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[Mystic]

Hogarth Falls walk is a very easy walk along mostly level ground, with a slight rise in the path as you near the falls. Access to the walk is from a track at the rear of People's Park in Strahan. Just follow the harbour around and it is about 1 km past the main strip. The park is on your left with a large sign over the gates.

The path will take you through some lovely rainforest, lush with lots of west coast rain. Being on the west coast any trip during May - October is likely to be during heavy rainfall periods. This being a smallish and wide fall it is likely to have a lot of water going over it, which makes the falls quite spectacular but very difficult to get good photographs of.

The track is generally wide and in good condition, though could be a little wet under foot at times.

There is a wide variety of native vegetation including myrtle-beech, leatherwood, dogwood, and as with most west coast locations, loads of massive man ferns all over.

The overhead canopy can be quite thick at times and this often produces interesting spotlights shining down on the undergrowth.

It should only take you about 30 minutes to reach the falls, though this will depend on how observant you are as you stop to look at many interesting mosses and fungus.

The falls themself can be a gentle trickle, appearing quite delicate and pretty, or a thundering powerhouse, depending on how much rain has fallen recently in the area. There is a viewing platform which positions you directly in front of the falls, but during heavy flow the spray can make taking photo's from here impossible. On the day we last went there the water was flowing very heavily over the falls and any attempt to shoot them head on resulted in a lens covered in spray within 2 seconds.

They are definitely worth seeing, at any time of year, and the walk through the rainforest, generally following the course of the creek is delightful. Many interpretive signs have been erected to inform you about the vegetation, so the trek can be quite educational.

The creek itself can provide some very nice scenes, though it is advisable to take a tripod with you. Light along the track is generally very low, and as we had left our tripod in the car, most of the shots we got of the creek (requiring pretty long exposures) were blurred due to movement.

The walk is suitable for all ages and fitness levels, though wheelchair access is not available as the track can be a little rough and narrow in places. If you are visiting Strahan, take the time out to make this walk, and maybe enjoy a picnic in the historic People's Park.