Lilydale Falls Tasmania: Waterfall and Free Camping Guide

Lilydale Falls is a set of two easy-accessed cascading waterfalls with a free overnight camping spot just 25 minutes from Launceston, Tasmania.

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 only a 10-minute walk from the car park, making them a perfect spot to explore during a road trip or enjoy a picnic lunch from Launceston.

The free campground, situated at the start of the waterfall trail, is a fantastic spot to immerse yourself in the fern-filled forest and soak up the fresh Tasmanian air overnight.

After exploring 26 waterfalls in Tasmania, I’ve written this guide to help you visit.

How to Get to Lilydale Falls

Lilydale Falls is located just off Golconda Road, just a couple of minutes north of 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 takes roughly 25 minutes to reach these waterfalls if driving youre from Launceston. The road here is sealed and in good condition. We were able to get our Ford Transit van here without any issues.

The Walking Track 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 km return walk that 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 m 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.

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 Free Camping

This freedom camping spot at Lilydale Falls Reserve is mostly a large, flat gravel car park where you can stay for 1 night (maximum) and is located at the start of the waterfall track.

What to expect:

• 15 vehicles at max capacity
• There are free public toilet facilities
• A large grass clearing where apparently, tents are permitted.
• Free public BBQ
• Playground
• Public bins and undercover area

We also noticed that there were some firepits in the reserve. While we didn't stay here in our van, the reviews on the CamperMate app said it can get fairly crowded so if you're looking to stay get here early.

I hope this guide to visiting Lilydale Falls has been useful to you.

If you're interested in more Tasmania travel guides including the best waterfall spots, hikes, and natural attractions on the island, check out my other articles on this blog.

Below are some more photos we managed to snap of Lilydale Falls.