Photo: Dawson Falls Waterfall Taranaki

The Dawson Falls is a waterfall situated in Egmont National Park in the Taranaki region of the North Island, New Zealand.

Thomas Dawson (1850-1889), a Post Office official at Okato and later at Manaia, devoted all his spare time to Egmont exploration in the region now known as Taranaki.

He discovered the graceful 18 metre waterfall in the Kapuni River in 1885 and encouraged the clearing of a camp site nearby. When the first accommodation House near the falls was opened on February 28, 1896 it was given the name of Dawson Falls Hostel (the name was later changed to Dawson Falls Tourist Lodge).

Unfortunately, Thomas Dawson was drowned in the Wanganui River in 1889.

Dawson Falls and Kapuni Stream seen along the Kapuni Loop Track, Egmont National Park, Taranaki, North Island, New Zealand.