From Cascade Gardens - Strickland Falls 2016

Today Ron is leading us from Cascade Gardens to Strickland Falls and beyond.

We park at the brewery car park where they make spaces available for walkers.

Gearing up

Heading to the start

We've been up this track several times in the past and the bush doesn't get any greener.

The track's only a few years old and they did build a nice bridge over the Guy Fawkes Rivulet

My first job in Tassie was in Murray St. and there was a plumbing firm behind run by Peter Degraves. I suspect he was a descendant.

There's a lot of rubbish on the ground

I wouldn't like to be here if and when it catches light.

Clothing adjustment stop

It's actually getting warmer and more humid as we climb, so something has to be removed to be more comfortable.

You thought I wouldn't mention orchids this week

Photo by Renate

Another crossing. There's a nice flow of water

It's easy walking on this track as we head up.

We occasionally come across a major obstacle, but with the experience of a lifetime behind us, we deal with it

Looking down the throat of a common bird orchid

Morning Tea

We come out onto the Old Farm Track and stop in our usual place for Morning Tea.

Afterwards, we take the Middle Island Fire Trail which has a couple of nice hills on it.

The Old Farm Track continues on

Several unnamed creeks cross the trail

One of the nice little hills I mentioned

Photo by Renate

Lots of blossom about as it's spring

Nice old sign

Far more picturesque then the modern ones.

At this point we deviate from our normal route onto another track I haven't been on before. I haven't found a name for it yet.

It gets even smaller

It also looks like it gets use by mountain bikers. 

Many tall young gums...

...and mud

It's leading us downhill all the way

Photo by Renate

Finally, we come to Strickland Avenue

We're below the falls so we turn right and walk up the road.

But not before I take a photo of a fungus

Fungus and orchids, does it get any better?

Strickland Avenue

Several walkers pointed this out to me

It's obviously a two-toothed coil snake that's seen better days. Run over by a vehicle and disemboweled.

On we go until we come to the entry just off the road to Strickland Falls. Changed a lot since I first saw it years ago. Then it was just a short almost hidden track into the bush.

There's plenty of water flow

I think it's either Ron or Bob trying to find a way to the falls

Unfortunately, due to the heavy flow it's difficult to cross safely and several walkers were not too keen so we'll keep the falls 'till the next time we come here. If you want to see what they look like, just search for 'Strickland Falls' in the Past Walks tab above.

We move back out and decide to have an early lunch on the green grass in the sun.

As we eat, I find someone else has decided to have a picnic with us.

You can see it's carrying some sort of flying insect. He didn't bother me and I bothered him very little.

Lunch finished I wondered where we were going to go from here. We walked up the road a short way and came to a track leading down beside Hobart Rivulet. On the map this is the- wait for it- Rivulet Track.

It follows the pipeline down towards the Cascade Brewery. I should mention here that water from a dam at the falls was used to supply the brewery. This explains the remains of iron piping near the falls and the pipe line we are now following.

Down the Rivulet Track

Very easy walking in pleasant surroundings

Part of the old pipeline to the brewery

Hobart Rivulet through the bush

Mt. Wellington looks a bit dark

 I think we're having better weather where we are. We keep walking down passing behind houses and coming upon a young mother and her two toddlers.

There's a small stream passing over the track and the kids are playing in it while the mother watches. It's sunny and the water is shallow so it's a great place for them.

On we go. We come across some, I suspect, unofficial mountain bike jumps and such as we go.

Very bare bush

I've not come across a sign like this before

It means what is says

The photo doesn't due justice to the amount and size of the erosion and it continues right up the hill. It was near here we met the mother and her children.

We get the interesting view of people's backyards

Looks an interesting climb. Maybe another time

Yes, we're five minutes out of a capital city

Mt. Wellington

Still little undergrowth

Interesting construction in bush

There's a house on the other side, so they may not be on public land.

A glimpse of Hobart Docks and River Derwent

Scribbles on a gumtree

We turnoff onto a side track here, and continue down

Turning off into this grassy area...

...we continue down and cross Strickland Avenue for a very short walk back to the cars.

Side view of Cascade Brewery

We had 15 walkers and covered 9.35km in 3:49hrs. A very good walk. It's always nice to take new tracks. Thanks to Ron.

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