Knyvet Falls is one of two waterfalls situated on the aptly named Knyvet Falls Track. The other waterfall is the first one you might arrive at in Pencil Pines Falls. Also, another nice and easy waterfall to get to and a great spot to capture a photo.

Knyvet Falls is a prime example of the wild beauty that can be found in Tasmania and, in particular, at Cradle Mountain. However, the funny thing about this Tasmanian photography location is that, in my opinion, the waterfall isn’t even the best bit.

For me, the best part of this experience is walking along Knyvet Falls Track as you move through a stunning Tasmanian rainforest! 🤩

The first time I visited Knyvet Falls, I didn’t take a single photo of the waterfall itself. I think the furthest I got was the viewing platform at the top of the falls. At the time, I didn’t explore how one might get down to the waterfall’s bottom area, where you can capture better photos. And the top of the waterfall, where the viewing platform is, didn’t inspire me.

However, the main distraction was the gorgeous rainforest, and I spent most of my time enjoying and photographing that.

So when I returned to Knyvet Falls recently, I was on a mission to capture some good photos of this waterfall!

How to photograph Knyvet Falls

Knyvet Falls is a decent-sized waterfall that I could easily stand underneath. In terms of rating this waterfall’s beauty, it is a good-looking waterfall. However, you do have to work a little to capture a nice photo of it.

You can pretty much photograph any side of Knyvet Falls if you are prepared to crawl, climb, jump and duck your way to each of its sides. That is not to say it’s difficult to make your way around the waterfall, but you need to be mindful of your footing and try not to damage any flora.

On the day that I took these photos of Knyvet Falls, there hadn’t been a lot of rain in the area. I raise this point not only because I have seen many other images of this waterfall with a lot more water running over the waterfall. But the other reason is that the bottom area might become more submerged with additional water in the creek. This would make moving around the waterfall a bit tricky unless you are happy to get wet. Especially at the front of the waterfall and moving from there to the left-hand side.

From the top of the waterfall (viewing platform)

I didn’t take any images from the viewing platform located at the top of Knyvet Falls. This was mainly due to not feeling overly inspired to take photos from here. It is not a great angle to photograph the waterfall, and nothing stood out as an obvious composition.

But! That is not to say you won’t see something I missed; take a photo of it, show me, and have me grab my camera and run back to Knyvet Falls to try and replicate it. 😀

From the right-hand side

This is the side of the waterfall from which you will approach as you descend a short but steep slope. The slope isn’t difficult to get down, but this is not a path (if it can even be called that) that National Park has made. So you do need to be careful of your footing as it is uneven and muddy.

To find this entry point, simply leave the observation deck and walk around the corner as if you were going to complete the Dove Canyon Track. You will see a section to the right of the main path leading down to the waterfall that is well-trodden. By slowly following this down, you will arrive at the right-hand side of the waterfall.

I found this side of Knyvet Falls to be the least photogenic. There isn’t much space to stand, which restricts you in the angles and compositions you can capture. It also felt a little bit ‘messy’, for lack of a better word, with discarded trees and branches embedded between some of the rocks.

It is worth the look, though, as on a different day, different camera lens and a different set of eyes, you might see the makings of a great photo from here. Plus, you have to come down this way to access the bottom of Knyvet Falls anyway.

From in front of Knyvet Falls

Making your way from the right-hand side of Knyvett Falls to the front is a little tricky and will see you ducking and climbing your way to this position. However, there are a couple of photo opportunities here if you are happy to squat down to find them.

Once you are in front of the waterfall, you have a bit of room on a flat pebbly area where you can position your tripod and camera to capture a good photo. At least, this is what I experience on the day. As mentioned, if you visit on a day with more water flowing down the waterfall, the room you have to work in could be smaller.

There is also a large rock, parts of trees, and other elements you can position in the foreground of your photos from in front of the waterfall.

A photo of me standing below Knyvet Falls in Cradle Mountain

Excuse me for showing up in this photo – Lol! I wanted to show some scale to the size of Knyvet Falls as it did surprise me how tall it was when viewing it from the left-hand side. So I decided to jump in and do my best, ‘oh, what is that over there’ pose? If you are wondering why I have my arm behind my back, it’s because, in that hand, I had my phone, which was acting as the trigger for this exposure. (HDR Image, Nikon D750, 16mm | Morning | February 2023)

From the left-hand side

The left-hand side was my favourite side of Knyvet Falls to photograph. Many large rocks, rock shelves, fallen and upright trees, etc., are positioned on this side. I had fun working these elements into compositions along with the waterfall.

There were also these ‘perfect circles’ on the rock shelf just to the left of the waterfall, but I couldn’t quite make them work in any composition I tried.

From this side, you can also move around and get under and behind Knyvet Falls. I was surprised at how large the waterfall was when standing underneath it. It is a bit deceiving this way, as from the front of the waterfall, I wouldn’t have thought it was as tall as it was when seeing it from behind.

If you don’t go down to the base of the waterfall

Suppose you decide to avoid making your way down to the waterfall’s base, as you might not want to spend time climbing and getting dirty. In that case, I believe that if you continue to follow the Dove Canyon Track a little bit further, you will find an area along the path that opens up and gives you a nice view of the waterfall.

I didn’t even think of this! 🤦

It wasn’t until I was home, doing some additional research for this photography location guide, that I saw a stunning photo from this spot.

But the good news is that I will just have to return and try to find it! 😄

What gear should you take to Knyvet Falls

Camera Gear

Wide Angle Lens

I don’t think you would want to take anything other than a wide-angle lens to photograph this waterfall. I mean, other than a camera to connect it to, of course. A wide-angle lens will help you in areas with little room to maneuver and assist you in capturing the entire scene.

