MANY MEANDER Valley walks have infrastructure that clearly defines the route. Some even provide a viewing platform at your destination.

Montana Falls has no such indulgence. Although a signpost on Leonards Road indicates Long Ridge Regional Reserve - you’re on your own from that point.

Access tracks lead in various directions. Tall eucalypts will lure you into the forest and the key to avoid getting lost is to stop if you find yourself ascending the ridge. Some tape markers will assist. They point to at least two alternative routes, each becoming increasingly steep and narrow.

My walking companion, a known pedant, refused to describe the water flow as a fall, insisting the term cascades more apt. Indeed, the falls might be most appreciated after heavy rainfall as they spill down several rock shelves. At the low point a sharp bend forces the Western Creek to veer dramatically in the direction of its name.

Although the waters have come a long way from Kooparoona Niara, across open farmland, here they’re wild again. The most ideal viewing points transition a walker from a tourist into an active participant. It is necessary to leave the path to appreciate the grandeur.

Tread lightly in your boots as you brush past the feathery clumps of tassel cord rush.

On our visit an enjoyable disagreement ensued as we tested best vantages. Here! No here. Give the falls time to show off.

Leaving the path is a controversial matter. Will degradation of the vegetation and terrain result? While Red Riding Hood is unlikely to meet a wolf, you are likely to encounter dumped rubbish. Montana Falls deserves more local pride than that.

You will only need 1 to 1½ hours for your visit and maybe you can take out more than you carried in?

Photo | Jade Hallam