Neika to The Waterworks - 2 Jul 2024

 Our  planned walk today was to be an exploration of the Organ Pipes but due to the extreme overnight temperatures we have been experiencing that has closed the road up Mount Wellington our fall back is a stroll along the Pipeline Track from Neika to The Waterworks Reserve.

The day is looking to be clear and fine but very cold an ideal walking day.

Heading down the Pipeline Track.

The first lookout where the main comment was "last time I was here we could see over the trees, not through them".

Looking toward the city.

Some of the group were stretching theirs legs at the beginning of the walk.

The winter sun streaming through the trees.

The track follows the back fences of some of the local properties and this one had a collection of gnomes, toadstools and little animals.

And a well travelled pair of walking boots.

One of a number of moss covered rock walls that follow the track.

The Wishing Well on the track towards Fern Tree. Like a lot of the construction along the PipeLine Track it was built with sandstone and is still operating like is has just been constructed.

Looks like the group has got away again.

Crossing Grey's Road.

Tree lichen.

One of the huts that survived the 1967 bushfire.

In the sun at Fern Tree Park for lunch.

An old street stump decorated with native animals carved/burned into the wood.

Looking across North West Bay from Fern Tree Park.

Still enjoying the sun.

Heading further down the Pipe Line Track. Under the sandstone flagstones is the original watercourse for the Pipe Line.

An 1880's sandstone viaduct across a creek bed.

And another one.

Mt Wellington with some snow/frost showing.

Heading towards Gentle Annie Falls.

Lunch at the top of Gentle Annie Falls where a couple of the old pipelines converge.

Looking down the cutting in the sandstone which was part of the pipeline directing the water to Hobart.

The Waterworks dams.

The upper sandstone cutting from below.

The lower cutting now and

the lower cutting around 1920 taken by my father Jack Rowell with his Box Brownie camera.

Note the amount of water coming down the cutting.

An example of the bush furniture now in place in the Water Works Reserve.

At the dams.

Cloud rolling over the top of Mt Wellington.

There were 18 walkers who covered the 9.5 kms in just under 4 hours and descended 350 meters.

 

The best part of the walk from all the group was that is was downhill all day.