Cataract Gorge Reserve
Cataract Gorge Reserve
4.5
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 8:00 PM
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- Rochelle FRandolph, New Jersey1,240 contributionsA must see if visiting LauncestonThe Gorge is located right outside the city Center. We drove there as the Gorge walk from town is closed due to rock slide until perhaps March. There are various trails to walk, a chairlift, restaurant. There is a huge pool next to the gorge also. We hiked up to cataract lookout, walked across the suspension bridge and walked the trail to Sentinel lookout. We then had a picnic and watched the various peacocks. There is a family or more of them with babies (2 weeks old), as well as wallabys. It was a really lovely day spent hereVisited February 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 16 February 2024
- JPK2210Wamberal, Australia40 contributionsA Launceston gemWow, what an awesome gem for Launceston! to be honest, I thought it would be one of those places that didn't really live up to expectations, but boy did it deliver! Just a beautiful spot, an could happily wander the trails for hours.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 20 March 2024
- Kristie HMooloolaba, Australia94 contributionsIt's a must when you Visit Launceston. Breathtaking and Beautiful History of the Gorge.This scenery is spectacular for a 1st day visit or visiting regularly for a daily walk. You will not get sick of walking around this historic Gorge You have Peacocks/water Hens/ Black Cockatoos. Kid friendly playground at the water end and a beautiful cafe at the start and in the middle which is reasonable priced. We are visiting From Queensland and this is one of our best experiences for Tasmania.. it's a must to visit and a memorable experience to walk along the Historic Gorge and a definite to do the chair lift...please if you don't like heights. It's so safe and beautiful to experience that you need to try to tick off your bucket list.Visited May 2024Travelled with familyWritten 17 May 2024
- Offshore P1 contributionAmazing experienceAmazing experience ! Definately a must do. Not many places that don’t need pay for the experience. There was a. Garage for chair lift rest was free so well done to the local council an amazing assetVisited May 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 18 May 2024
- RueschiGermany218 contributionsAmazing piece of natureIf you are in Launceston, this is a must see location. A beautiful piece of nature and despite several visitors not overall crowded or noisy. The walk on the suspended bridge is awesome. On one side the gorge and on the other side the lake.Visited February 2024Travelled soloWritten 6 August 2024
- Paul TArmstrong Creek, Australia138 contributionsPut this on your to do listWe probably didn't see this in all its glory, nevertheless it was still an amazing to see. We caught it after a ton of rain and the river through the gorge at its raging best. There are a number of walks to do depending on your fitness level. The suspension bridge is an experience with a little wind and people walking across, best to keep your phone in your pocket while crossing. Keep an eye out for some of the local wildlife while on your walks.Visited September 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 14 September 2024
- Monica DSydney, Australia89 contributionsWell worth the visit!Beautiful place, so unexpected just a couple of minutes from the heart of Launceston. We spent a couple of hours here. We took the chair lift across and explored some of the shorter walks. Definitely worth a visit.Visited October 2024Travelled with familyWritten 14 October 2024
- KkellogsNewcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom350 contributionsHad a fab afternoon at this gem!Loved my afternoon here!! The photos don't do justice for how beautiful it is, loads of stunning walks, I LOVED the chairlift across the gorge and the walk down the gorge. I met wallabies and the peacocks were showing off! Very clean and well kept area parking cheap and plentiful. Definitely worth visitingVisited October 2024Travelled soloWritten 26 October 2024
- Bill RTannum Sands, Australia477 contributionsGorgeous GorgeA tranquil, scenic place that is easy to reach and provides something for everyone. Beautiful flowers, incredible trees, an impressive gorge, chairlift, walking oaths, suspension bridge, playground, coffee shop, high tea service, and a swimming pool. Much more.Visited November 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 November 2024
- AzetteSunshine Coast, Australia334 contributionsGorgeous Park in centre of townWhat a pleasant surprise to find this park in the middle of town. great amenities, bbq facilities, walking tracks, park & pool … all with a view. the inclinator is great if you don’t want to climb the stairs or have mobility issues. must pay for parking & machines are not easy to use, but we had a local assist us.Visited November 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten 23 November 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5,854 reviews
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nameerfud
Taree, Australia287 contributions
Mar 2023 • Couples
What a great place. When we arrived the car park was pretty full, however, this was not an issue. Despite there being a lot of people they were spread out over a large are of walking tracks, picnic areas, pools and lookouts. The paths were well-defined - gravel in a lot of places, however dry and wide. Some places a little steep if someone was to struggle with walking. Peacocks strutting their stuff. Very calm cable car. Rugged scenery, beaut suspension bridge. Everyone was having fun. Good cafe or BYO. Free entry however parking cost is the same as the rest of the city (which is very cheap). Lots of signage to find it. Good for individuals, couples or the whole family or groups. Well done
Written 4 March 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kurt
6 contributions
Jan 2023 • Couples
This is a beautiful part of the world.
