StepScape

What is StepScape?

This site is working towards showing every published Tasmanian day walk on a single map.

StepScape is a work in progress, currently showing 2,212 of an estimated 3,000 published bushwalks in Tasmania.

StepScape is also available as an app for iPhone and iPad.

Read about what the StepScape app does differently from this website.

Caution

This site is a list of walks, not a walking guide. Before undertaking any walk, consult the references provided.

Most of the references made every attempt at accuracy but did not guarantee it. Some are books that are now out of print, so information that was once accurate may not remain so. Changes may include:

  • Land becoming private or reserved
  • Tracks being damaged or rehabilitated
  • Road access being blocked
  • Bad weather or bushfires temporarily making a walk unsafe
Sites to check before you walk How do I get started?

Every pin on the map represents a car park with at least one known walk. Click on the pins for information. Or, click on the Filter tab above to only show the walks that interest you.

Every walk includes a References section listing the books, brochures or websites that mention it. Consult those sources for more information.

What are the latest additions?

Latest car park

Mount Saddleback 4WD parking

Latest walk

Mount Saddleback Track by 4WD

Latest change

Added 2WD and 4WD parking options for Mount Saddleback.

Updated on

2023-07-18

Who made this website?

The StepScape website was created by Cowirrie, a small software development company in Launceston. We take information and present it so it is accessible and useful to people. Our other work includes the SepiaScape guide to historic Tasmania and the PBPhonics app for basic English literacy practice.

We have also taken some of these walks ourselves, and written comprehensive walk reports about them.

Data Entry

Jan Horton

Programming

Michael Horton

Maps

Google Maps JavaScript API

Components

jQuery, used under the MIT License

jQuery CSV, used under the MIT License

jQuery UI, used under the MIT License

jQuery UI Touch Punch, used under the MIT License

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Hardings Falls car park

Nearest Road:McKays Rd
Nearest Town:Avoca
Locality:East
Latitude:S 41° 50′ 47″
Longitude:E 148° 5′ 50″
Elevation:300 m
Management:Sustainable Timber Tasmania
Road Surface:Unsealed
Car Park:Good unsealed
Water:Dry
Toilets:Bush
Toilet Accessibility:No access
Shelter:None
Picnic Table:Picnic table
Comment:From Avoca, east on Royal George Rd, left into M Rd (McKays Rd). Forestry area, so take care not to take side roads - Falls reserve is marked on right.

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4 walks from Hardings Falls car park

Hardings Falls - walk to top of falls

Goal:Hardings Falls top
Grade:Some steep
Type:Retrace route
One-way distance:350 m
Return distance:700 m
Comment:Riverside Loop Track , take left turn at Y junction down to river above falls. Return same route.

References

Michael Horton, Cowirrie, Vimeo, Harding's Falls 2014-09-13

“These falls are only impressive when the Swan River is high.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 78, Number 33, 33 - Hardings Falls

“River Loop Track leads to top of falls.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 76, Number 32, 32 - Hardings Falls

“… a track that zigzags down to the top of the waterfall…”

Ingrid Roberts, Best Bush, Coast and Village Walks of South East Tasmania, Woodslane Press Pty Ltd, Page 154, Number 27, Hardings Falls

“… bedrock shelves and surrounding pools.”

Waterfalls of Tasmania, Jubec Systems and Design, Hardings Falls Bicheno

“… a typical dry eucalypt forest…”

Tags

Bush
River/Creek/Lake
Foot pad
Wildflowers (spring/summer)

Hardings Falls Lookout walk

Goal:Hardings Falls Lookout
Grade:Moderate
Type:Retrace route
One-way distance:400 m
Return distance:800 m
Comment:Hardings Falls Track to Lookout. View down over gorge both upriver and downriver of falls. Return same way.

References

Michael Horton, Cowirrie, Vimeo, Harding's Falls 2014-09-13

“These falls are only impressive when the Swan River is high.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 78, Number 33, 33 - Hardings Falls

“A short walk on good tracks to a lookout and waterfall on a most attractive river.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 76, Number 32, 32 - Hardings Falls

“Take the 'Hilltop' fork to the right… Reach a lookout (in 5-10 minutes) perched well above the river”

Ingrid Roberts, Best Bush, Coast and Village Walks of South East Tasmania, Woodslane Press Pty Ltd, Page 154, Number 27, Hardings Falls

“There are fallen logs to negotiate…”

John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 20, Number 3, Hardings Falls

“… a lookout high above the falls.”

