About Strath Creek Falls (Murchison Falls)
Strath Creek Falls (I’ve also seen it referred to as Murchison Falls; not to be confused with the one in Uganda) was barely hanging on to its last flows when we made a second visit here in November 2017. On our first visit, the 50m falls was practically invisible due to the Great Australian Drought that affected our November 2006 trip, and it was a drought that had persisted for the better part of that decade! For some strange reason, it seemed fitting that the falls resided in the Mt Disappointment State Forest for either of our visits here could certainly be characterized as such.
The Mt Disappointment State Forest sat in a fairly remote and rugged part of the Murrindindi Shire north of Melbourne that for one reason or another didn’t seem to get the benefit of much rain in either of our visits to the country in November 2006 and November 2017. Like with many waterfalls in the fickle hinterlands of Central Victoria, seeing this falls flow would require a good deal of timing (i.e. not waiting for long after the last significant rain storm).
Once we reached the signed trailhead off Falls Road (see directions below), it was a mere 70m to descend to the Strath Creek Falls lookout, which was where the photo you see at the top of this page was taken from. That photo was taken in the late afternoon so the shadows were long on this north-facing waterfall. In order to avoid shadows, I’d imagine that the height of the morning or midday would be best since the sun was be directly above us. In any case, the track continued to descent for the next 430m eventually reaching Strath Creek just above the top of the falls. Aside from semi-obstructed views downstream, there really wasn’t much reason to go this far past the lookout. And from seeing some of the shrines set up here to remember those who happened to lose their lives here, I’d imagine it wouldn’t be worth exploring beyond the sanctioned track either.
Given our disappointing experiences at Strath Creek Falls, it was hard to believe that this was the inspiration and subject of some historical art masterpieces by Eugene von Guerard in 1862 and William Delafield Cook in 1979. According to a sign here, both their works could be found in the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Such influential works could very well have established the Goulburn Valley as important places for agriculture, occupation, and tourism during the days of European settlement.
Related Trip Reports
Related Top 10 Lists
No Posts Found
Related Itineraries
Trip Planning Resources
Nearby Accommodations
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Featured Images and Nearby Attractions
This content is for subscribers only. See Membership Options.Visitor Comments:
Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...No users have replied to the content on this page
Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...
Strath Falls recovery following 2009 fires November 29, 2010 5:41 am - Strath Falls was severely burnt during the 2009 fires in Victoria. Almost 2 years on, and after a year of almost record rain, the falls are recovering well. ...Read MoreNearest Waterfalls