There is a chair lift that will take you over the area for $20 return ($15 one way) I recommend the one way and walking back as the trails all lead back the the start.
There is a swimming pool with lifeguard after your walk to cool off and you can also choose to swim in the waterhole itself.
It will take you about 1 1/2 hours to do a brief visit but you could easily stay far longer.
As per the other reviews there are tonnes of animals around to spot
There is a chair lift that will take you over the area for $20 return ($15 one way) I recommend the one way and walking back as the trails all lead back the the start.
There is a swimming pool with lifeguard after your walk to cool off and you can also choose to swim in the waterhole itself.
It will take you about 1 1/2 hours to do a brief visit but you could easily stay far longer.
As per the other reviews there are tonnes of animals around to spot
Written 1 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeffrey
32 contributions
Dec 2021
Recommend taking cable car on the way up (paid entry), then walking down through the swinging bridge, takes around 1 hour in total. Lots of wallabies and peafowls in the area at top of the cable car, some black swans in the gorge below. Allow more time if you want to spend time doing other walks.
Carpark requires paid ticket and fills up pretty quickly.
Carpark requires paid ticket and fills up pretty quickly.
Written 1 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tastony2
Hobart, Australia211 contributions
Sept 2021
It must be one of the wonders of the world. Especially noteworthy to visit when the adjacent Cataract Gorge is in flood. The lawns are well manicured and in the summer season the 2 pools are a delight. Moreover, many people choose to try the gorge waters itself. Given the reserve is in a large basin it is a steep walk down into the recreation area itself but a travellator is available to assist. A well sited restaurant is available that has a great outlook. Paid parking is available and the attraction is also serviced by a city bus. The ideal visit option is to be able to walk through the gorge over a suspension bridge and then alongside the Esk River that runs through the gorge.
The highlight of a visit also is to try the longest chairlift in the Southern Hemisphere that runs directly over the main basin itself.
The highlight of a visit also is to try the longest chairlift in the Southern Hemisphere that runs directly over the main basin itself.
Written 21 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barry C
Cottesloe, Australia4 contributions
Feb 2021 • Family
Took our kids here in the morning before departing for airport. Kids are 9 and 7 and had a blast. Outside of parking, museum is free and kids easily spent 2 to 3 hours enjoying themselves. The interactive exhibits are very cool. Largest Thylacine (tasmanian tiger) exhibit I've found so far!
Written 26 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
catkid3
Victoria, Australia161 contributions
May 2023
If you're a wildlife fan I recommend visiting first thing in the morning - there were plenty of wallabies and birds when I arrived around 9am, as well as hardy any people. Plenty of clean toileting facilities and most of the general paths around the reserve are gentle or moderate slopes. Would definitely visit again and dedicate more than 3 hours to explore as there's so much to see. Parking is plentiful and is roughly $2 an hour.
Written 15 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Vanessa
Sydney, Australia412 contributions
Apr 2021
What a beautiful place in Launceston. 15 min walk from the CBD but they do have paid parking onsite. Haven't visiting the Gorge in 15-20 years but it's still just as beautiful. There is a sit down cafe, takeaway cafe, toilets, swimming pool, paths and a scenic chairlift (for a fee) onsite. The paths are flat and easily walked and wheelchair friendly. Big grassy area that I can imagine would be busy with BBQ's and picnics on the weekend by locals. The peacocks walking around were beautiful also. A great place to visit on a sunny day.
Written 15 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen C
Whyalla, Australia182 contributions
Nov 2021
Wow, what a magnificent place! Do not miss coming here if you are in Tasmania. We took the chairlift across the Gorge which was fabulous, then we spent several hours wandering around. You could easily spend a whole day here. We were surprised to find it didn't cost anything to enter. All it cost us for the day was the chairlift and lunch at the cafe (and you can opt not to do either of these if you don't want to spend any money). The chairlift was fabulous though and as a tourist you should do it! There were lots of peacocks around the cafe which were pleasant to watch.
