiting Lilydale Falls Tasmania has been useful to you. If you're interested in more Tasmania travel guides and articles including the best waterfall spots, hikes and natural attractions on the island, make sure to check out some other articles on this blog.
Also, if you're interested in reading about our adventures travelling around this beautiful island in our self-converted campervan, make sure to read our Van Journal.