Chasing Waterfalls
I’ve always loved waterfalls. Who doesn’t? Whether it’s a roar or a trickle, there is just something about the sound of flowing water which draws me in and soothes me. And of course, each waterfall is captivating in its own way – the size, shape, flow and surrounding elements can vastly differ from one waterfall to the next. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of photographing waterfalls, and wouldn’t mind building up a nice little portfolio of these beautiful formations. It was with this in mind that I found myself at the base of Champagne Falls during a recent trip to Tasmania.
Champagne Falls, Moina, Tasmania (Fujifilm X-T4: f/11, 1 sec, ISO 400, 10mm, Kase circular polariser and ND64 (6 stop) filter).
The walk to Champagne Falls starts from Lemonthyme Wilderness Retreat in Moina, near Cradle Mountain, Tasmania. The trail has to be one of my favourite so far. It’s a moderate grade 3 walk, and if you include Bridal Veil Falls as a loop (highly recommended) it should be about a 2 hour return trip. What I loved most about the trail was the varied terrain along the way – the trail traverses narrow overgrown tracks, steep uphills are eventually met by even steeper descents, and lush green ferns, moss and exposed roots of ancient Myrtles line much of the trail.
The steep and narrow descent down to Champagne Falls (which felt closer to a grade 4 hike) opens up to provide an unobstructed view of the picturesque waterfall, which cascades down over staggered cliff edges and very much resembles a flute overflowing with champagne. The water spills into a small pool at its base, which is framed by large boulders and rocks covered with rich green and yellow-orange moss. I knew I had to make my way further down to the base of Champagne Falls to get my shot. This meant navigating a series of wet and slippery rocks to find my composition. While I slowly and cautiously scouted around, Cris thought he’d also help, hopping from rock to rock. I had looked up at the waterfall for a second, and the next thing I saw were Cris’ legs flailing about from behind a boulder. Poor guy had had a nasty tumble, and although it took him a moment to pick himself up, he assured me he was ok (except for maybe a heavily bruised elbow, hip and…ego).
With Cris potentially injured, I rushed to take my shots as quickly as possible. By this time, I was also working against the elements as the drizzling rain had gotten heavier. Seated down low and with my camera pointed up, the rain and light were hitting my lens front on, creating some bizarre hexagonal-shaped lens artefacts in my shots. Despite constantly wiping my lens, of the 20 or so shots that I had taken, less than a handful could be salvaged in post. I’m glad that I was able save the photo above, as I don’t know when or if I’d ever get a chance to visit this stunning place again.
Some of the foliage on the trail, displaying their vibrant colours.
A section of the trail loop as we made our way from Champagne Falls to Bridal Veil Falls.
The hike wasn’t complete without paying a visit to Bridal Veil Falls as part of the loop back. Perhaps it had been quite dry here, as the flow was quite light - as can be seen from the thin “veils”. This shot was taken on a Fujifilm X-T4 at f/8, 1 sec, ISO 160, 10mm, and with a Kase circular polariser.A section of the trail loop as we made our way from Champagne Falls to Bridal Veil Falls.