Written 5 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KM1000
Brisbane111 contributions
Dec 2020 • Family
Very popular place for locals and the car park was very busy. Free to enter but you have to pay for the chairlift which was not cheap at $13 one way. We did the walk over the suspension bridge and around the lake. Restaurant was very busy with a 40 minute wait for food but you can take a picnic.
Written 9 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Liisa and Dave B
Adelaide, Australia4,248 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
WOW! We came here not expecting such an amazing reserve. We hiked seven kilometres along the track which varied in
Scenic views and gradience. Hard to believe that this massive reserve is around 10 minutes out of Launceston city. The chairlift was a must! Toilets are located in two different spots. There is a cafe though we didn’t go there as we were so captivated by all that the reserve has to offer in views. We saw wallabies and peacocks. 🦚 There are many varieties of trees. Extremely well kept premises. Highly recommend this place if in Launceston.
Update: Returned two years later and hiked the Gorge in reverse this time. Afterwards we stopped at the cafe for coffee. Loved spending a good part of the day here- Great hike with beautiful views!
Scenic views and gradience. Hard to believe that this massive reserve is around 10 minutes out of Launceston city. The chairlift was a must! Toilets are located in two different spots. There is a cafe though we didn’t go there as we were so captivated by all that the reserve has to offer in views. We saw wallabies and peacocks. 🦚 There are many varieties of trees. Extremely well kept premises. Highly recommend this place if in Launceston.
Update: Returned two years later and hiked the Gorge in reverse this time. Afterwards we stopped at the cafe for coffee. Loved spending a good part of the day here- Great hike with beautiful views!
Written 25 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I’m arriving in Launceston at 4pm and staying at Verge, so I’m wondering if it’s feasible to walk to the Gorge and back at that time of day in February? I’ve read that you can walk there from the CBD in about 30mins - has anyone done this? Is it safe for a solo (female) walker? Visiting during a full day isn’t an option for me as I’m in Launnie for work, so I only have the afternoon free!
Written 28 January 2025
Hi! We will be arriving late after 4pm and planning to stayed for around an hour, any suggestion which part we should do and where we should park? Thanks
Written 21 November 2024
Hi ..can you tell me if Cataract Gorge is open on Boxing Day?
Written 14 June 2018
We plan to have an early morning hike at Cataract Gorge (say 7-9am) before heading off to Freycinet National Park and thence to Hobart (September 2018).
I am thinking of doing the cataract walk from Kings Bridge (1km), then do the First Basin Loop (900m loop) and take the same path back to Kings Bridge.
Is this doable within 2 hours? If not, should we skip the Loop?
Where can we park our car near Kings Bridge? I can't find parking facilities on the google map though I see the "P" sign on the Cataract Gorge official website map.
Where can I find a more detail map on the hiking trail? Is it easy to track just based on the on-site direction sign board?
Thanks for any advice rendered.
Written 11 January 2018
Adeline, my honest suggestion would be skipping the gorge and save the two hours for the Freycinet where there are so many to see and experience. The kayak they run in Coles Bay takes 3 hours along the coast, which is far better than the gorge.
Written 12 January 2018
If you are keen to see young kangaroos ask your travel agent to look up zoos or animal reserves. Each state in Australia will have a number of options. The babies live inside a pouch on the mother Roos stomach.
Written 7 November 2017
Hello, may I know is the weather is suitable to visit Gorge in end Apr? If we go to the peak by gorge, how long does it take to walk back to the entry? We have small kids and infants. Thanks.
Written 22 February 2017
even depends on how old your kids are, it took about one hour when i enjoyed. so with small kids and infants, it might be half day...to walk back to the entry.
and I'm not sure the weather there on end of April, my friends who are living near there says, it getting colder even not too much cold.
Taht's all i can share with you.
Written 29 March 2017
lcchan231
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
How long do we need to tour the whole Cataract Gorge Reserve?
Written 27 August 2016
The primary method of viewing the gorge is on foot. I would allow a minimum of 3 hours. Their is a chair-lift across the gorge at the first basin as well as a pedestrian suspension foot bridge. In summer people sunbath and swim as well as use the cafes in the area so spend more time enjoying this wonderful place. If you are fit you can walk further up the gorge to "Duck Reach" and back which would add another 1.5 to 2.5 hours
Written 30 August 2016
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