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LIFFEY FALLS

Billy Quinns Gap, Drys Bluff, Cressy, Bracknell & Bishopsbourne

Nearby: DELORAINE, QUAMBY BLUFF, SHEFFIELD, Mt ROLAND, WESTBURY, DEVONPORT, LATROBE, MEANDER FALLS

  • LIFFEY FALLS
  • Steven JURGEIT'S
  • Liffey Bluff
  • Billy Quinns Gap
  • Drys Bluff
  • Cressy
  • Bracknell
  • Bishopsbourne

 

Liffey Falls

1/ Liffey Falls is a lovely waterfall in northern central Tasmania. It is south of Deloraine and reached by turning east from the A5 Highland Lakes Highway, as you approach the Great Western Tier Mountains. The falls are only 1 kilometre from the picnic ground. For the more adventurous there is a 3 kilometre walk to another picnic ground on Gulf Road.

ferns at Liffey Falls

2/ Access to the falls is via a well graded track that passes through a beautiful fern forest. If you visit the falls at night, you might well see devils, quolls, bandicoots and wallabies, as this area is replete with native animals.

Liffey Falls

3/ The falls are preceded by a series of cascades. This photo looks out from the top of a cascade.

cascade at Liffey Falls

4/ This photo shows the flow over the top of cascade. The sound of rushing water is one of the attractions of Liffey Falls.

fern glade at Liffey Falls

5/ The view shows the classic shapes and colours of a rain forest. The falls are an enchanting place.

stream at Liffey Falls

6/ This view looks up at the fast flowing Liffey River. There are giant crayfish in this river.

fern glade at Liffey Falls

7/ The Liffey River meanders through a series of rock cuttings to reach the main fall. Here you see the river passing through a beautiful fern glade.

Liffey Falls

8/ The falls are a series of stairs creating a plethora of movement and colour. You can get a good view of the falls from the viewing platforms.

Liffey Falls

9/ This is a closer view of the higher stairs of the falls.

Liffey Falls

10/ This photos shows the full panorama of the steps of Liffey Falls.

Liffey Falls

11/ Near the picnic ground at the start of the Liffey Falls walk is a detour to the Big Tree. This is a massive 50 metre high eucalyptus tree. It was fortunate to have not been logged, when the Liffey Falls area was being logged in recent times.

Liffey Falls

12/ This is the view to the canopy 50 metres above you. I find it an awesome experience to visit trees such as this one.

Liffey Falls

13/ On a visit in 2021 we went on an excursion to the higher Liffey River north of the higher car park. The river there was quite enchanting.

Liffey Falls

14/ This view shows river scree on the higher Liffey River.

Liffey Falls

15/ We saw these strange growths on the return journey. I was told that they are a defence growth of the tree.

 

 

Liffey Falls Tasmania

1/ The main falls at Liffey captured by Steven Jurgeit using a short time lapse mode.

Liffey Falls Tasmania

2/ This is another view of the main falls at Liffey by Steven Jurgeit.

Liffey Falls Tasmania

3/ This view of the main falls at Liffey is from the opposite bank.

Liffey Falls Tasmania

4/ This view of the main falls was taken very close to the Fall.

 

Liffey Bluff

1/ Liffey Bluff is in central, northern Tasmania. It is part of the Great Western Tier Mountains and feeds Liffey Falls. This image looks east from Projection Bluff across the A5 Highland Lakes Highway towards Liffey Bluff. It is accessed from a track that exits from the highway shown here. The track enters a forest, then crosses the Liffey River, before climbing Liffey Bluff. The river is the long streak above the highway.

Liffey Bluff

2/ The Liffey Bluff Track is just a defined trail and is suitable only for experienced bush walkers. It traverses a dense rainforest, where you can see a variety of vegetation types. This image shows horizontal trees. These make access extremely difficult.

Liffey Bluff

3/ Being a rainforest the vegetation is covered in different types of moss.

Liffey Bluff

4/ Finally we found the clear, fast flowing waters of the upper Liffey River and crossed it.

Liffey Bluff

5/ We followed the Liffey River for some distance and saw many lovely, little cascades.

Liffey Bluff

6/ This was one of these lovely cascades.

Liffey Bluff

7/ This cascade flowed into a large pool.

Liffey Bluff

8/ The upper Liffey River was very clear and shallow in many places, which made it easy to cross.

Liffey Bluff

9/ Finally, we found this ancient dam. A water wheel had once been installed near this dam.

Liffey Bluff

10/ We now began to ascend Liffey Bluff. This was the view to the north west. The line of pines shows where the upper Liffey River is located.

Liffey Bluff

11/ We now approached a scree field and the massive escarpment of Liffey Bluff.

Liffey Bluff

12/ This view looks directly east at Liffey Bluff and shows the 100 metre cliff that our track had to wend its way up. Scrambling over scree is quite difficult.

