Cataract Gorge, Launceston

There are a number of ways into the Cliff Grounds. The easiest, from the city, is the walkway up from Kings Bridge, along the side of the Gorge.

Photos from last time, for comparison.

A little calmer today.


The water level is noticeably lower too (see the markings on the lower rocks).



These are the rapids.


The rocks below the waterline are interesting.



Part of the walkway.



An overview of the site.

The round area of water in the middle is the First Basin, although the names is usually used for the lawn area to left (bright green) where the pool, playground and kiosk are. On the right, are the Cliff Grounds, with the gardens, restaurant and peacocks.

The bridge at the back is the swinging bridge (Alexandra Bridge) which connects the two area. From here, just visible behind and above the bridge span, the walkway goes along the river to Duck Reach. Left, across the middle of the photo although only visible in parts, is the walkway from the bridge to the First Basin area.

In front of the Basin is the most recent (arched) walkway that connects the Cliff Grounds and Basin. This is covered during floods.


Being early spring, the peacocks are showing off, full tail curving and shimmering. No hens to be seen though. From behind, for variety.

My purpose today is walk up to the Eagles Eyrie, where I haven't been before, and check the Daffodil Walk, while the daffodils are out, because I usually miss them.

The walk to the eyrie goes up behind the chairlift, which is the third way to get from the Cliff Grounds to the Basin.


What would you call him, Chairlift Supervisor? I liked the little display on the wall of the hut, although it didn't photograph very well.



Up the path



That's the car park if you come down into the Cliff Grounds from Trevallyn. I think it’s the lower path, because there are steps leading up from it. Upper middle of the photo is the walkway down to the cliff grounds.


This is the Eyrie. There's a rock just behind it, which is perfect to sit on. It would be a good place to write or rid. Pity it takes so long to get there. Not the walk up, but getting to the start of the walk.


Back along the Gorge, with a view of the city. There's Mt Barrow in the background, with no snow.


There's the First Basin (white area behind the trees is the pool, smaller orange patch on the edge is the playground, with the kiosk behind) and West Launceston. The long, flat mountain at the back must be Ben Lomond.


Going back down, this is A step.


From the bottom of the step.


No need to fly when there's a chairlift.



This is Daffodil Walk, and the daffodils are out! Although it's short and there aren't that many flowers.


However, there are more daffodils on the bank below, so if I go down there


That's better.


On the way out, the sun has moved around so now there's the too dark/too bright thing happening again. That's the Tamar River Cruise boat. They cut the noisy engine when they run up the gorge, and you've surrounded by quietness and cliffs. Worth going on.

Hobart Batteries

Before I post photos, a bit on the old batteries around Hobart to provide some context.

I find these interesting for two reasons. The first, the obvious, is the acquiring of knowledge and possibly usefulness in future of writing. The second, they are there, but you don't realise they are there.


The Kangaroo Bluff battery is well known. The gun behind a brick wall, pointing over the river, is a common postcard image, but that's usually all that's show. Have a look at that picutre, so you can why, when I finally walked up there one day, I was surprised to find all this.

If you look at the photo of Alexandra Battery from yesterday, you can just see Sandy Bay Rd between the hill and the houses.

That's the main road through the southern suburbs. So easy to drive pass and not know its there.

Those two are the only extant ones.

There's a map on the Parks & Wildlife site that shows all the locations.

The Queens Battery was where the cenotaph is now. The State Library has a couple of photos of it: this one from about 1900 and this one is c. 1875, and another in the Australian War Memorial collection.

Prince of Wales & Prince Albert are located in Battery Point. AFAIK one was where the Castray Esplanade now runs (the road that follows the shoreline around into Salamanca Place). The other was built above it, in what is now the park behind the signal station.


I believe both were demolished in the 1880s.

The one that is marked on the map as Mona Street (proposed) I don't know about. Some web sites have it as the location of the battery that gives Battery Point its name, but that's from the Mulgrave Battery, built in 1818. I love that picture, it's such a formidable and technologically advanced structure.

South Esk in FLood

I didn't end up getting any worthwhile photos of the rolling brown water as I walked up the side of the Gorge. Even when the light wasn't a problem, there was nothing to provide a sense of scale.

Except when there was a painter down by the water.

I'm all for painting on site, but hmmm, I'm not sure that's the best time & place for it.



It loses a lot at 500 pixels wide.

Most lovely place though, and unless you've been there, you really can't appreciate how close it is to the city centre. It's literally on the edge of the city. Kings Bridge, where the path that runs along the Cliffside starts, is probably 10-15 mins easy walk from the Brisbane St Mall.



First Basin & the playground. The edge of the swimming pool can be seen!

