Mount Field National Park: An Easy Day from Hobart

Credit: Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania

Looking for an easy escape from Hobart that packs in waterfalls, wildlife, and towering trees? Mount Field National Park is your answer. Just an hour's drive from the city, this stunning national park delivers the full Tasmanian wilderness experience without requiring any serious expedition planning. 

Whether you've got a few hours or a full day, Mount Field National Park is one of those rare places that feels worlds away while still being ridiculously accessible.

 

Why Pick Mount Field for a Day Out from Hobart?

 

Mount Field National Park sits roughly 64 kilometers northwest of Hobart, making it one of the most convenient wilderness areas you can reach from Tasmania's capital. The drive takes approximately an hour along the Lyell Highway, winding through the Derwent Valley.

As Tasmania's oldest national park (established way back in 1916), Mount Field covers over 16,000 hectares of diverse landscape. You've got everything from lowland temperate rainforest thick with tree ferns and myrtle beech, right through to alpine moorland at higher elevations. 

By the time you reach the National Park visitor centre, you’re in a completely different world: think cool forest air, birdsong, and the scent of eucalyptus.  It is absolutely worth visiting if you’re looking for a day trip from Hobart.

Here’s just a few things that you can do while exploring Mount Field National Park for a day.

 

Russell Falls: The Star Attraction

 

Credit: Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania 

 

Russell Falls is why most people make the trip to Mount Field National Park, and it definitely lives up to the hype. This three-tiered cascade is one of Tasmania's most photographed waterfalls, and when you're standing on the viewing platform with mist on your face, you'll understand why.

The Russell Falls location couldn't be more convenient. The walk from the car park takes just 15 minutes along a well-maintained gravel path that's suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. The track winds through thick rainforest, with massive tree ferns creating a canopy overhead.

The falls themselves drop about 40 metres in total, with water tumbling over moss-covered dolerite columns into a pool below. The flow varies with rainfall, so if you visit after a good downpour, you're in for something special. 

There are multiple viewing platforms at different levels, including one that gets you up close to the middle tier. 

 

Spend Some Time at Horseshoe Falls

If you want to extend the experience from Russell Falls, you can continue upward to Horseshoe Falls, another beautiful cascade that's just 20 minutes further along the track. This one's a bit more of a climb, but still totally manageable for most fitness levels. 

Horseshoe Falls is wider and has a different character than Russell Falls: it’s equally impressive but usually quieter since not everyone makes the extra effort to reach it.

 

Easy Nature Walks Worth Your Time

 

Mount Field National Park excels at providing walks that deliver maximum impact for minimal effort. If you're visiting with families, all three walks below are excellent choices: they're short, well-maintained, and interesting enough to keep kids engaged without being too challenging. 

Here are the top picks for day-trippers.

 

Tall Trees Walk

Credit: @tasmania by @dearnabond_photography

 

If you want to feel properly small, the Tall Trees Walk will do it. This 20-minute return stroll takes you among some of the tallest trees in the Southern Hemisphere. Here, you’ll find swamp gums that soar over 80 metres into the sky. 

The track is flat and easy, making it easy for little legs that might get tired on longer walks. As you wind through stunning rainforest paths, you’ll walk beneath tree ferns, past ancient myrtle beeches, and around these absolute giants of trees that have been growing for centuries. 

Kids will love walking beneath giant tree ferns that look like dinosaur plants and spotting the massive tree trunks that would take a whole classroom of kids holding hands to wrap around.

 

Lady Barron Falls Circuit

For those wanting a slightly longer walk, the Lady Barron Falls circuit combines multiple highlights into one 3-kilometre loop that takes about 90 minutes to two hours. This track takes you past Russell Falls, up to Horseshoe Falls, and then continues to Lady Barron Falls.

The track does involve some stairs and uphill sections, but nothing too strenuous. You'll be rewarded with changing forest scenery and three completely different waterfall experiences.

 

Horseshoe Falls Walk

We touched on this one earlier, but it deserves its own mention. The Horseshoe Falls walk can be done as an add-on to Russell Falls or as its own 40-minute return journey. The track climbs gently through rainforest, with tree ferns pressing in from both sides. 

When you reach Horseshoe Falls, you'll find viewing platforms that let you appreciate the wide, curved cascade that gives the falls its name. It's particularly photogenic in soft morning light.

All these walks are well-signposted and maintained, with clear distance markers and estimated times. The tracks can get muddy after rain, so decent footwear is recommended even though the walks aren't technically challenging.

