After tackling some of the Tasman Peninsula's more demanding walks, the Waterfall Bay track comes as a very welcome surprise. This walk delivers almost equally spectacular views, all within a casual stroll along the cliffs.

Expect:

• Dramatic cliff formations right at the car park, including Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen

• A well-maintained gravel track through coastal vegetation and eucalypt forest

• Frequent clifftop viewing platforms with ever-changing perspectives on the coastline below

• Patersons Arch, a natural bridge roughly a kilometre into the walk

• A final lookout at Waterfall Bay, with views across the bay and out to the Tasman Sea

• Wildlife including echidnas, dolphins, seals, and potentially whales

This walk is ideal if:

Want spectacular coastal scenery without a particularly demanding walk

Are interested in dramatic geological formations

Love wildlife spotting, particularly whales and dolphins from clifftops

Want a walk that works well as part of a bigger day on the peninsula

What to Expect at the Tahune Airwalk

The Tahune Airwalk is unlike most of Tasmania's 60 Great Short Walks. It sits within a commercial operation, which means there is an entry fee, but that fee gives you access to all the walks on site, making it easy to turn this into a full and very enjoyable day out.

Expect:

• An elevated walkway 30 metres above the forest floor

• A cantilever viewing platform 50-60 metres above the Picton River

• Some movement underfoot, particularly on the cantilever section

• Views over the confluence of the Huon and Picton Rivers

• Glimpses of the World Heritage wilderness beyond

Best Time to Walk to Waterfall Bay

Waterfall Bay can be walked year-round, and the track is accessible in most weather conditions.

Spring and autumn are particularly good, with comfortable temperatures and reliable conditions along the cliff edge. The coastal light in these seasons is beautiful for photography.

Summer is the busiest time on the Tasman Peninsula, but the walk is long enough and the viewing platforms spread out enough that it rarely feels crowded. Early morning visits offer the best chance of having the clifftops to yourself.

Winter is an excellent time to visit if you are hoping to see whales. Southern right whales and humpbacks pass through this stretch of coastline during the cooler months, and the clifftop lookouts offer superb vantage points. On rough winter days, the wave action at Patersons Arch is particularly dramatic and mesmerising.

Visit after heavy rain if you want the best chance of seeing the waterfall in full flow.

Track Conditions and Things to Be Aware Of

The track is well-maintained gravel for most of its length and easy to follow throughout. It winds close to the cliff edge in several places, so keep children close, particularly on windy days.

There are no water sources along the track, so carry enough for the return journey.

Starting at Tasman Arch

The walk begins at the Tasman Arch car park, where you are immediately greeted by one of the most dramatic geological formations on the Tasman Peninsula.

The information boards at the Tasman Arch and Devils Kitchen viewing points are worth reading. They explain how wave action has carved these formations through layers of sedimentary rock over thousands of years, and they go a long way in helping you appreciate just how remarkable this coastline is.

If you are short on time and cannot complete the full walk, these formations alone are worth stopping for.

Along the Cliff Edge

From the car park, the gravel track winds through low-growing coastal vegetation and eucalypt forest, hugging the cliff edge as it goes.

About a kilometre in, you'll reach the lookout for Patersons Arch, a natural bridge that is smaller than Tasman Arch but equally dramatic. On rough weather days, watching the water surge in and be sucked back out again is completely mesmerising.

From here, the track continues along the clifftop, with a fresh viewing platform appearing every few hundred metres. Each one offers a slightly different perspective on the sea cliffs below, and the scenery keeps shifting as you move further along the coast.

Bring a camera. The views are endless, and wildlife sightings are common. Echidnas are often spotted shuffling along the track, and from the clifftop lookouts you have a good chance of seeing dolphins playing in the waves, seals basking on rocks below, and if you are lucky and patient, whales passing offshore.

Waterfall Bay

The walk culminates at the Waterfall Bay lookout, with views across the bay and out to the wild Tasman Sea.

After heavy rain, a waterfall plunges 200 metres straight down the cliff face into the ocean below. Visit during a dry spell and you might only find a damp streak on the rock, but even then, the setting is spectacular and well worth the walk out.

The return journey follows the same route back, giving you a second chance to appreciate those coastal views from a slightly different angle as the light shifts.

---

Extending the Walk

For those with extra time and energy, the Tasman Coastal Track continues beyond Waterfall Bay toward Waterfall Bluff Lookout.

This extension adds roughly 4-5 kilometres and 1.5-2 hours to your day, climbing up from Waterfall Bay and delivering two excellent lookout points with views back across the bay, out toward Eaglehawk Neck, and across to Cape Hauy. If you have the legs for it, this extension is absolutely worth adding on.