Nigretta Falls, Victoria: Swimming, location & height

Nigretta Falls on the Wannon River, near Hamilton, Victoria, offers a scenic observation deck. But you can also go swimming and fishing in the pools below.

Nigretta Falls is one of the most attractive waterfalls in western Victoria, Australia. This Victorian waterfall is a short detour off the Glenelg Highway between Hamilton and Coleraine.

Nigretta Falls is by no means the biggest waterfall in Australia – that honour goes to Wallaman Falls in Queensland’s Girringun National Park. But it’s a delightfully pretty spot, and one where you can do more than simply gaze at the cascade.

Getting to Nigretta Falls, Victoria

Nigretta Falls is on the Wannon River, and was formerly known as the Upper Wannon Falls. The river tumbles about 20 metres over a red-hued rock wall. It’s more impressive after rain, and can reduce to a trickle after a sustained dry spell.

Getting to Nigretta Falls is easy. It’s a 15 minute drive from Hamilton along the Wannon-Nigretta Falls Road, which is accessible for conventional vehicles. You can more-or-less drive up to the observation deck, which looks out on the waterfall and the pools below.

Can you swim at Nigretta Falls?

Once at Nigretta Falls, there are toilets, seating and electric barbecues. Most importantly, however, there are stairs down to the pools at the bottom. Come on a warm day, and you can go swimming at Nigretta Falls.

Being able to swim at Nigretta Falls is the stand-out difference from nearby, taller Wannon Falls.

If you want to see Nigretta Falls in full flow, however, you’re better of coming in the winter months. Getting in the water for a swim then would be brave, to put it mildly.

It’s also possible to go fishing in the pools.

More Victorian waterfalls

Other waterfalls in Victoria worth visiting include Sheoak Falls and Erskine Falls near Lorne, Mackenzie Falls in the Grampians and Hopetoun Falls off the Great Ocean Road. In Gippsland, there’s Narracan Falls near Moe, Agnes Falls near Welshpool and Toorongo Falls near Noojee.

Also worth a peek are Steavensons Falls in Marysville, Buckley Falls near Geelong and Trentham Falls near Daylesford.