Enjoy an easy, yet scenic hike to this multi-tiered waterfall and weir on the Groom River.
Halls Falls is a set of multiple cascades located on the Groom River near Pyengana. This short circuit features several viewing points of the cascades, as well as a rock-pool area and a historic, 19th-century weir.
We visited this waterfall after some heavy rainfall. As a result, the photos below show it in full force and therefore may or may not be flowing as hard when you visit.
Where is Halls Falls?
As mentioned, the walking track to Halls Falls is located near the village of Pyengana in the Tasmanian northeast. This is approximately 22 km from St Helens or just over 145 km from Launceston.
How to Get to Halls Falls
To get to the Trailhead, you'll need to make your way towards Pyengana on the Tasman Highway (A3). You will find the waterfall car park roughly 1.2 km down a dirt road known as Anchor Road. This road is on the corner of a small bend and can be easily missed. However, there are signs indicating the way to the falls.
The dirt road (Anchor Road) is a little rough but it's only a short way to the trailhead car park. Our big van made it there without any trouble.
Location: Anchor Road
My Experience on the Circuit
- Hiking Distance: 2.5 km return
- Duration: 1 - 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Easy
The Halls Falls circuit is a relatively short and easy walk on a wide, well-graded dirt track. The track is mostly an in-and-out trail but you will have the option of taking a loop back to the car park from about halfway to the falls.
The flora here is a little drier than what you might find at the nearby St Columba Falls. There is a good mix of Aussie eucalypts and temperate rainforest myrtle trees and tall man ferns along the length of the track.
Other than the main waterfall, there are a few highlights along the way that are worth checking out too.
Below I've included a basic map showing the route and distances to each attraction on the falls circuit.
The Waterfall Lookout
Less than one kilometre into the hike and you'll arrive at the main waterfall lookout. Truthfully, I found myself a little disappointed by this lookout. This was because it was a little tricky to see the scale of the falls due to the surrounding trees and shrubs.
Walking Down to the Base of the Bottom Tier
Thankfully, there is a relatively steep, yet short track down to the "rockpools" below.
Here, you can admire the bottom-tier waterfall up close which was worth the walk down.
This spot is labelled as "Rock Pools" on the map above. However, as you can see from the photos following heavy rain, there was no chance we were going to take a swim in these pools.
Top-Tier Falls
After snapping some shots of the bottom waterfall, we continued back up the track and onwards to the next waterfall. This was just a short, easy walk with only a little decline at the end to get to the waterfall.
The scale of the torrential rain that the area experienced was even more evident as soon as we made it here. We found trees and heavy logs smashed up against the banks of the Groom River just beyond the falls.
Haylea found out the hard way that leeches like to call this place home after rain and she was not a fan!
19th Century Weir at Halls Falls
The last attraction on the Halls Falls hike is the 19th-century weir. This man-made cascade and large pooled area was used by 19th-century loggers to control the water level on the Groom River.
After stopping briefly, we found that there was another track that continued on beyond the weir, unmentioned on the Tasmania Parks map. We followed it for about 1 km and ended up further upstream.
Here, the water flow was much calmer, and the orange banks were lined with beautiful, towering ferns. Whilst perhaps not an official attraction, I do recommend checking it out if you wish to continue on a little further.
Looking For a Place to Stay?
The East Coast is only a 34-minute drive from the falls and a great place to chill out and relax after exploring. Below are my top picks for accommodation in the area.
1. Driftwood at the Gardens Binalong Bay
Driftwood is one of the best accommodation homes in the Bay of Fires offering three bedrooms, a TV, kitchen, and incredible ocean views from the balcony.
2. The Cove Binalong Bay
Another incredible holiday home within 14 minutes of Swimcart Beach. The Cove offers three bedrooms and a kitchen. Best of all, there's a great view of Sloop Reef from the balcony.
3. Bush Retreat Bay of Fires
The Bush Retreat is one of the closest accommodation options near Binalong Bay. It features a bar, garden, and shared kitchen. You'll have the choice of booking bell tents, large king rooms, or a family bungalow. This is the highest-rated accommodation option in the Bay of Fires!
Are you looking for more hikes, waterfalls, and adventure attractions in Tasmania?
I've written about several other epic locations in Tasmania! Make sure to check out some of my favourites below.
- 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!