Tags

Bush
Views
Waterfall/Cascade
Foot pad
Wildflowers (spring/summer)

Hardings Falls: walk to base of falls and circuit

Goal:Hardings Falls base
Grade:Some Very Steep
Type:Retrace route
One-way distance:750 m
Return distance:1,500 m
Comment:Follow track to Lookout, then rough steep track down, turn left to falls base. Return to lookout then follow circuit back via Riverside Loop.

References

Michael Horton, Cowirrie, Vimeo, Harding's Falls 2014-09-13

“These falls are only impressive when the Swan River is high.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 78, Number 33, 33 - Hardings Falls

“Take the 'Lookout and Base of Falls' track to the right.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 76, Number 32, 32 - Hardings Falls

“The path to the base of the falls continues over the nose of the lookout…”

Ingrid Roberts, Best Bush, Coast and Village Walks of South East Tasmania, Woodslane Press Pty Ltd, Page 154, Number 27, Hardings Falls

1 hour circuit
“Steep and rocky section; some log obstacles”

Caedence Kuepper, Caedence Kuepper on Flickr, Flickr, Hardings Falls

1 hour circuit retrace
“… quite rocky and difficult in places…”

John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 20, Number 3, Hardings Falls

1 hour circuit
“Take care when exploring the gorge away from the tracks”

Raelene and Rod Newell, Thirty-Five Walks to Waterfalls in Tasmania, 1st ed., Raelene and Rod Newell, Page 28, Number 8, Hardings Falls

Waterfalls of Tasmania, Jubec Systems and Design, Hardings Falls Bicheno

40 minutes circuit retrace
“… the path is made up steps made of loose rock. Care must be taken…”

Cowirrie Commentary, Cowirrie, Number 14, Walking to Hardings Falls

2 hours 10 minutes circuit
“…the descent to the base of the falls was narrow, steep and covered in loose stones.”

Tags

Bush
River/Creek/Lake
Views
Waterfall/Cascade
Foot pad
Rockhopping
Wildflowers (spring/summer)

Lower Hardings Falls walk

Caution

This site is a list of walks, not a walking guide. Before undertaking any walk, consult the references below.

For additional information about safe walking in Tasmania, go to the StepScape tab.

Goal:Lower Hardings Falls
Grade:Some Very Steep
Type:Retrace route
One-way distance:700 m
Return distance:1,400 m
Comment:Follow track down to base of falls, but turn right to reach Lower Falls. View from top, or a difficult scramble to the bottom. Return.

References

Michael Horton, Cowirrie, Vimeo, Harding's Falls 2014-09-13

“These falls are only impressive when the Swan River is high.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 78, Number 33, 33 - Hardings Falls

“Take the 'Lookout and Base of Falls' track to the right.”

Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks around Launceston & Northeast Tasmania, Hillside Publishing, Page 76, Number 32, 32 - Hardings Falls

“The path to the base of the falls continues over the nose of the lookout…”

Ingrid Roberts, Best Bush, Coast and Village Walks of South East Tasmania, Woodslane Press Pty Ltd, Page 154, Number 27, Hardings Falls

1 hour circuit
“Steep and rocky section; some log obstacles”

John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 20, Number 3, Hardings Falls

“The gorge below the falls is interesting, with a huge cascade and large pool”

Raelene and Rod Newell, Thirty-Five Walks to Waterfalls in Tasmania, 1st ed., Raelene and Rod Newell, Page 28, Number 8, Hardings Falls

Waterfalls of Tasmania, Jubec Systems and Design, Hardings Falls Bicheno

40 minutes circuit retrace
“… the path is made up steps made of loose rock. Care must be taken…”

Caedence Kuepper, Caedence Kuepper on Flickr, Flickr, Lower Hardings Falls

“A steep scramble form the end of the Hrdings Falls track brings you here.”

Cowirrie Commentary, Cowirrie, Number 14, Walking to Hardings Falls

2 hours 10 minutes circuit
“…the descent to the base of the falls was narrow, steep and covered in loose stones.”

Tags

Bush
River/Creek/Lake
Views
Waterfall/Cascade
Foot pad
Rockhopping
Wildflowers (spring/summer)