 

Wildlife Spotting Opportunities

 

Mount Field National Park is excellent for wildlife encounters, especially if you time your visit right. Dawn and dusk are prime times, but honestly, you've got decent chances throughout the day.  Here’s what you might see along the way:

 

Pademelons and Wombats

Credit: Photo by RE Walsh

 

Keep your eyes peeled around dusk and dawn for Tasmanian pademelons, small wallaby-like marsupials often grazing near the tracks. They are adorable and surprisingly bold, often grazing near the picnic areas and along walking tracks. They're most active in the early morning and late afternoon.

Wombats are another regular sight, particularly in the grassland areas near the park entrance. These stocky marsupials might look slow and cuddly, but they're surprisingly quick when they want to be. You'll often spot them grazing in the evening, their distinctive waddle unmistakable.

 

Birdlife

Birdlife is abundant throughout the park. Listen for the harsh call of the yellow wattlebird and the laughing kookaburra. Green rosellas add splashes of color to the forest, while black currawongs (Tasmania's largest perching bird) cruise overhead looking for opportunities.

 

Platypus 

For the really lucky visitors, platypus sightings are possible in the Tyenna River, though these shy monotremes are notoriously difficult to spot. Your best chance is at dawn or dusk, watching quietly near calm water sections. 

Look for bubbles and ripples: platypus are much smaller than you'd expect when you finally see one.

 

Picnic or Café: What’s the Better Call?

 

Mount Field National Park has excellent picnic facilities near the visitor center. The Cascades picnic area offers covered tables, barbecue facilities, and that unbeatable rainforest atmosphere. Pack a proper picnic lunch and make an afternoon of it.

A Bite in Ellendale

Prefer someone else to do the cooking? The tiny settlement of Ellendale is your closest option, located just 10 minutes before the park entrance. The Ellendale Store and Café does decent coffee and simple food, which is perfect for grabbing a pie or sandwich before hitting the trails.

 

Heading Back to Hobart? Try Norfolk or North Hobart

For a late lunch or early dinner on your return from Mount Field, stop in New Norfolk, a charming riverside town with historic buildings, cafes, and antique stores. Alternatively, once you’re back in the city, North Hobart offers a vibrant dining strip filled with diverse restaurants and cosy pubs.

Both spots are perfect for unwinding after a day of exploring, with plenty of options to suit any taste.

 

Travel Tips for Your Visit to Mount Field National Park​​

 

Here’s what to know before you go.

 

Weather Check

Tasmanian weather can be unpredictable, particularly in winter. Always check the forecast and any official weather warnings before heading out, as conditions can change quickly in alpine areas. 

Mount Field sits at a slightly higher elevation than Hobart, so it’s often a few degrees cooler. During winter, snow can settle on the roads and walking tracks. 

Rain is common (this is rainforest, after all), but the walks are still beautiful in the drizzle. Just maybe skip it if there’s a major storm or snow warning in place.

 

Dress in Layers

Even in summer, the forest stays cool under that dense canopy. Bring a waterproof jacket regardless of the forecast. In winter, proper layers are essential: you’ll need thermals, fleece, and a good windproof outer layer.

 

Parking and Facilities

The main car park near the visitor center is large and free, but it can fill up on weekends and during peak tourist season. Arrive before 10am if you want your pick of spots. Facilities are excellent: clean toilets, picnic shelters, and information boards. 

The visitor center has helpful staff who can provide current track conditions and wildlife spotting tips.

 

Accessibility

Russell Falls wins awards for accessibility. The track is wheelchair and stroller-friendly right to the main viewing platform. The surface is compacted gravel, wide enough for two-way traffic, and has a gentle gradient. The Tall Trees Walk is also relatively accessible, though it has a few rougher sections. 

Other tracks involve stairs and uneven surfaces, so check at the visitor center if you have specific accessibility needs.

 

Parks Pass

You'll need a Parks Pass to enter Mount Field National Park (which means yes, there is a fee to see Russell Falls). You can buy passes at the park entrance or online in advance. A vehicle pass covers everyone in your car for the day, and costs around $24 for a single vehicle. 

it's valid at all Tasmanian national parks, so if you're planning multiple day trips during your Hobart stay, it's worth getting the longer-term pass options.

 

Phone Coverage

Coverage is patchy to non-existent once you're in the park, so download any maps or information before you leave Hobart. Let someone know your plans if you're heading out on longer walks, though the main tourist area tracks are so well-trafficked that you're never truly alone.

 

Where to Stay: Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart

 

 

For a stress-free base, Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart is hard to beat. Set right on the waterfront and only an hour’s drive (around 65 km) from Mount Field National Park, it’s the perfect launchpad for a day of wilderness exploring. 

After wandering through waterfalls and rainforest, return to the comfort of a heated indoor pool, spacious harbour-view rooms, and a prime location just steps from Salamanca Place.  Hotel Grand Chancellor makes every Hobart day trip effortless. 

Book your stay and enjoy the best of both city and nature.