kunanyi / Mt Wellington is one of Hobart's most popular attractions along with the MONA museum and Salamanca Market on Saturdays.  

How long does it it take to walk to the top? In essence the answer is that it’s a day walk and there are a number of ways that people walk up kunanyi / Mt Wellington which I’ll go into in just a tick. Did I mention that it’s a mountain, yep it’s all up hill from sea level in Hobart to the alpine summit at a height of 1271m. Needless to say, you need to have a reasonable level of fitness and be prepared for any weather. At the time of writing this, Hobart has just had a 40 degree Celsius day and snow is forecast tomorrow for the mountain! Best to prepare for 4 seasons in one day when travelling to Tasmania.   So here are a few options which explain how long it takes to walk up kunanyi / Mt Wellington ... 

The Point to Pinnacle Race

It's dubbed the world's toughest half marathon, if you’re a walker in the Point to Pinnacle Race held annually in November then it can take as little as 3 hours to walk the 21 kms from the Wrest Point Casino to the Summit, but of course this doesn’t take in the sites and leaves little time to explore the natural wonders. Really it's a power walk...

Myrtle Gully Falls, best 5 walks on mt wellington, hiking, hobart, tasmania.
Andy running the point to pinnacle race

Up the road from the city 

To walk from the center of Hobart to the pinnacle up the main roads is a little under 21kms and takes about 4 to 5 hours depending on your fitness. The route follows Davey St, Huon Rd and then Pinnacle Rd. I wouldn’t advise this option as there is no pavement once you start getting away from the city, combine this with a fairly busy and times narrow road it’s a recipe for disaster. Plus you'll miss the best bits, the hut ruins, giant tree ferns and wildlife encounters.

Organ Pipes Track, best 5 walks on mt wellington, hiking, hobart, tasmania.
Hiking on the organ pipes track

Using the walking trails 

By the far the best option is to link together the web of walking tracks that pass by historic sites and unique natural environments. This is what our Sea to Summit walk is all about, Hobart's first and only tour from Hobart's waterfront to the pinnacle of kunanyi / Mt Wellington. We start out at 8am and finish on the summit just after 4pm. 

The best track to leave the city is Linear Park otherwise known as the Rivulet Track it starts at the top end of Collins Street right near a great coffee venue, Hamlet Café.  

Once you’ve reached the Cascade Brewery there are numerous hiking tracks that can lead you to the summit. Depending on the route you choose the key stopping points for some shelter are Junction Cabin, The Springs and possibly The Chalet.

The route we use in our tour is 18km, some of the highlights include the World Heritage Cascade Female Factory, Cascade Brewery (Australia's Oldest), hut ruins, giant tree ferns, birds and pademelons, the rugged rock of the Organ Pipes and of course the epic views from the summit. Our tour is gourmet catered with fresh pastries and fruit for morning tea, wallaby burgers for lunch and the best Tasmanian Cheeses. Imagine challenging yourself to walk from sea to summit in the company of a local guide who shares the history and natural wonders and makes sure you stay safe and very well fed! If you'd like to read more about what it's like to to be part of our Sea to Summit walk then click here.

There are a web of trails on the mountain, so best to have a map if your navigating this yourself, some of the longer alternatives take about 22km, and would take from 5 to 9 hours to complete. 

Low res - Abby

Transport from the summit to the city 

All of the timings for walks described are for a one way trip. Obviously its quicker on the down hill but harder on the knees! A great option is to take advantage of the new kunanyi / Mt Wellington Explorer Bus, which can even access the summit in the snow when the road is blocked to all other traffic.

Already visited Mona, Salamanca Market and kunanyi / Mt Wellington? Here are some other activities and things to do in Hobart, Tasmania.

You’ve probably heard of Pennicott Wilderness Journeys, MONA, Salamanca Market and kunanyi/Mt Wellington and if you haven’t, then there is a reason why they are top of the list of many Hobart visitors. We may be slightly biased but we think a guided walk tours on Hobart’s mountain is right up there with the best. Here’s five more activities that are worthy contenders... 

1) Hobart Mountain Bike Tours 

Ok so we love kunanyi / Mt Wellington and Mountain Biking is another great way to experience this special place. Jono and his team from Hobart Mountain Bike Tours will show you the best trails and sure to have you in stitches (laughing that is) not the hospital type. Their love for riding, the mountain and Hobart is infectious. Our pick of the tours is the Ride the Mountain tour.

Cost: $95           Booking: http://hobartmtbtours.com.au/ 

2) Lark Whisky Distillery Tour 

You may have heard that Hobart is home to Australia’s oldest brewery, Cascade Brewery which has a great tour, but did you know that Hobart is home to Australia’s oldest whisky distillery? Lark Distillery are pioneers and their tour tells of their history and whisky and exciting future. Witness the science, art and passion that goes into making the award-winning Lark Single Malt Whisky. Meet the distillers, see production close up and sample spirits every step of the way, including tour-exclusive tasting of Lark whiskies straight from the cask, surrounded by future releases in our bond store.   

