Steavenson Falls
Encyclopedia
Steavenson Falls are one of the tallest in Victoria
, with 5 cascades, a total descent of 122 metres, the last having a clear drop of more than 21 metres.
The Steavenson Falls are definitely Marysville
's main claim to tourism fame and have been since European arrival in Marysville.
Residents cut a track to the falls in 1866. Since then the natural environs of the Falls and their approach have not altered dramatically.
The falls and the river were named after John Steavenson who first visited the site of what is now Marysville in 1862. He was carrying out a survey of the area to try to find a new alignment for the road to the gold fields at Woods Point.
The 190ha. Steavenson Falls Scenic Reserve was proclaimed in 1959 to protect the falls and their surroundings.
Steavenson Falls is 350 meters from the car park and is flood lit from dusk until 11.00pm.
The Reserve is jointly administered by the Department of Primary Industry and a Voluntary Committee of Management, who continue to develop and maintain the reserve.
Walks commencing at the falls reserve are - Keppel Walking track - De la Rue lookout, a 1 km walk - Oxlee lookout a 1.5 km walk and Keppel lookout a 4.00 km walk. To the top of the falls return, which is steep takes 40 minutes.
A turbine driven by water drawn from the weir at the base of the falls generates power for the floodlights and the lights along the paths. Funding for these works was obtained by the local Tourist Association from the old Tourism Victoria. The floodlighting was formally turned on by the then Minister for Tourism - The Honourable Murray Byrne MLC. on 3 November 1972.
The water we drink in Marysville is drawn from below the falls and is gravity fed to a large Reservoir, (Aub Cuzens Reservoir) which can be seen alongside the road to Keppels Lookout.
Eucalyptus
- Dense forest covers the entire Steavenson Falls Reserve in the steep-sided valley of the Steavenson Reserve.
Pure stands of Mountain Ash
which regenerated after the disastrous 1939 bushfires grow in sheltered places.
Elsewhere the forest contains a mixture of eucalyptus species, notably Mountain Grey Gum, Messmate
and Narrow-leafed Peppermint. Other trees growing in association with the eucalyptus include Myrtle Beech
which has small, shiny, dark green leaves and is restricted to areas of high rainfall such as the central highland, Blackwood, one of the wattles, a tall tree with masses of pale yellow flowers, and Silver Wattle
.
The sheltered river margins are the ideal environment for Soft and Rough Tree-ferns, their height bearing testimony to their considerable age.
Lyrebirds are often seen in the morning and after rain searching for insects and worms. It's easy to see where they have been by the prominent scratch marks in the leaves and twigs on the ground.
The Lyrebird is an outstanding mimic and can imitate the calls of many other birds, they can also imitate an axe. or chainsaw. Named for the lyre shape of the males outer tail feathers, they are quite common throughout the Mountain forests of the Central Highlands.
Steavenson Falls is now a major tourist attraction with some 180,000 visitors a year.
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, with 5 cascades, a total descent of 122 metres, the last having a clear drop of more than 21 metres.
The Steavenson Falls are definitely Marysville
Marysville, Victoria
Marysville is a small town, 34 kilometres north-east of Healesville, in the Shire of Murrindindi in Victoria, Australia. The town, which previously had a population of around 500 people, was devastated by the Murrindindi Mill bushfire on 7 February 2009. On 19 February 2009 the official death toll...
's main claim to tourism fame and have been since European arrival in Marysville.
Residents cut a track to the falls in 1866. Since then the natural environs of the Falls and their approach have not altered dramatically.
The falls and the river were named after John Steavenson who first visited the site of what is now Marysville in 1862. He was carrying out a survey of the area to try to find a new alignment for the road to the gold fields at Woods Point.
The 190ha. Steavenson Falls Scenic Reserve was proclaimed in 1959 to protect the falls and their surroundings.
Steavenson Falls is 350 meters from the car park and is flood lit from dusk until 11.00pm.
The Reserve is jointly administered by the Department of Primary Industry and a Voluntary Committee of Management, who continue to develop and maintain the reserve.
Walks commencing at the falls reserve are - Keppel Walking track - De la Rue lookout, a 1 km walk - Oxlee lookout a 1.5 km walk and Keppel lookout a 4.00 km walk. To the top of the falls return, which is steep takes 40 minutes.
A turbine driven by water drawn from the weir at the base of the falls generates power for the floodlights and the lights along the paths. Funding for these works was obtained by the local Tourist Association from the old Tourism Victoria. The floodlighting was formally turned on by the then Minister for Tourism - The Honourable Murray Byrne MLC. on 3 November 1972.
The water we drink in Marysville is drawn from below the falls and is gravity fed to a large Reservoir, (Aub Cuzens Reservoir) which can be seen alongside the road to Keppels Lookout.
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
- Dense forest covers the entire Steavenson Falls Reserve in the steep-sided valley of the Steavenson Reserve.
Pure stands of Mountain Ash
Eucalyptus regnans
Eucalyptus regnans, known variously by the common names Mountain Ash, Victorian Ash, Swamp Gum, Tasmanian Oak or Stringy Gum, is a species of Eucalyptus native to southeastern Australia, in Tasmania and Victoria...
which regenerated after the disastrous 1939 bushfires grow in sheltered places.
Elsewhere the forest contains a mixture of eucalyptus species, notably Mountain Grey Gum, Messmate
Messmate
Messmate is a common name for a group of species of tree in the plant genus Eucalyptus, all of which have rough bark. The name is of uncertain origin.Species commonly known as "messmate" include:* E. acmenoides...
and Narrow-leafed Peppermint. Other trees growing in association with the eucalyptus include Myrtle Beech
Myrtle Beech
Nothofagus cunninghamii, the Myrtle Beech, is an evergreen tree native to Victoria and Tasmania, Australia. It grows mainly in the temperate rainforests. It is not related to the Myrtle family....
which has small, shiny, dark green leaves and is restricted to areas of high rainfall such as the central highland, Blackwood, one of the wattles, a tall tree with masses of pale yellow flowers, and Silver Wattle
Silver wattle
Silver wattle is the common name of two plant species:* Acacia sclerosperma* Acacia dealbata...
.
The sheltered river margins are the ideal environment for Soft and Rough Tree-ferns, their height bearing testimony to their considerable age.
Lyrebirds are often seen in the morning and after rain searching for insects and worms. It's easy to see where they have been by the prominent scratch marks in the leaves and twigs on the ground.
The Lyrebird is an outstanding mimic and can imitate the calls of many other birds, they can also imitate an axe. or chainsaw. Named for the lyre shape of the males outer tail feathers, they are quite common throughout the Mountain forests of the Central Highlands.
Steavenson Falls is now a major tourist attraction with some 180,000 visitors a year.