Liffey Bluff

13/ This view looks south west back towards Projection Bluff. The streak at the top right shows where the highway is located.

Liffey Bluff

14/ We then climbed Liffey Bluff. Near the top we could see Quamby Bluff towering over the lover slopes of Projection Bluff.

Liffey Bluff

15/ This view was taken from the top of Liffey Bluff and shows the panoramic view to the west. At the top left is Projection Bluff and to the top right is Quamby Bluff.

Liffey Bluff

16/ This view looks east. Across the next valley is Drys Bluff, which is show in another gallery.

 

Billy Quinns Gap

1/ Billy Quinns Gap is a narrow valley between Liffey Bluff to the west and Drys Bluff to the east. This journey required our party first to scale Liffey Bluff. They then had to bush bash their way through dense forest and then scramble over large boulders to force their way down Billy Quinns Gap. Their aim was to see the spectacular waterfalls of Billy Quinns Creek that have been seen by very few people. It was more of an exploration rather than a bush walk and was only for very experienced bush walkers. This view looks east at the cliffs of Drys Bluff.

Billy Quinns Gap

2/ This view looks west at the cliffs of Liffey Bluff. Our group descended the narrow valley between these two cliffs. You can see the dense forest and large boulders that our party had to traverse all the way down.

Billy Quinns Gap

3/ This view again looks west at the cliffs of Liffey Bluff. You can now see a more panoramic view of how this narrow gap opened up. The scree fields were the easiest way to descend down the gap

Billy Quinns Gap

4/ This image shows our party scrambling over large boulders before entering a dense forest. The leader is checking his GPS coordinates in order to keep to the planned route. If you injure your leg on these boulders then getting yourself down, becomes very difficult.

Billy Quinns Gap

5/ The rock faces had strange combinations of colors caused by the different types of moss that was growing on them.

Billy Quinns Gap

6/ We saw many ancient trees with strange twisted shapes. Beyond this tree you can see the fast flowing waters of Billy Quinns Creek.

Billy Quinns Gap

7/ This image also looks down and shows another one of the gracefully twisted trees. In the valley below is the fast, flowing waters of Billy Quinns Creek.

Billy Quinns Gap

8/ Finally, we reached the turbulent waters of Billy Quinns Creek.

Billy Quinns Gap

9/ Here you can see one of the many roaring cascades of Billy Quinns Creek that few people have seen. It is a pity that access to these sights is not improved by adding a good track.

Billy Quinns Gap

10/ Part of the journey involved following the creek, as it wended its way down. We saw many lovely cascades.

Billy Quinns Gap

11/ The creek finally slowed down, as we reached the lower slopes.

Billy Quinns Gap

12/ This was the view that beckoned us, as we reached the lower slopes. We were glad that now the slopes were only about 30 degrees.

Billy Quinns Gap

13/ Finally we reached a regrowth forest. The fact that loggers had been able to devastate this area showed that we had nearly reached our exit road.

Billy Quinns Gap

14/ This image shows our party resting in an open area near the end of the journey.

Billy Quinns Gap

15/ It was hard to photograph Billy Quinns Gap through the trees, but this image taken near the end of our walk, might give you some idea of where we had journeyed.

 

Drys Bluff

1/ Drys Bluff is part of the Great Western Tier Mountains of northern Tasmania. To its west is Liffey Bluff and to its east is Billop Bluff. This photo looks south at Drys Bluff . This image shows the northen face of Drys Bluff. It was taken from near the settlement of Liffey. The peak of Drys Bluff is 1330 metres high and it rises 600 metres above the Northern Coastal Plain.

Drys Bluff

2/ Our club mustered at this abandoned farm house and then proceeded south on the Drys Bluff Track, which exits from C513 Road at a point just west of the Liffey settlement.

Drys Bluff

3/ We proceeded from the farm across this bridge and then we began to climb.

Drys Bluff

4/ From this fast flowing creek we left the civilized area and proceeded into the mountainous wilderness.

Drys Bluff

5/ The Drys Bluff Track is just a defined trail over very rugged terrain. Here you can see our group ascending a typical section of the trail.

Drys Bluff

6/ The trail is through a dense, rain forest. Here you can see a small water course making this strange artistic effect.

fungus

7/ In a rain forest you also finds lots of exotic species of fungus. I have always been amazed at how varied are the shapes and colors of fungus. This one really was purple.

Drys Bluff

8/ This image shows our first view of the cliffs of Drys Bluff that we would have to ascend after we had scrambled over the approaching scree field.

Drys Bluff

9/ This shows you how steep was the ascend of Drys Bluff in this section. The large foreground rocks are the size of a man.

