Evercreech Forest Reserve is an incredibly underrated forest area known for its great free camping and is home to the White Knights Walk in North Eastern Tasmania.
Initially, Evercreech Forest Reserve was intended to be a quick stop to check out Evercreech Falls and the famous “White Knights of Evercreech“. However, after seeing just how beautiful the reserve was, and the fact that we’d have it all to ourselves, we couldn’t help but stay the night at the free camping area.
In this blog post, I’ll outline everything on offer at the Evercreech Forest, including the short hikes to both Evercreech Falls and the towering white gums known as the “White Knights”.
About the Evercreech Forest Reserve
Evercreech Forest is recognised as a state reserve, rather than a National Park. In saying that, we thought it could stand up there with some of the best National Parks in the state!
Being a state reserve means that it allows pets. However, to help keep wildlife safe it is best to keep them on a leash.
What you'll find here:
- Evercreech Falls Loop - 3.5 km
- Evercreech Falls
- Free camping area
- Fire pits (with metal grill cooking plates)
- Large undercover hut with tables
- Drop toilets
- Flat campsites along the river
Where is Evercreech Forest Reserve?
The forest is located near Mathinna in Tasmania's northeast, approximately 95 km from Launceston or 37 km from St Helens.
Location: Evercreech Forest Reserve
The area is surrounded by dense bushland and wet forests, alongside the headwaters of the South Esk River. There are fern trees and tall, white gums as far as the eye can see. It's truly a spectacular spot.
How to Get to Evercreech Forest Reserve
The road in follows well-maintained unsealed gravel roads used extensively by loggers in the region. We managed the trip in our large campervan, so most 2WDs should have no problem.
The best way to reach the site is to drive to Mathinna and then head east on Mathinna Road (sealed). Next, turn left onto the unsealed Evercreech Road and continue for 10 km before arriving at your destination.
Since we were coming from the Bay of Fires, we took a longer route which involved much more gravel road. From St Helens, we took Argonaut Road, which followed onto Mt Albert Road, then finally the last 10 km stretch to Evercreech. All of this was unsealed, yet well maintained and not too much trouble.
Just keep an eye out for logging trucks!
Things to do At Evercreech Forest
Evercreech Falls Loop
The Evercreech Falls loop is a scenic forest walk along mostly flat forest ground. This begins at the far end of the campsite and follows a 3.5 km loop (40 minutes) around the banks of the Evercreech Rivulet. Roughly halfway there is a well-signed fork leading to Evercreech Falls.
The track is easily managed by most. However, there is a section where you have to cross the river which might prove difficult for some. To help, there's a fixed line that you can use to balance along the rocks as you cross.
Tip: You can ultimately take off your shoes and cross this river if the water is at a suitable level.
Overall, the Evercreech Falls loop is very picturesque and showcases the very best of the natural beauty of the region. The river is lined with tall fern trees and dense forest shrubs in a way that frames a great photo at almost every angle.
Tip: Keep an eye out for tiger snakes and wear gators if you have them. We spotted two big ones basking right in the middle of the track.
Tip: Take a moment to sit somewhere and relax. Remember you're sitting amongst hundred-year-old trees with some of the cleanest fresh air in the world!
Evercreech Falls
Arriving at Evercreech Falls is like stepping into a hidden waterfall nook. The waterfall soon reveals itself, snaking down a steep, exposed slope before dropping into a shallow pool at the base.
While perhaps not the most epic waterfall in Tasmania, Evercreech Falls is certainly a very pretty one. The lush forest greens surrounding the falls create a scene worthy of a fairytale.
White Knights Walk
The "White Knights of Evercreech" refers to five of Australia's largest White Gums, or Manna Gums (Eucalyptus viminalis). They stand over 90 m tall and some of the thicker ones are over 300 years old. In a way, the Knights now guard the Evercreech Forest Reserve since their protected status meant the area was spared from logging (luckily).
This trail is another loop track, which wraps gently through the forest to the base of the giant gums before climbing a small hill above. This track is only about 1 km in length. However, it's possible to see the white colossuses early on in the track after about five minutes.
Free Camping at Evercreech Forest Reserve
Perhaps one of the best things to do in Evercreech Forest Reserve is to stay overnight at the free campground.
There are several flat campsites with fire pits where you can pitch a tent. However, these grassy areas are fenced off from vehicles to protect the damp, mossy ground. We chose to simply park our campervan in one of the large gravel parking bays beside the rivulet at the far end of the campsite, which was a great spot.
Truthfully, our stay was one of the most magnificent on our journey around Tasmania. It's very quiet here and there is no phone reception. We didn't see anyone else both in the day or overnight, we had the entire forest to ourselves!
Tip: You'll be greeted at night by some possum friends so be sure to keep your food inside and put all rubbish away!
The eerie yet freeing feeling of being alone with nothing more than the sounds of forest birds and flowing water allowed us to really detach and simply enjoy one of Tasmania's best-hidden gems.
I hope you enjoyed this quick guide to visiting Evercreech Forest Reserve and seeing Evercreech Falls and the renowned White Knights.
Be sure to check out some of my other adventure blogs and articles below for more Tassie travel inspiration!
- 65 Epic Things to Do in Tasmania - My ultimate guide to exploring Tassie, complete with must-visit icons & hidden gems.
- Hikes in Tasmania - Discover 40+ of Tassie's best hiking trails, including short walks and long overnight treks!
- Waterfalls in Tasmania - A guide to 25+ of Tasmania's best waterfalls!
- Where to Stay in Tasmania - The ultimate accommodation guide to help your stops and places to stay.
- Best Tours & Experiences in Tasmania - This years' roundup of my favourite bookable tours & experiences across Tassie!
Amanda
Wednesday 7th of April 2021
Thanks for this post - we had already decided to visit Evercreech, starting from St Helens, when we came across your blog. It gave us the confidence to drive the back roads there (a choice of several routes, but went with Argonaut, Mt Albert and Back Gully Ridge Rd in the end). A very worthwhile adventure, followed by a visit to Pyengana Dairy and St Colombia Falls.
Olly Gaspar
Sunday 11th of April 2021
I'm glad you found the post useful. It's definitely an adventure in this part of Tassie!