Steavenson Falls - Marysville - VIC (Post Bushfire)

Walk:  VIC - Marysville - Steavenson Falls walk (Post Bushfire)

Distance/Type: 2.4km / Return

Terrain/Rating:  Short stroll along foot path / Low.

Start / Finish Time:  11am- 11:30am

Start / Finish Location:  Steavenson Falls Carpark.

Trip Summary:
The beautiful hamlet town of Marysville in the central highlands of Victoria was one of many towns devastated by the widespread bushfires on Saturday the 7th of February 2009, known as Black Saturday.
Having driven past the town a few times to go to various other bushwalks, today I decided to check out Marysville and how the main natural attraction, Steavenson Falls, is coming along. The day prior we had some record rainfalls so this would be as good a time as ever to see the falls at their capacity and take some pictures.
The devastation of the forests in the area is obvious well before entering the town with most trees affected, either being dead or showing signs of regrowth. The undergrowth is amazingly green with tree ferns and saplings in abundance due mainly to surprisingly good rainfall over the last 2 years. The state has been very lucky that the rainfall has arrived as we had been stuck in drought conditions for over a decade which led to the tinder dry bushfire prone conditions in the first place.
Having walked the area pre-bushfire I was amazed at how the views are so much more extended due to the lack of tree and bush foilage. Previously you wouldn't have been able to see much further than 100 metres in any direction, you would not see much of the river or the waterfall from the track until you were within 50m of them, but now the views were open all over the river valley and hillside.

Trip Details:
June 2010:
The falls are reached by driving along Falls Rd which runs east from the main street in Marysville. After driving about 1km you reach a gate with signs telling people not to enter.   Currently the last 2kms are under construction with works machinery onsite.

Falls Rd to Steavenson Falls

The road has nearly been completed to the carpark area with bitumen down and street lighting to be completed.

Open views of Steavenson River.

The walking track runs off the end of the road and looks like it is still a few months away from completion. There are trenches with electricity cabling and water pipes still uncovered. The plan for the walking track looks to be to have lighting all the way to the falls. Amazingly, with all the surrounding devastation, the original spotlight that was used to light the falls at night still stands and one assumes will be reconnected.

Lower track to the bottom of falls. The original spotlight still standing.

A new viewing platform with seats has been constructed on the original falls dam wall.
The new platform appears to be a major improvement on what was here originally.

New viewing platform.

There used to be a side track that you could take up to the top of the falls where there was a viewing platform as well. The start of the stairs to this side track is still there but had tape closing it off shortly further up.  In my brief short walk along it, it is well covered with undergrowth and with the huge trunks of trees and rubble lining the hill above Hard to know if this track will be re-opened. If so it will take quite a long time before its cleared enough to walk again.

Update 1: This walk was officially re-opened 2 weeks later on the 18th Sep 2010, with the road opened to the carpark, walking tracks sealed and a new toilet block constructed.

Update 2: Dec 2012. The track to the top of the falls and Bennisons Lookout are open.

Previous Marysville walk prior to the bushfires  here.