Drys Bluff

10/ This view shows the view down to the valley below. It shows how rough and steep the climb was and why the route was only suitable for experienced bush walkers.

Drys Bluff

11/ Towards the top of Drys Bluff the views were simply awesome. Here you can see a summary of the types of terrain that we had crossed through, as we ascended.

Drys Bluff

12/ This image looks to the west at the rugged terrain around Liffey Bluff.

Drys Bluff

13/ This view looks west towards the summit of Drys Bluff. A cloud was starting to cover it. The summit of Drys Bluff is 1340 metres high.

Drys Bluff

14/ To the south of Drys Bluff was an alpine plain. A combination of cloud and light gave these ethereal effects.

Westons Creek

15/ We then proceeded south towards Westons Rivulet. This involved crossing through swampy terrain with very different belts of vegetation.

Westons Creek

16/ This area shows alpine, tundra type scrub. This view looks to the south east at other peaks of the Great Western Tier Mountains.

Westons Creek

17/ This image shows the swampy area and forest zone, where the Westons Rivulet starts.

Westons Creek

18/ The swampy area had may patches of lovely cushion plants.

Westons Creek

19/ Some of the puddles in this area were frozen. This is because the Central Plateau frequently freezes over even in the summer.

Westons Creek

20/ This strange sight is an ice covered puddle in the process of breaking up. It made this strange artistic pattern.

Westons Creek

21/ Further to the south we entered a forest zone, where we saw many strange twisted trees.

Westons Creek

22/ As the terrain became wetter, we found ourselves in a lovely fern grove.

Westons Creek

23/ Finally, we found one of the many feeder streams of the Westons Rivulet.

Westons Creek

24/ Westons Rivulet had some lovely cascades.

Westons Creek

25/ This image shows the top of a cascade. Note how the rocks have been divided into neat bricks.

Westons Creek

26/ This image shows the many steps of the cascade. Not far from here we reach Westons Road, where our bus was waiting to take us home.

 

Great Western Tier mountains near Cressy Tasmania

1/ Cressy is a small town in northern Tasmania. It is just north of the Great Western Tiers mountains, which you can see in the photo above.

Cressy Tasmania

2/ Cressy is famous for the trout fishing in the nearby streams. Tourist information is near this icon.

Cressy Tasmania

3/ The Holy Trinity Church is lovely, old, Colonial church with a very old cemetery.

Cressy Tasmania

4/ Cressy has a early 20th Century high school.

Cressy Tasmania

5/ This is the old Ringwood Hotel in Cressy.

Cressy Tasmania

6/ The centre of Cressy has some interesting Colonial style buildings.

Cressy Tasmania

7/ There are also a number of Victorian cottages.

8/ This is an early 20th Century style hall.

 

Bracknell

1/ Bracknell is a hamlet east of Liffey Falls. In terms of facilities is has a shop, petrol pump, hotel and a sports hall. Bracknell is noteworthy for having a number of historic buildings like this lovely, old church.

church at Bracknell

2/ There were two other historic churches at Bracknell. This lovely, old church is now being changed into a residence.

church at Bracknell

3/ This lovely, old, Federation style church is still holding regular services.

sports oval at Bracknell

4/ Bracknell is on the edge of the mountains of the Great Western Tiers. This view looks south from the sports oval towards the Tiers.

hotel at Bracknell

5/ This is the hotel at Bracknell. It is a good place to stop on your way to Liffey Falls or the Great Lake.

house at Bracknell

6/ Next to the Bracknell Hotel was this lovely, Victorian era, middle class house.

old hotel at Bracknell

7/ On the corner was this interesting, old building. I think that it was once a hotel. It was normal for places like Bracknell to have a number of hotels.

old hotel at Bracknell

8/ On another corner was this building. It also has a classic, Victorian era hotel shape.

old house at Bracknell

9/ This lovely, old house had some interesting additions.

old house at Bracknell

10/ There were a number of lovely, old Victorian cottages in the streets of Bracknell.

old house at Bracknell

11/ This is a lovely, large, Victorian era house. It testifies to Bracknell having some people of substance.

school at Liffey

12/ Near Liffey Falls is the tiny settlement of Liffey. It is noteworthy for having this lovely, little school on a substantial hill that faces the Tiers.

Drys Bluff in the Great Western Tiers

13/ Beyond Liffey C511 passes beneath Drys Bluff. This a massive 1330 metre peak that towers over this area. It is part of the Great Western Tier Mountains. Some Tasmanians have farms in really beautiful places. This lucky farm faces the northerly sun, whilst behind it is the massive peak of Drys Bluff. A few more kilometres from here is the beautiful Liffey Falls.

 

Bishopsbourne

1/ Bishopsbourne is a hamlet south west of Launceston.

Bishopsbourne

 

Bishopsbourne

 

Bishopsbourne

 

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