Smiths Monument 2021

Today Sally is taking us to Smiths Monument. Originally, she hoped to get two walks in by including a separate walk to Mt. Arthur, but time restraints precluded that.

The weather down at sea level was quite pleasant but Mt. Wellington/Kunanyi has a mind of its own and it was very misty when we parked the car on the top.

 

A slight mist

 

Initial view

 Wait three seconds and the transmission tower of ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) becomes clear. Indeed all the mist cleared and we had beautiful walking weather.

We're heading out there in a minute

Look carefully and you can see that one way to the monument is 1hour 20 minutes.

We, however are going to take both Morning Tea and Lunch which consumes more time.

Off we go, down the yellow grit road

That's the commercial T.V. tower, the other antenna on top

 

Once known as the TVT6 tower, my son John who is a techie like his Dad had his first job with TVT6, and used to have to climb that rickety structure from time to time.

It's not long before the character of the track changes to boulders which is not too bad.

Looking back

Hobart below

A natural font

Alpine plants

Rock formations up here are endlessly fascinating

Distant view

A few wet areas, but plenty of stepping stones

Very old sign pointing the way to an old feature, the Rocking Stone

We're heading to the stone where we will have a break.

The Rocking Stone

You rock it and it falls off, you replace it!

Morning Tea will be around here if we could only find a view

Morning Tea

A tiny lizard came to visit

Lichen patterns on boulder next to me

Break over, we head back past the Rocking Stone to find the track to Smiths Monument.

On our way past, we stop for one more group photo.

Well, we are a group of people of a certain age

On we go as the boulders become bigger and require more climbing than walking.

It's difficult to ignore the views all around us.

Soon we find another old sign point the way to Smiths Monument. so we turn off the main track onto a side one.

You can just make out Smiths Monument

This whole area was/is called The Ploughed Field as the jumble of rocks looks as if it was ploughed by giants.

For an early description of the area CLICK HERE.

Picturesque start to the side track

Must be around here somewhere

Ah, there it is. 

Smiths Monument

Sacred to the memory of John Smith M.D.

 Surgeon of the Derwentwater who was lost on this mountain 23 January 1858 and found at this spot 28th Jan 1858. Erected as a token of regret for his untimely end.

The Derwentwater (all one word) was a migrant ship.

Here is a brief account of what happened.

Dr John Smith, surgeon of the Derwentwater became separated from his party on the descent from the Pinnacle, and was found dead after a search that lasted 5 days. During the search one party was twice attacked by robbers.

The remains of this unfortunate.gentleman were found yesterday morning by the party that left town at half-past 4 a,m., consisting of Dr. Crowther ,Messrs. Gould, Garnsey, Manning jnr, J.McPherson, two brothers Seal, Rout, Patterson, and four Sydney natives. The party was strengthened at the Springs by the addition of Messrs. H. Dobson and Cotton, and on the top of the mountain by Mr Livingston and a man who had been searching since Tuesday morning Iast. The direction looking towards Brown's River having been chosen as the ground to be searched, the party extended in line as far as possible, and after, proceeding about two miles from where the descent was made over the ploughed field to the icehouse, the body, was observed by Mr Garnsey in a sitting posture, but in an advanced state of decomposition. In the opinion of Dr. Crowther, death had taken place about four days. By the assistance of the party the body was brought to the second icehouse, and taken from thence by the police to the colonial hospital. Dr. Smith had evidently missed the track which would have led him off the mountain to the icehouse, and wandered down to the spot, where he was found. Fatigue and anxiety, heightened by the want of water, overcame him and probably induced convulsions, in one of which, Dr. Crowther was of opinion, he died. We understand an inquest will be held at the Gordon Castle Inn today at 11 a.m. The deceased, who was the surgeon of the Derwentwater, was the son of a clergyman in England and appears to have made many personal friends during his short residence in the colony. It will be gratifying to his friends n England to know that no exertions were spared to save his life as soon as the fact of his being lost was known.
Tasmanian Daily News (Hobart Town, Tas.), 29 January 1858.

There is a much fuller account where you can learn about the original party and something of the man himself. This comes from an extremely interesting website dedicated to the history of Mt. Wellington/kunanyi.

 CLICK HERE to read the fuller account Written and researched by Maria Grist, B. A. (University of Tas)

CLICK HERE for the website.

We settle down for lunch and are joined by 2 other walkers.

Lunch

As you can see, there are a few boulders around

Lunch finished, we make our way back to the main track and our return to our cars. But first there are a few rocks to scramble up.

Our destination in the distance

The clouds just add to the beauty of the view

Looking down the River Derwent

In the early days, the track up here came up the Ice House Track and gentlemen and ladies would make their way to the top of the mountain in that way.

The ladies generally wore slippers which don't hold up well and it's said that many were discarded alongside the track on the way down. My boots are going to have to join them. Of a certain vintage I was planning to get some open seams stitched up, but the boulders and rough stones have put paid to that.

I think it was 15 walkers and we covered 6.32km of very rough track in 4:36hrs.

A good walk but I've done it several times as part of longer walks up here and won't be traveling this way again.

Thanks to Sally for taking us.

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