Knocklofty 2014

Today was ________________ (fill in blank with your best guess) weather for a walk around Knocklofty Reserve and environs, led by Jenny.

This was different from other walks Jenny took us on in the past, as we were going to walk around the back of Knocklofty and Mount Stuart.

Parking in Liverpool Crescent, we walked up past a number of interesting houses built on a steep slope until we came to a new subdivision called Farm View, where Jenny gave us the story behind the development.  A farm from the 1930s, it was known as the “Derwent Hatchery” poultry farm.

And we're off!

This being Hobart, Elizabeth finds someone she knows as we walk up Liverpool Crescent.

View over West Hobart & Keen's Curry sign

 Keen's Curry started back in the 1840s and in 1915 the husband of a daughter of the original founder, made a large sign using painted rocks in letters 15 metres high. In 1926 University students changed it to read "Hells Curse" and again in 1962 to promote a theatre production. It was last changed in 1994 to read "No Cable Car" some things never change. Each time it was changed it was put back to advertise Keen's Curry powder, still made today.

View from new estate.

Jenny giving us the history of the farm & the Stevens who owned it

From West Hobart to Sandy Bay & the Derwent River.

There are some large houses built or being built there, and you can have unhindered views of both Mt. Wellington, Hobart and if you get the right block, West Hobart and Macquarie St/Cascade Rd. all at once.

Walking up Thelma Drive to Forest Rd., we turned left and continued along to a gate, ignoring the turnoff up to Knocklofty, passing through onto a dirt track. The track continued on, above the Hobart Tip, which is not as bad as it was 30 years ago, before we came down at the top end of the tip and the time to turn off.

Jenny directed us up and over the bank with instructions to continue climbing through the bush until we came to a man made ditch. This must have been put in years ago to catch runoff before it reached the tip.

Signs of old quarrying

Easy walking

Changing character, but still easy

Wellington is always there

Interesting gumtree, but not the Art Shot

Following directions, we charge (slowly) up hill into unmarked territory

Walking up the old drain, we found a spot to have Morning Tea, and also a view that had less tip and more bush.

Some stayed on the old drain

Some found a spot in the bush

We're over the top again, Bob knocked 3 people over so he could help Jenny up the bank.

Tas & David turn away in disgust

Then we're off up again

After tea we went over the top again and up through more bush until we found an old track that isn't on the map. The drain is, however. 

This part of the walk is unmarked and had no name until David christened:

Jenny's Folly.

We found the old unmarked track

Looking back.

 We came pouring out of the bush at the top onto a well kept firetrail, frightening a gentleman walker in the process. Turning left we walked along until we came to a marked trail called the Mt. Stuart Circuit, and turned off there.

Another good trail

Turnoff to Mt. Stuart

A pleasant walk took us around Knocklofty, back to the Mt. Stuart side, where we found a pleasant sunlit open area, perfect for lunch.

Sunny, warm lunch spot

After lunch we walked down various paths, to pick up some of the tracks heading in the right direction for our return.

Passing the sandstone cliffs that Glover and other painters frequented, we walked along the back boundary of several homes that are crowding the reserve, before reaching a lookout over Hobart.

For those who don't know, John Glover (1767-1849) was an English painter who moved to Australia and painted romantic scenes of the landscape and Aboriginal people. His name is given to the Glover Prize which is given every year for paintings of Tasmanian landscapes and is the highest monetary prize for landscapes in Australia.

The bath of Diana, Van Diemen's Land

 

Interesting house backing onto reserve. They made use of a natural rock shelf for a water feature

Now we're on the Glover Trail

Art Shot

The Art Shot above will attract an unsubstantial prize for the person that can identify it. Hint: We were all very close to it, most of us intimately.

Views over Hobart from lookout

Wrest Point - first (legal) casino in Australia

Battery Point on left, Sandy Bay on Right

Jenny, with the help of Sally, extended the walk as she said "You all were too quick in climbing up through the bush, so we have to extend to make it a decent time".

We ended up walking on several unmarked tracks before finding ourselves back at the Farm View development and continuing back to the cars.

Elizabeth is very glad to return to civilization

Who says chivalry is dead?

A very good and interesting walk. All this within 5 minutes of the centre of Hobart.

We had 13 walkers and covered 8.4km in 3:22hrs.

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