Now onto the bridge. I haven't taken many photos from on the bridge in recent times because the battery would run out before I got there :(



The bridge from the lookout.



The First Basin & playground from the lookout



Now I was organised and took a photo of the sign, so I wouldn't have to check what the name of the bridge was when I writing this.

That's the date of the original bridge though. I'm fairly sure it was replaced, but when I went to see, all I found was this and that confused me. :)





The shadows on the water & rock didn't show much at all when looked at directly.



On the way home, I went down to the edge of the river.

Cataraqui

Looking through Blue Gun Clippers and Whale Ships of Tasmania, by Will Lawson & the Shiplovers Society of Tasmania, first published 1949, I found a bit on the wreck of the Cataraqui. It's one of the sadder shipwreck tales.

On 20 April 1845, the Cataraqui left Liverpool carrying 370 emigrants, mostly families. By the 3rd August, they were just a day out of Melbourne, coming through Bass Strait, with "all on board looking eagerly forward to reaching arbour after the storm which had beset them for several days.

"In the early morning, with warning, the ship struck off Boggy Creek [west coast of King Island] when she had all sail set. A prudent shortening of the sail on the previous evening had been so scoffed at by the surgeon, who was at loggerheads with the captain, that Captain Findley decided to carry on. The ship was making at least 10 knots when she crashed on to the rocks, about 100 yards from shore.

"The Cataraqui broke up at once, scattering her human freight into the cauldron of raging waters. The position was hopeless, and of 408 person on board, only nine won to shore. Daylight presented a horrible scene to these lucky survivors. For about two miles the beach was strewn with the dead, mostly females, for the ship was carrying a large number of married women, with their families, and girls to Australia."

Wrecks in Tasmanian Waters, by Harry O'May, has a longer passage including:

"By 5 a.m. all below decks were drowned but daylight revealed about two hundred persons still clinging to the wreck. Every wave took its tool and by 4 p.m. she had parted and many went into the sea. Lines had been stretched along the vessel to supply the survivors with something to grip. Some had endeavoured to make a raft. At 5 p.m. she parted again but still seventy poor souls clung to the forecastle. All night the sea washed over them and at daybreak on the fifth only thirty survived."

The final part comes from Villiers' Vanished Fleets: Strange Tales of the Sea, when some of the survivors realised their only hope was to try to reach shore:

"Mr Guthrie, the first mate, clutching to a spar, plunged into the sea and was carried over the reef to the shore. There he found a passenger who had escaped during the night and one of the crew who had got ashore in the morning. Six other seamen swam, or with piece of planking, floated ashore. Soon afterwards, the remains of the Cataraqui disappeared beneath the sea. These nine men were all who survived; only one migrant reached Australian shores."


Parks & Wildlife Service, Shipwrecks of Tasmania

Grave of 245 bodies from the wreck of the Cataraqui on King's Island

Loss of the Cataraque/Cataraqui: From British Parliamentary Papers 1846
That last page has a list of passengers.

Going

These are a pair of conjoined cottages down by the river. They were for sale last year. The 'for sale' signs have since gone, just before I took this first photo.

I'm wondering if they'll be demolished or "restored" soon. I took these photos on Wednesday, with the new camera.

Action Dog

I've wanted to take some photos of the terrior in action for ages, so I thought I'd try today.

The first attempts were inside.

That didn't work too well, so we went outside.



Got her in mid-jump!



Trotting: legs on opposite corners moving at the same time (the right fore & left rear). Ears and tail both alert too.

Big walk

Today was our favourite annual RSPCA fundraising event -- the Million Paws Walk.

In Launceston, it starts at Inveresk near the market site, goes along the flood levee beside the North Esk, through Heritage Forest and back along the levee.

Photos didn't come out very well. It's not easy trying to focus camera while trying to keep up with little dog.">



The stars of this story are Jaz (Hurry up! There are dogs ahead of us! What do you think this is! A walk!?) and Dora (There are strange dogs everywhere. Can I hide behind you?)





Heritage Forest used to be a tip, then it was turned into a park (and a competition held to pick the name).





Dora has this steady trot that she could probably keep up all day. Jaz takes the "fast out of the gate and we'll get through the later bit somehow" approach.



The little white dog at the front took a dislike to the red dog on the left. Jaz was quite happy to take them both on, but we were a bit far back for her.



About ten minutes before the end, Jaz slowed down and fell right back behind me, so I was almost dragging. We started up the levee and she picked up, although dragging a bit. I carried her for a bit, but she wasn't too happy about that.

Then they both decided to pick up the pace and start trying to pass all the walkers ahead of us.



The end is in sight!



Made it!



So did lots of other people.











Now we're off for another walk!