Montezuma Falls
{{Use Australian English|date=May 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox waterfall
| name = Montezuma Falls
| photo = Montezuma Falls.jpg
| photo_width = 250px
| photo_caption = Montezuma Falls
| map = Tasmania
| relief = yes
| map_width = 250px
| coordinates = {{coord|41|49|48|S|145|28|12|E|region:AU-TAS_type:waterbody_scale:50000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coords_ref = {{Gazetteer of Australia|name=Montezuma Falls (TAS)|feature=TAS00716}}
| location = West Coast Range, Tasmania, Australia
| type = Tiered
| elevation = {{convert|449|m}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bonzle.com/c/a?a=p&p=253904&cmd=sp|title=Map of Montezuma Falls, TAS|work=Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia|access-date=31 May 2014}} {{AHD}}
| height = {{convert|103|-|110|m|ft|abbr=on}}{{cite web|url=http://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/waterfall/Montezuma-Falls-459/|title=Montezuma Falls|work=World Waterfall Database|date=21 May 2011|access-date=31 May 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/ahdb/search.pl?mode=place_detail;place_id=102429|title=Montezuma Falls Area, Roseberry, TAS, Australia|work=Australian Heritage Database: Register of the National Estate|access-date=31 May 2014}}
| height_longest =
| number_drops = 2
| width =
| average_width =
| watercourse = A tributary to the Pieman River
| average_flow =
| world_rank =
}}
The Montezuma Falls (formerly Osbourne Falls), a horsetail waterfall on a minor tributary to the Pieman River, is located on the West Coast Range of Tasmania, Australia.
Naming
The falls draws its name from Montezuma (1466–1520), an Aztec emperor of Mexico. A mining company called the Montezuma Silver Mining Company, formed in 1891, held leases in the area surrounding the falls.{{cite web|url=http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/indeX.aspX?base=1374|title=Montezuma Falls|work=Parks & Wildlife Service|publisher=Government of Tasmania|date=13 May 2013|access-date=31 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180313010505/http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/indeX.aspX?base=1374|archive-date=13 March 2018|url-status=dead}}
Location and features
The Montezuma Falls are situated north-east of Zeehan, near the village of {{TAScity|Rosebery}}, accessible via the Murchison Highway. The falls commence at an elevation of {{convert|449|m}} above sea level and descend in the range of {{convert|103|-|110|m}}, making the falls one of the highest in Tasmania.
The {{convert|8|km|adj=on}} three-hour return walking track from the trackhead at the foot of Mount Read near {{TAScity|Williamsford}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.world-of-waterfalls.com/australia-montezuma-falls.html|title=Montezuma Falls|work=World of Waterfalls|date=28 November 2006|publisher=Johnny T. Cheng|access-date=31 May 2014}}
Railway
File:North East Dundas Tramway, 1922 11 09 Insert 8a (16026073602).jpg at Montezuma Falls|left]]
The track follows much of the route of the former {{convert|2|ft|cm|adj=on}} narrow gauge North East Dundas Tramway and earlier views of the falls include the passing railway line.{{Citation | author1=Beattie, J. W. (John Watt) | title=The Montezuma Falls and North East Dundas Railway, Tasmania, ca. 1890 | publication-date=1890 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/31746259 | access-date=1 June 2014 }}{{Citation | author1=Newey, John A., (compiler.) | title=Montezuma Falls. N. E. Dundas Rly Tas | publication-date=1906 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/167672680 | access-date=1 June 2014 }}{{Citation | author1=Beattie, J. W. (John Watt), 1859-1930, (slide maker.) | title=Montezuma Falls, Dundas | publication-date=1900 | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/167149661 | access-date=1 June 2014 }}{{Cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an21697618-315|title = Montezuma falls and Bridge on North-East Dundas Railway [picture]}}
The falls location was a stopping point on the North East Dundas tram
The proximity of the line to the falls was described in 1926:
This little railway is a "show" line of the highest order, for it dives quickly amongst the mountains, brushing the fringe of immense forests, and at one point giving a near view, of the hand- some Montezuma Falls-so near that the spray actually dashes at times against the carriage win- dows. From Williamsford one can take a motor for the five miles to Rosebery.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article29458123 |title=THE WILD WEST OF TASMANIA. |newspaper=The Mercury |location=Hobart, Tas. |date=9 September 1926 |access-date=1 June 2014 |page=22 |via=National Library of Australia}}
The railway alignment, after closing of the operation, was used for trips to view the falls.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article68397984 |title=A Trip to Montezuma Falls. |newspaper=The Advocate |location=Burnie, Tas. |date=5 January 1938 |access-date=1 June 2014 |page=8 |via=National Library of Australia}}
See also
{{stack|{{Portal|Australia|Environment}}}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book|author= Binks, C.J.|title=Explorers of Western Tasmania|publisher= Mary Fisher Bookshop|location=Launceston| year=1980|isbn= 0-908291-16-7}}
- {{cite book| author-link=Geoffrey Blainey|last=Blainey|first=Geoffrey| title= The Peaks of Lyell |edition=6th | publisher=St. David's Park Publishing | location=Hobart| year=2000| isbn=0-7246-2265-9}}
- {{cite book| author-link = Charles Whitham|last=Whitham|first= Charles| title=Western Tasmania – A land of riches and beauty}}
{{Australian Waterfalls |state=autocollapse}}