Cost: $85          Booking: https://larkdistillery.com/tour/

3) Evolo Room Escape 

A room escape is a unique form of entertainment where your group will be stuck in a mysterious room (willingly I might add) and you have to rely on your teamwork, communication and creative problem-solving to succeed. 

Evolo Room Escape opened the first room escape experience in Hobart, Tasmania back in October 2016. Since establishment Evolo has produced several more rooms and continually aims to challenge, surprise and immerse customers with their decoratively-themed puzzle-solving experiences. 

Cost: $39.50 per adult          Booking: https://www.evoloroomescape.com/ 

4) Roaring 40's kayaking 

The Derwent Estuary is gorgeous, and great for all water sports particularly sailing and kayaking. Where else in the world can you encounter a seal, penguin, dolphin or even a whale?! Let alone next to a beautiful capital city with a towering mountain backdrop. Exploring Hobart’s historic waterfront on kayak give’s a unique perspective and doing it using a double two person kayak really reduces the strain. Cost is $95 per adult.  Roaring 40’s are a legendary company down here is Tassie, having just been inducted into the tourism hall of fame. I’ve even bought my first sea kayak from them! 

Cost: $95 per adult    Booking: https://www.roaring40skayaking.com.au/hobart-tours

 

5) Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary 

The Bonorong Night Tour is a group feeding tour with a guide and every participant has plenty of opportunity to interact with the critters. You will enter the animals’ world and experience hand-feeding weird and wonderful creatures like Eastern quolls, tawny frogmouths and sugar gliders. You will also be able to help your guide feed the Tassie devils their dinner! You get to help feed almost all of the animals, as it’s dinner time for daylight dwellers and then the nocturnal animals get their breakfast. Adult tickets cost $165 

Cost: $165         Booking: https://www.bonorong.com.au/bonorong-night-tour

The views are amazing; the walks are better

A visit to Hobart is not complete without a visit to kunanyi / Mt Wellington, which is part of Wellington Park and can be accessed just minutes from the city centre.

It's a favourite destination for so much more than the drive to the top for a photo of the much-revered view. 

So, lace up your hiking boots, grab a map, strap on a backpack and hit the trails... 

1) Myrtle Gully Trail 

One of the oldest most beautiful tracks on kunanyi / Mount Wellington, with mighty eucalypt gum trees, tree ferns, lush mosses and weird fungi. The start of the 2km track is best accessed from the car park at the top of Old Farm Rd in South Hobart). The walk is reasonably steep as it steps its way up to Junction Cabin climbing ~300m in elevation, it’s best to allow about 30-45 mins. As the trail criss-crosses the rambling brook you will come across numerous waterfalls and wooden handcrafted bridges.  

There are a number of hidden secrets on this track including hut ruins and waterfalls. After reaching Junction Cabin there are lots of other walking track options but the best way back to the start is via Old Farm fire Trail. Our Sea to Summit Walk and 'In Darwin's Footsteps tour' include this trail as part of their experience.

Walk Time: 30-45 mins one way           Difficulty: Moderate          Distance: ~2km

2) The Organ Pipes Track 

The newly upgraded Organ Pipes Track is one of Tasmania’s 60 great short walks and is suitable for a wide range of walking abilities. The Organ Pipes are towering dolerite cliffs that are clearly visible from Hobart and are one of the defining features of kunanyi / Mt Wellington. The almost flat track skirts along the base of the cliffs for ~2.5km providing a great sense of scale to the rock columns and their buttresses. The eucalypt woodlands at this elevation begin to thin out with views over Hobart, the River Derwent, Storm Bay and Bruny Island. In early summer, this track provides a vibrant floral show of Wellington Park’s emblem the Tasmanian Waratah.  

The easiest way to access this track is to drive up pinnacle road to The Chalet carpark, the walk heads south to the junction with the Zig Zag and pinnacle tracks. The ‘out and back’ route takes ~45 to 60mins. Our challenging Sea to Summit Walk from Hobart’s dock to the mountains pinnacle includes this trail with a gourmet catered afternoon tea in the Chalet.  

Walk Time: 25 mins one way           Difficulty: Easy           Distance: 2.5km

3) The Ice House Track 

Before the road from the Springs to the Summit was made the only way to get to the top was roughly along this track. As the name suggests there are a number of Ice House ruins for which this track used to service. The Ice Houses started in 1849,  in the early days of Hobart’s colonial History when refrigeration was much less common.  

The changes in plant life along this track are a highlight, starting out in tall thick eucalypt forest which thins out into a beautiful sub alpine Tasmanian Snowgum forest ending with stunted heath flowers on the windswept alpine plateau. The large boulder screes are like rivers of rock, one aptly named the Ploughed Fields while the other, Devils Gulch, gives great views over Bruny Island and channel area.  