Limit the gear that you take

If you plan to explore the bottom area of the waterfall, having minimal gear with you would be an advantage. That way, you are not being pulled off balance by carrying a heavy tripod or trying to squeeze through a tight space with a large camera bag on your back.

Gear in General

Suitable Clothes

Good shoes that can resist the intrusion of water will be helpful, especially when moving from the front of the waterfall to the left-hand side.

I would also suggest that you wear clothing that allows you to move freely and that you are not worried about getting dirty if you fall or rub up against something.

Insects

I noticed some leeches and large mosquitoes when visiting Knyvet Falls. There was quite a bit of stagnant water on the left side of the waterfall, where many mosquitoes were nesting. So I recommend putting on some bug repellent before leaving the car.

I also recommend pants that hug the tops of your boots to make it harder for any potential creepy crawlies, like leeches, to make their way up the inside of your pants.

The walking track sign for Knyvet Falls and Pencil Pines Falls at Cradle Mountain

This is the sign you will see just across the road from Cradle Mountain Lodge, which marks the beginning of the Knyvet Falls Track. As you can see, no significant time investment is needed to visit either of these two waterfalls. This makes it a must-visit when travelling to Cradle Mountain. (iPhone photo)

The best time to photograph Knyvet Falls

Time of the day

I don’t think that it matters the time of day that you visit Knyvet Waterfalls with your camera. I did visit this waterfall not long after sunrise on a weekday in February. While I was there, I did have the place to myself.

So I can recommend early morning, and this would be the time that I would try to return the next time I go to photograph Knyvet Falls. But that is not to say that later in the afternoon wouldn’t be just as good. You simply might have a few more people there with you.

Cloudy Weather

Cradle Mountain does get quite a lot of rainfall compared to other parts of Tasmania. When I took these photos, the North-West of Tasmania was relatively dry. So, it was nice to see a good amount of water flowing through Knyvet Falls and racing down Pencil Pines Creek. That said, much more water would normally be running through this waterfall.

If it is grey or drizzling with rain at Cradle Mountain, which it quite often is, I would recommend visiting Knyvet Falls potentially over other areas of the park.

I feel that waterfalls, in general, are better photographed on cloudy days. The rainforest will provide some protection, and if the weather does get a little too wet for your liking, you are not too far from the Interpretation Centre and shelter.

Travelling to Knyvet Falls

Getting to Cradle Mountain

Knyvet Falls is located near Cradle Moutain in the Lake St Clair National Park. If you are travelling to Cradle Mountain from Launceston, it is approximately a 2-hour and 15-minute drive. If you were coming from the state’s southern end and Hobart, the drive is closer to 4 hours.

However, don’t fear the hours spent in the car. The long drive will be well worth it as you take in the beauty of Knyvet Falls, the rainforest and Cradle Moutain in general! 😊

Getting to Knyvet Falls

Once you have arrived at Cradle Mountain and purchased a National Park Pass, you will be ready to set out and find Knyvet Falls from the Visitor Centre.

The Knyvet Falls Track entrance is just across the road from the stunning Cradle Moutain Lodge or just before the Cradle Moutain Interpretation Centre. It will be one of the first stops the shuttle bus makes as it ferries people from the visitor centre and over to the Dove Lake car park.

The waterfall can be found by following the Knyvet Falls Track, which is relatively easy to navigate and is approximately a 45-minute round trip. This time might be the case if you are not a landscape photographer. But as soon as you grab your camera and begin making your way to these waterfalls, you could be there for an hour or two! 😀

These factors make Knyvet Falls one of the most accessible locations in Cradle Mountain!

A wombat hiding on Knyvet Falls Track in Cradle Moutain

As you might have guessed by this stage in the article, I loved the rainforest you walked through to get to Knyvet Falls! And there are wombat burrows all over the place. Now, this little wombat you see in this photo wasn’t there. After being stopped in my tracks at the sight of this incredible tree, I ended up compositing him into the photo. This old tree was gnarly, with large knobs and wrinkles all over its trunk. Then at its base was a large wombat burrow that ran from one side to the other. This tree looked like something out of a movie! I took the photo with the idea of adding the wombat in Photoshop later. I hope you like it! (HDR Image, Nikon D750, 16mm | Morning | February 2023)

My final thoughts on Knyvet Falls

Out of 10, I rate Knyvet Falls an 8 as a landscape photography location.

I enjoyed photographing Knyvet Falls and even Pencil Pines Falls, at the beginning of this walk. But I ‘loved’ Knyvet Falls Track and the rainforest there. Even just stopping to listen to the ambience of the rainforest and be immersed in nature is incredible and worth the trip just for that.

Regarding photographing Knyvet Falls, I feel that to get the best photo opportunities, you need to head down to the bottom area of the waterfall. While Knyvet Falls Track is easy to navigate, and I feel anyone could do it, getting to the bottom of the waterfall might not be as accessible or desirable to some people.

Once there, however, if you are happy to move around and work different angles, you should walk away with some really nice waterfall photos that you would be happy to share with friends, family and followers.

I do think that Knyvet Falls is a must-visit when travelling to Cradle Mountain!

As I mentioned, you will go straight past this spot on your way in and out of the park to see other areas of Cradle Mountain, like the stunning Dove Lake Boatshed. So plan to spend an hour here as well, and you won’t regret it.

I hope that this photography location guide has been helpful!

Happy snapping.
Rob Potter