A Visit to the beautiful Leven Canyon

a visit to Leven canyon- clouds below the mountains

A visit to Leven Canyon

A visit to Leven canyon regional reserve is located 40 Km from Ulverstone. The Leven River cuts the deepest limestone ravine in all of Tasmania and is easily viewable from the Cruickshank’s or The Edge Lookout. The canyon has entirely different landscape from the North coast with High-elevation alpine vegetation, fresh mountain air and well-maintained tracks. Click Here to see other beautiful spots in Tasmania.

Cruickshanks lookout


Is an easy 20-minute return walk that is suitable for just about everybody. The Lookout platform is safe and takes you to a cliff edge where you can peer down 275 meters to the Leven River at the bottom of the canyon. From here you have the choice to walk the Leven canyon circuit which is 1.2 km return circuit and Grade 3, from Cruickshank’s lookout it is a steep climb with 697 stairs to the top. On the walk you will pass giant ferns, moss on the rocks and fungi.

Edge lookout and Fern walk

The Edge lookout Is an easy 30 minute return walk through the forest to the canyon cliff wall. The Fern walk is a 20 minute return easy walk and suitable for the whole family, the walk will take you to massive tree-ferns that have grown up to 5 meters tall over 150 years.

The edge

Leven canyon floor walk

Is a 1.9km return walk down leven river and instead of looking down you will be looking up into the canyon and lookouts above. This walk is graded as hard, the path twists and winds its way down through old growth forests and around huge boulders. 

Winter brook Falls forest reserve


To find the beginning of the track it is kind of hidden, You park just at the end of a forest road called smiths plain road. once you have parked you will pass a road work sign and follow the the path past a sinkhole. Then follow the path 500 meters to an old car park and the start of the winter brook falls.

The Trail

Although we didn’t make it to the waterfall it was an amazing easy walk through the rainforest and worth the journey out here. The path follows a boardwalk to start with then it turns into a trek through the rainforest, keep your eyes out for the many mushrooms. The signs says allow 2 hours each way to the waterfall.

Step Falls, Silver Falls and Castra Falls in Nietta


To find the beginning of the walk starts at gaunt road put in your GPS Silver falls. When you arrive here you will notice a little cut away off the road where you can park your car. As this isn’t an official walk there is warning at the beginning of the walk to continue at your own risk. We didn’t find the walk too muddy but we could imagine if it just rained it would be quit muddy and slippery.

The Trail

The walk begins by walking down a steep hill this part is quit slippery so take your time. After about 10 minutes you will arrive at the first waterfall called silver falls. As you continue down the path there is 2 more viewing areas to view silver falls. If you’re game enough like Stefan you can enter the lower falls into a cave however the cave is quiet small. After the lower viewing area the path then continues along Nietta creek. The path isn’t signed but follow the yellow and pink ribbons and the occasional handwritten signs along the path. You will eventually come to a wooden bridge across Nietta creek. The path then continues along Castra Rivulet. This part of the walk is a steep climb up hill and to get to each waterfall. There is 2 waterfalls and 1 cascade. It is a short but very steep climb down and then back up. For castra falls there is rope to assist you down the path. The walk can take up to 2 hours to complete.

Preston Waterfall


A short 20 minute drive from Ulverstone, In a small country town Preston you will find Preston Falls. What you might not no there is 3 waterfalls. The main one with a lookout is Preston Falls, then there is Dalenys falls and upper Preston falls. To get to dalenys waterfall walk across the bridge then you will notice a small path to the right of the bridge, walk up the track for about 10 minutes until you reach the waterfall. To reach upper Preston falls drive another 5 minutes down the road where you will see an off cut gravel ‘not official car park’. From here walk along the road for about 1 minute you will then notice a path down towards the waterfall. Follow the path till you reach the boulder then continue around the boulder until your under the waterfall.

Gunns Plains Caves


This cave was discovered in 1906 by Bill Woodhouse during a hunting trip. The cave was formed by an underground river that still flows. Entry to the cave is from $19 per adult and the tour runs for about an hour, The tours of the cave run daily at 10am, 11am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm. Entry to the cave is down 54 stairs and you do have to bend under a few caves, The pathway is fairly level apart from a short ladder to be climbed down. The tour route through the caves is 275 meters long. It is not recommended for those with health or mobility concerns.  

Ulverstone

Turners Beach

Ulverstone to Turners beach via the foreshore path

Is an easy path you can walk or ride your bike along its 14km return trail to Turners beach.

Three sister and goat island reserve


It is an easy walk across the rocks over to goat island, you can only walk to the island on low tide so make sure you check the tides before heading here. Once on the island you can climb to the top of the left rock Formation reaching the highest point on the island. You will also find a cave that you can crawl under which was lots of fun. It was lots of fun just walking and discovering new places to explore on the island.

Beach Hut Coffee


A Perfect lunch spot in Ulverstone right next to Buttons Beach. The food was very delicious, they offer indoor seating and an outdoor seating area.

Wings Wildlife park and camping in Gunn’s Plains


This campsite is located in gunn’s plain only a 30 minute drive from leven canyon and 10 minute drive to Preston. It is a great location to explore the surrounding area. The camp offers unpowered sites from $7 pp per night. We stayed here for 3 nights, it has great hot showers and a toilet block they also have laundry facilities $2 for the washing machine and $2 for the dryer.

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