From easy 5-minute strolls to proper steep descents, these are the waterfalls worth chasing across the state, and every single one is within a few hours of Melbourne.
Ever wondered how many stunning waterfalls are within reach of Melbourne? I’ve rounded up 10 of the best in Victoria from quick and easy strolls to steep staircase descents! This list spans across the state, from Triplet Falls in the Otways to Silverband Falls deep in the Grampians, with plenty of easy options in the Yarra Ranges and High Country if you’re after a quick nature fix. Whether you’re after a short 300m wander to a towering cascade or a proper rainforest loop, there’s something on this list for every fitness level!
1. Triplet Falls
- Distance: 2km return (4.6km including Little Aire Falls)
- Time: 1 hour (2.5 hours including Little Aire Falls)
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Region: Otways
- Drive time from Melbourne: 2.5 hours
Tucked deep in the Otways rainforest is one of Victoria’s most rewarding short walks. The Triplet Falls Circuit winds through towering mountain ash and giant ferns to a stunning multi-tier cascade hidden in the rainforest. Along the way you will pass the remnants of an old 1900s mill site as well as all kinds of colourful mushrooms coming in all shapes and sizes. If you’ve got extra time, the detour to Little Aire Falls is well worth it for another stunning cascade from its own cantilevered lookout and despite a few sets of stairs at the start and end, the whole loop is family friendly.
2. Hopetoun Falls
- Distance: 1km return
- Time: 30 minutes
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Region: Otways
- Drive time from Melbourne: 2.5 hours
This is probably the one waterfall on this list that I have visited countless times but I honestly never get tired of seeing it. Hopetoun Falls is a gorgeous 30 metre high waterfall that plunges ferociously into the Aire River and is surrounded by lush tree ferns and giant logs. From the carpark, spend a few minutes admiring the falls from the top lookout before taking on the steep climb down the 200 stairs to the base where you can sit down and take it all in. When I’m here I actually love turning around to look the other direction too, to watch the water rush off down the valley.
1. Beauchamp Falls
- Distance: 3km return
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Region: Otways
- Drive time from Melbourne: 2.5 hours
Located just five minutes from Hopetoun Falls, Beauchamp Falls feels wild, untouched and mysterious, like you’ve been teleported into a magical forest. A steep descent leads down through the rainforest to a steel viewing deck where you can admire the falls from above, or climb right down beside the falls where you’ll be fully immersed in the forest. If you’re keen for a dip there’s a swimming hole too, just don’t expect it to be warm, I learned that the hard way with a couple of mates once. This is also one of the best spots in the Otways to encounter the rare Otway black snail, found nowhere else on Earth!
4. Toorongo Falls
- Distance: 2.2km return
- Time: 1 hour
- Difficulty: Easy
- Region: Gippsland
- Drive time from Melbourne: 2 hours
Located near the scenic town of Noojee, the Toorongo Falls and Amphitheatre Falls Loop is one of the best dog friendly walks in Victoria, leading to two separate cascades. The track winds through towering mountain ash and fern gullies to Toorongo Falls, where water tumbles down a rocky face, before continuing on to the smaller, more secluded Amphitheatre Falls, named for the natural bowl it sits in. But my favourite part is the long stretch back to the carpark, where the track runs alongside the Toorongo River, the water rushing beside you the whole way.
5. Steavenson Falls
- Distance: 2.4km return
- Time: 1.5 hours
- Difficulty: Easy-moderate
- Region: Marysville
- Drive time from Melbourne: 2 hours
One of the tallest waterfalls in the state, Steavenson Falls plummets 84 metres into the valley below and is the only walk on this list that’s lit up at night! For those travelling with a pram or in a wheelchair, you can follow the easy, flat 5-minute walk from the car park to see these beautiful falls up close. Or if you’re looking for a proper adventure, follow the steep stone steps that snake alongside the waterfall and lead you to the top lookout, putting you right over the crashing water below.
6. Snobs Creek Falls
- Distance: 300m return
- Time: 20 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Region: High Country
- Drive time from Melbourne: 2.5 hours
Snobs Creek Falls might just be the easiest waterfall payoff on this entire list, and not many people know about it. Located just outside of Eildon in the Victorian High Country, this 20 metre high waterfall is hidden in the forest and surrounded by lush greenery. A few stone steps from the carpark bring you to a lookout that extends right out over the ledge, putting you almost directly above the water as it plummets over the edge! It’s such a quiet spot that you’ll likely have the whole place to yourself, and during winter the water can be so powerful that it can shower you from the lookout!
7. Masons Falls
- Distance: 2km return
- Time: 30 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Region: Kinglake
- Drive time from Melbourne: 1.5 hours
Tucked away in Kinglake National Park, Masons Falls is genuinely one of your best shots at spotting a lyrebird in the wild! From the carpark, follow the signs to the Lyrebird Circuit, a short 500 metre track leading you past gentle cascades, gorgeous rainforest vegetation, and if you’re lucky, maybe a couple of lyrebirds wandering among the ferns. I took my Hike Club here in June 2026 and we actually spotted a few, which was such a cool moment for the group. After only 20 minutes you’ll make it to a steel lookout looking over the falls, which look especially impressive after rain.
8. Wilhelmina Falls
- Distance: 9km return
- Time: 2.5-3 hours
- Difficulty: Hard
- Region: Murrindindi
- Drive time from Melbourne: 1.5-2 hours
Here is the one for anyone chasing a proper challenge! The Wilhelmina Falls track takes you along a beautiful suspension bridge, quiet forest trails as well as a series of rocky scrambles that come with steel chains to help you climb up. After climbing up some stairs you will come face to face with this massive waterfall which falls 75 metres down a sheer granite face, and if you continue climbing some stairs you will reach a scenic lookout taking in the surrounding ranges. Along the way you should spot plenty of wallabies hopping around the forest, some black cockatoos screeching in the trees, and maybe even a lyrebird hiding in the undergrowth.
9. Trentham Falls
- Distance: 300m return
- Time: 15 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Region: Daylesford
- Drive time from Melbourne: 1.5 hours
Trentham Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls to access in this list but the payoff is seriously impressive. Located just a short 300 metre stroll from the carpark, this massive 32 metre high waterfall cascades over striking basalt columns on the Coliban River. It’s perfect if you’re travelling with kids who can’t walk too far and honestly just as good if you’re short on time! Me and my brother managed to squeeze this one in on the drive back from Daylesford to Melbourne and it was exactly what I needed. I recommend coming here in winter if you can, to see the waterfall at its most powerful.
10. Silverband Falls
- Distance: 1.6km return
- Time: 30 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Region: Grampians
- Drive time from Melbourne: 3 hours
If you are planning a trip to the Grampians, the walk to Silverband Falls is a must visit! After parking at the small carpark just outside of Halls Gap, you will follow an easy flat trail alongside the creek, crossing a small bridge before opening up at the base of the falls. The path is flat and well formed for most of the walk, making it an easy option for families or those with mobility issues. Along the way, keep an eye out for wallabies resting in the shade, along with native wildflowers and ferns lining the track. I have never seen so many wallabies on a single walk, spotting three of them hiding in the shrubs right next to the trail!
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