Exploring Roaring Billy Falls
Roaring Billy Falls is located along the route between Haast Pass and Haast in South Westland in the South Island. The walk is easy and is notable for the stunning views it provides of the waterfall and the surrounding river and forest landscape. The falls are a perfect stop for those travelling through the area, offering a brief yet rewarding walk through native forest to a picturesque river setting.
A Short Walk to the Falls
The track to Roaring Billy Falls is well-signposted on State Highway 6 and begins from a large parking area along the road that follows the Haast River. The walk to the riverbed takes approximately 15 minutes, leading you through a beautiful section of native forest. This easy trail is suitable for most visitors and provides a direct route to the river, where you can view the falls from across the water.
Viewing the Waterfall
At the end of the track, a viewing platform offers a vantage point over the wide expanse of river gravel and the striking aqua blue of the river channel. Although the view of the falls is somewhat distant, the 30-metre drop is still impressive. From there, you can walk about 200 metres across the river gravel to get closer to the river. However, it is wide, deep, and fast-moving, making it the closest you can safely approach without a boat.
How to Get There
To reach Roaring Billy Falls, drive along State Highway 6 between Haast Pass and Haast. The drive is about 22 minutes and 27 km from Haast and 30 minutes and 32 km from Haast Pass. From Wānaka, the drive takes 100 minutes and is 113 km.
Other waterfalls between Haast Pass and Roaring Billy Falls are Wilson Creek, Topsy Falls, Fantail Falls, Diana Falls, Gates of Haast and Thunder Creek Falls.
