Sutherland Falls were named after the Scottish settler, Donald Sutherland, when he saw a distant flash of water through the trees in 1880.  

The much-debated Sutherland Falls are believed by some to be tallest waterfalls in New Zealand. Depending on how you define waterfall, the Sutherlands Falls has a total drop of 580 meters, broken in three steps by rock. The other claim to the title of tallest New Zealand waterfall is Browne Falls (836m) in Doubtful Sound. However, people say that Browne Falls is actually a cascade since there is virtually no water falling free of rock. 

Not easily accessible, the Sutherland Falls can be seen by either tramping the Milford Track, taking a scenic flight or watching Sir Peter Jackson’s film The Hobbit.