The weather is sunny, warm and clear as we park our cars at the Chalet on Mt. Wellington. The forecast is for 20C in Hobart and 8C at the top of the mountain. I believe wind was also mentioned.
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| Parking at the Chalet which is on the way up to the summit of Mt. Wellington |
We avoid that temptation and set off up Pinnacle Road, heading for the start of the Panorama, a new track to many of us.
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| The sun is out |
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| River Derwent shining in the distance |
With the sun out, a trip to the top of Mt. Wellington is part of most tourist's plans. The temperature is around 7C and there's a cool breeze.
I'm leading from the front, keeping an eye on the rental cars coming down. I notice a white one slowing almost to a stop a little way above us.
I warn the others to keep well to the side as the car crawls by. As it does, I can see it's full of tourists, the front passenger has a video camera, and the car is passing very close to us, putting the lens about half a metre from my face.
To cut a long story short, I hope their families enjoy the video of the hairy, wrinkled old man with the dew drop hanging from his nose, and his friends! Should be something to threaten the children with.
On we go and after about 800 metres I can see the start of the Panorama Track, taking us away from the cars.
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| Panorama Track start |
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| Looking back |
There seems to be some confusion about the timeline of the Panorama Track. 1920s, 1930s, or even 19th century. What is known is that it was partly destroyed by the construction of the Pinnacle Road in 1937 and what was left became overgrown. I don't know the date, but a member of the Hobart Walking Club (HWC) did some clearing and remarking via cairns.
Regrowth after the 1967 bushfires completely hid the old track, but in 1985-8 the HWC with permission from the Hobart City Council, re-found and cleared the old track.
Gordon who used to walk with us, led us up both Red Paint Tracks and took us to Luckmans Cabin on the way back down.
I mention this because I remember walking from the cabin down to the Panorama Track, entering near the wooden corduroy section. Evidently there is a large boulder with a stone cairn on top marking the way to Luckmans Cabin. Next time.
Views do appear as we go up.
We pass through areas of snow gums
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| We start passing some interesting rock formations |
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| It's very easy, pleasant walking now |
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| End of the Panorama Track. Up the steps to the Pinnacle Road |
The wind is becoming a force to contend with the higher we climb.
I'm aiming to have Morning Tea in the shelter at the top.
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| River Derwent and Easter Shore. Hobart below |
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| Looking up river |
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| The wind is picking up |
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| First sight of snow |
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| Commercial T.V. tower. Our son, John, used to climb that while working for TVT 6 |
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| Morning Tea among the tourists |
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| ABC T.V. tower. Reflections from glass windows. You can see the radar reflector marking the pinnacle. Far too windy to climb up there |
The wind is picking up and brave people are chancing the lookout platforms. Lots of selfies being taken by people leaning into the wind.
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| Tourists enjoying the wind with Hobart below |
We start to head west to the start of the Zig Zag Track, as we do the wind picks up strength. It's really blowing now and I'm almost blown off the path a couple of times. Children are being blown around and I decide to stop and hang onto a post until it slackens again. Others join me.
It's not long before it slackens off enough to continue on and we find the start of the Zig Zag Track next to the ABC tower.
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| Heading for the start of the track |
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| We're starting to drop down now. As we do, the wind becomes less of a problem |
I've only been on this track once before, and that was many years ago.
A young man comes down behind us. He's young and carrying no pack. We're carrying packs and are of a certain age. He's faster.
He's too polite to try and push past us, so I bring out my whistle to alert the others to give him some space.
Not long afterwards, we meet two 'mature' gentlemen climbing up. I had just finished stating that we would never climb the track, but I think I may change my mind.
We could do a loop from the Springs, go slowly up the Zig Zag Track to the top, head along the Wellington Track and take the Ice House Track down to the Springs again. Anyone interested?
Several people didn't know about the Ice House Track and it's been years since I walked down there past the ruins.
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| Heading down |
It's not long before we come to the junction with the Organ Pipes Track, where we turn left onto the final section back to the cars.
The Hobart City Council has been improving the tracks, and this was one of the first. The idea was to take it back to the the original condition of the 1930s when it was built.
Bit muddy, but a pleasant walk beneath the Organ Pipes. We begin to look for a place to have lunch.
We soon find a lunch spot with a view and settle down in the sun.
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| Lunch |
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| Organ Pipes without cable car overhead |
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| Looking south |
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| The track |
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| Hobart |
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| East |
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| Lunch |
Lunch finished, we move on, making our way back to the cars.
We had 11 walkers and covered 6.23km in 3:19hrs.
Click here to download GPX file
EXTRA!
There are a number of signs posted re the recent work done on the track. I've posted an example below.
The reason I mention this because we came upon a sign next to the track. But this was facing away from the main track and slightly below it. Having a look showed a very old track leading up with stone steps farther down. I have no idea what it is as I haven't found it on a map yet.
Bob suggested the Red Paint Track and I dismissed that, but I think he maybe right after all. Gordon, who I mentioned above, took some of us up two Red Paint Tracks some years ago. The first was in 2011. This was pre-blog, but I added it to the blog when I started it because it was so interesting. The other was in 2012 and also has a blog entry. They are Red Paint One and Red Paint Two and you can have a look.
I've see on an old map a track leading up from below the Springs, through the Organ Pipes and up to Pinnacle Road. That maybe a Red Paint Track, I have to dig some more.
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