EAGLEHAWK NECK (TAS)
Tasman Arch – Waterfall Bay

Return distance : 4 km ; Time : 2 hours

This is an interesting and fairly easy walk. It begins with the tourist sights of the Tasman Arch and the Devil’s Kitchen. There is ample parking here. Tourist brochures say that ‘Park Fees apply’ for this walk.

 

The Tasman Arch is very spectacular. Originally a sea cave which was eroded away by the waves, followed by the collapse of the back part of the roof of the cave. From this viewpoint, the track follows around over the arch itself. Walk carefully!

Walking around the chasm we can look down to see the back of the cave.

A little further south, there is this magnificent coastal view, looking right down to Cape Hauy in the far distance.

A short distance away is the Devil’s Kitchen with an explanatory poster.

There is a lookout to one face of this chasm, ...

... or you can look down into it.

The action is very subdued on this calm day.

The road ends here, and we find the start of a walking track to Patterson‘s Arch and Waterfall Bay.

It’s a wide and easy track, although not always level.

Here and there along the track there are views of the coastal cliffs. Note the vertical cut in this cliff.

Looking the other way we can just see the next lookout at the top of the cliff face.

Looking back from this next lookout we see a different view of the vertical cut in the cliff. I would like to have explored at sea level here, but the precipitous cliffs make this possibility unlikely.

After a while we reach Patterson’s Arch, similar in structure to the Tasman Arch.

A tourist boat comes to investigate, but doesn’t try to naviagte through the arch.

From here there is a nice view south to Cape Hauy ('Hoy'). The sharp spike is called ‘The Candlestick’, and the islands on the seaward side are ‘The Lanterns’.

Continuing along our track we get a good view back to Patterson’s Arch.

And so to Waterfall Bay, and what a surprise! A sandy beach? time for a paddle? No way! A deep inlet enclosed by vertical cliffs.

It is surprising what grows on these inhospitable cliffs.

Looking seaward, we find this waterfall called ‘Shadow Falls’.

Shadow Falls drop 300 metres down this near vertical cliff face.

From here we retrace our steps to the beginning of our walk. It is possible to drive to the Waterfall Bay lookout, and further (strenuous!) walks begin from the parking area.