Waratah Old Power Station and Ringtail Falls

 

It’s amazing the things you can explore when wandering around Tassie! Today we ventured to Waratah and you wouldn’t believe it, it was raining 😂. We went and took a picture of Waratah Falls first up.

Following Waterfalls of Tasmania we opted to start the walk at the northern end of William Street. See information here. We arrived at the start of the walk and parked the car and when we jumped out, a gentleman and his dog at the last house called out and offered a map of the walk. I went and talked to him and he informed us on the route to take. He also let us know that the top of the waterfall is no longer accessible to do the loop walk and there were trees down at the end of the track that we would need to dodge. He gave us a few more tips and let us know that the Powerhouse Station was built in 1906 and worth a look. So using his wealth of knowledge we began the walk.

The first 50m brought us to the introduced species of a Holly Tree full of vibrant, red berries. 

After five minutes we entered the forest to get some protection from the light, continuous rain. It was easy to follow the track as it was an old road until we reached the signage that took us deep into the forest descending the hill. The signage did inform us that the track was very steep and suggested that the elderly and unfit should not do it. I would classify myself as not being overly fit but I managed to do it at my own speed with a supportive partner who patiently waited for me. 

The track was wide but quite slippery and muddy underfoot. Upon exploring, we found three or four burrowing crayfish holes. If you look in the burrows it is only a matter of 15cm and you hit underground water. 

We also found a nest high up in the tree and a little bit of fungi. A certain section along the track had an unusual plant bordering it covering the ground, which is something I have never seen before. Not sure if it is native or an introduced flora species,

After passing a geometric rock wall we found some new growth with some ferns beginning to sprout. The soil and water must make this environment perfect for new growth.

As we were approaching the bottom of the forest floor we came across the trees covering the track. It was a bit of an effort to go under and over these trees but we made it. I took a picture of the trees on our return so you could see what they look like.

We hit the loop which gave us the option of turning left to go to the top of the falls or right to go to the old Powerhouse Station and/or the base of Ringtail Falls. We chose right and headed to our first destination which was 80m away from this point. 

According to the River Power Tasmania website, the Waratah Power Station was built in 1906 to support the operations of the Mt Bischoff mine. The power station was fed by a complex network of reservoirs, water races and creek diversions and in the 1950s it was connected to the state electricity grid. However, in 1952, there was a landslide that destroyed a section of the water race which was never repaired. The entry of the old Powerhouse station was juxtaposed with the natural environment.

Stepping inside this old relic of a building we discovered a mass of metal, cement and even porcelain sitting in water. 

After exploring the power station, I headed 100m along the side of the river to the base of Ringtail Falls. This walk was rated a grade 5 hike and some of this section of the track was a bit sketchy. Some places had just enough for a foot to be placed on the side of the muddy bank. Slowly and steadily, I made my way to the base. The water was pumping, spilling over the rock face to create Ringtail Falls. 

After thoroughly enjoying exploring the Wilderness observing human and natural elements, it was time to make our way back up the hill. 

This walk is suggested to take an hour and a half which doesn’t include how long you decide to spend exploring the Powerhouse station and waterfall. It took us 2 hours. I thoroughly enjoyed this walk. It was really nice to explore a historical site so close to a waterfall in the Tassie wilderness.