From Cascade Gardens 2016

We're starting out today from Cascade Gardens on a terrific day and being led by Bob.

We've started here a couple of times before, but every walk is different and today's no exception.

We leave our packs in the cars for the first part of the walk, heading towards Hobart. The plan is to return, pick up the packs, have Morning Tea in the gardens before setting out on the walk proper.

The top of Cascade Brewery with Mt. Wellington behind

It's strange walking without packs

It's a popular walking track that runs beside the Hobart Rivulet. It wasn't all that long ago that it was an industrial area with quarries, tanneries and other not very green industries, all dumping their waste into the rivulet.

Now it's clean and well maintained with a multi-use track. You have to keep your eyes open for dogs, children and cyclists. Would it be too much to ask that bicycles had bells on the handlebars? They then could ring them when they come up behind pedestrians instead of catching them unaware as they weave their bikes through. Probably not masculine enough.

Old quarry

Plenty of room

After a short while we turn left uphill and leave most of the crowd behind.

We come down again, cross over the rivulet via a bridge, heading back to our cars. Along the way I was glad to get a photo of an old Hobart standby, the Keens Curry Sign. This is a 15 metre high advertising sign that caused consternation in the town when it was constructed in 1916 with white painted stones. (Google Joseph Keen for details)

In 1926 University students changed it to read "Hells Curse". In 1962 it was changed again to advertise a theater production and in 1994 it was changed again to "No Cable Car". Each time it was changed back to its original "Keens Curry". Perhaps we should bring 1994 back again.

Changed from Keens Curry by uni students in 1924

As it is today

On we go, back to the cars.

Hobart Rivulet on our right now

Mix of new and old houses on the hillsides

We come across a wholesale nursery supply store which stops all the gardeners

Bob takes my photo. About as near as I want to get to gardening. Alex seems easily amused by it all!

Next we come to the Cascades Female Factory. Tasmania was originally a penal colony and this was an institution to reform female convicts. Years ago it used to be just a couple of falling down walls, but it's been developed as an historic site popular with tourists.

The Matron's cottage

Modern reconstruction

Part of the original wall

Period cottages across the street

We've picked up our packs and are heading for Morning Tea

It's very pleasant here with electric barbecue and several picnic tables for free use

Tea finished, we head back again but turn left, climb steps and a zig zag track up to our first proper track.

Not nearly so green up here

Very poor soil. We're walking up McRobies Gully

 Bob has promised us a good view of the Hobart Tip! It's not nearly so impressive as it was years ago. Now it's neat and tidy with only a token gathering of seagulls at the far end.

We continue on, moving off the fire trail onto another track. As usual in the hills around Hobart there are rough tracks running every which way.

This track is being upgraded as a dual use track. Indeed, we were passed by a mother and young son on mountain bikes about here

The track is blocked here

Several large old gums have fallen down and created a barrier well over head height.

There is a detour which we take

We come up to a junction of fire trails

We were dumbfounded when Bob turned right and didn't take the obvious uphill track!

Soon however, Bob regains his reputation as we turn off and climb up to another fire trail and go left. It's only a short way until we turn off to go back down through the bush again.

We turn off here

Looking back

Bob briefs us on the next track we'll take.

This is actually a named dual use track and Bob is warning us it's considered a difficult one. The option is for anyone that isn't interested to continue on the fire trail and meet the rest of us at the other end, which a couple do.

We've been warned. Too difficult for dogs!

It doesn't look that bad to me

Another warning sign in case you forgot

The reason for the warnings

 This track has a couple of stone chutes that are very slippery and steep. Bob has gallantly positioned himself to help the ladies down. The gentlemen must rely on running into a convenient gum tree just below the track.

On the inside of a tight turn, this tree has seen some action from mountain bikers

The second chute. The soil is loose and contains small gravel that act like ball bearings

It's quite easy now

This is just off another turn and both Ron and myself noticed it looked like a Sphinx

There was some discussion about what bike riders did at the steep stone chutes. Some were of the opinion that they carried their bikes down.

Think again. Click Here to see a video of someone riding down the Tip Top Track.

We soon catch up with the others and continue down the fire trail before turning off into the bush.

We turn left here

Young growth and Mt. Wellington

We soon turnoff

Different undergrowth here

We're heading for lunch

Looking down a gully from my lunch seat

 Bob found a log and everyone else spreads out into the bush and finds a seat

We knew there were going to be burn offs in the area

 We could see the smoke just start in the distance for a fuel reduction burn. They seem to have waited until the breeze sprang up!

Up hill from my lunch seat

Lunch finished, we continue on, turning down hill and a final steep descent to Golden Valley Rd. which takes us to Old Farm Rd. where we turn left.

After all the warnings re track danger earlier, this was the spot when one of us fell down. Fortunately with no injuries.

This brings me to say something about safety. I've had a couple of comments re the weight of my pack when someone had occasion to move it. The water bladder makes up most of it, but I still carry rain gear, eperb, first aid kit etc. which make the rest of the weight.

Over the years I've eliminated items I don't use, mainly from the first aid kit. Now, I've got it down to just two items. These two will handle just about any medical emergency you can name. They are: 1. Band aid and 2. A humane killer. I hope everyone will rest easy now.

Coming down to Old Farm Road

Road walking is too comfortable so Bob turns off

We cross Hobart Rivulet...

...and climb steeply

We reach a junction where the phantom teepee builder of southern Tasmania has been

 Here we turn right.

This track leads us back to above Cascade Gardens where we take another zig zag track and steps down to the bottom, returning to the cars.

It was a good walk with new territory. The weather was perfect and I think everyone enjoyed it.

We were 12 walkers and covered 12.11km in 4:09 hrs.

Click here to download GPX file

You can view an animated track by Clicking Here.