Nicholls Falls

Snug TiersGPS Coords: -43.0956, 147.1450
Land Tenure: Nature Recreation Area

Tasmap Reference: 5022 Cygnet

Nicholls Falls
© 2015 - 2024 Photography: Caedence Kuepper
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Grade 5 Hike
Suitable for very experienced hikers only.

16km's6-7 hours returnRough unformed track Limited signage

No Modification of the natural environment.

Dogs are not allowed
Drones are not allowed
Unknown if accessible with a caravan
Unknown if accessible with a campervan or RV
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About Nicholls Falls

Near the headwaters of the Nicholls Rivulet in the Snug Tiers is the impressive Nicholls Falls, an unusually shaped waterfall in that half of the flow of the river plunges over a 15 metre high cliff, while the other half twists away from the rocky outcrop to instead tumble over a series of smaller cascades to the east of the main falls. It is probably the hardest to reach of all the waterfalls in the Snug Tiers area, requiring a long walk or drive up rough 4WD tracks followed by an incredibly thick scrub bash down the creek. 

The hike to Nicholls Falls starts from Van Morey Road, with the distance varying in length depending on the capabilities of your car. Heavy duty 4WD’s may be able to drive all the way to the Nicholls Rivulet itself, but for most vehicles there is a convenient parking area along the road before it gets too rough, from where it is about a 16 kilometre return walk to Nicholls Falls. From the carpark, follow the road for a little over 3 kilometres before arriving at the first turnoff, left onto the Snug Tiers Track. Heading in the other direction will take you to the Pelverata Track, which as the name suggest leads to the top of Pelverata Falls. Continue along the Snug Tiers Track for a further 2.6km, until you come to an unsigned junction at a sharp bend in the road. Heading straight ahead will take you to Gray Mountain, but to go to Nicholls Falls take the left track towards Wellings Dam. There are numerous other potentially confusing roads heading off along the way and there is little signage besides at the first junction, so carrying a GPS and map is strongly recommended. 

A few hundred metres after the Wellings Dam turnoff you will arrive at Nicholls Rivulet, and this is where the real hard part of the hike begins. There is no obvious route, but to get to Nicholls Falls you have to find a way downstream through incredibly thick scrub featuring lots of cutting grass. The falls are no more than a kilometre downstream of the road, but the hike takes at least an hour to arrive at the top of Nicholls Falls. There are nice views down the valley from the top, but none of the waterfall itself, and it is extremely dangerous to get close to the edge as the rocks are incredibly slippery. To get to the base of the falls, head around the western side of the creek, and look for a safe way down. It is very steep and slippery regardless of what route you take, making the descent a very dicey one. 

The difficulty and potential danger of this hike is not to be understated, but if you come properly prepared and have experience hiking in rough terrain it is a worthwhile trip. 

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