This track starts out from the site of the now ruined Springs Hotel just off pinnacle road and forms part of our Alpine Loop Walk. 

Walk Time: ~1 hr one way          Difficulty: Moderate          Distance: ~3km

4) Ferntree to Silver Falls, 

... is a short 20min (one way) walk up the pipeline track from Ferntree Park. It passes through the gorgeous Ferntree Bower, a celebrated site since Hobart’s colonial days. The track is bordered by towering tree ferns as it winds up the hill beside Brown’s Rivulet. After a short climb the small but beautiful Silver Falls is revealed, which is still used as a source of Hobart’s drinking water.  

This is a great family friendly walk on a wide gravelled path, just watch out for the odd bike rider, it’s a nice cool spot on a summer’s day, or in winter there’s Ferntree Tavern to return to if the weather turns wild. 

Walk Time: ~20 mins one way          Difficulty: Easy           Distance: 2km

5) Milles track to Wellington Falls via Disappearing Tarn 

One for the more experienced hiker is the Milles Track which follows the southern contours of kunanyi / Mount Wellington, starting from the upper Springs Carpark to Wellington Falls. The trail has stunning views of Greater Hobart and Bruny Island. If you’re lucky enough you may discover the allusive and breath-taking Disappearing Tarn, which only hangs around for a day or so after heavy winter rains. The crystal-clear turquoise tarn is lined with lichen spotted dolerite boulders; a true photographers dream.  

After scrambling through the ‘potato field’ boulder scree the trail climbs to top of Wellington Falls. They are the largest waterfall in wellington park through which the whole plateau is funnelled, the return journey is by the same route, totalling 22km best done in clear fair weather.

Walk Time: 6 hours return         Difficulty: Rough but not too steep          Distance: 12km

Wellington Park does not have an entry fee, and all sorts of natural and historical points of interest are to be found on the web of trails, firebreaks and tracks. It’s a bit like Hobart’s very own free National Park. Of course, in our humble opinion the best way to really discover this mountain of stories is with a guide, enjoying great local gourmet food and drink, while hearing about the unique plants and intriguing history.

Hobart has a lot to offer and after you have done a Walk on kunanyi, what other gems does Hobart have to offer? Well of course, heading to MONA, Salamanca Market and TMAG are all great options. But what do locals do? Well as two locals we have listed our top 5 things to do in Hobart. We hope you check them out and enjoy. Leave comments if you do!

 

1) Mid-town eateries and drinking holes

 

There’s a new little zone of great eateries and drinking holes emerging in-between the CBD and North Hobart, creatively named Mid-Town. It’s on Elizabeth Street between Bathurst St intersection extending through to Brisbane St. Our highlights are Ettie's a casual bistro come wine bar, bottle shop and dining room, don’t forget to check out their piano bar tucked away in the cellar. Other great bars include Rude Boy and the Kaiju Can bar.

 

2) Coffee with a Dad Joke

 

 

We are pretty blessed with a lot of great coffee options, but we recommend, Villino in Criterion St or Ginger Brown (pretty much Andy’s second lounge room in South Hobart). If you're in the CBD head to Atlas Espresso and be greeted with a chalk board dad joke on your way in, stellar service and bloody awesome coffee. Oh and they are also the current world record holders for the most cappuccinos made in one hour – pretty cool!

 

3) Visit the “Eastern Shore” watch a sunset

 

 

Head across the bridge from Hobart by bike, water taxi, foot or taxi to get to Bellerive. We particularly recommend the cycle across the bridge but be warned it’s a pretty narrow track so only for the experienced! A lovely beach to take a dip, eat fish and chips and soak up the family atmosphere. See the difference in the vegetation and experience Hobart’s “sunny side" where the locals are adamant that its always at least 2 degrees warmer than in Hobart. A great spot to watch a sunset over kunanyi / Mt Wellington.

 

4) A Sub-Antarctic Plant House

 

 

If you didn’t think Hobart was cold enough, head along to the Sub-antarctic Plant House at Hobart’s Royal Botanical Gardens where you get blasted by cold air and can see some of the vegetation that survives in these conditions. Plus its beside the famous Pete’s vegie patch that features on Gardening Australia!

 

5) Rektango

 

 

Want to boogie to some live music and sip on a Cascade stubby with the locals? Every Friday night Rektango hosts live upbeat instrumental music where you can get your inner hippy on and dance like no-one is watching. Oh and its free! If you miss this, the next best bet to drink like a local down at Salamanca is Preachers.

Departing Hobart

We started off at 9am on a lovely Spring morning to ascend kunanyi.  It was Andy and I and we wanted to test this walk– were we crazy to think that walking all the way from Hobart’s waterfront to the top was a good idea?  Traditionally trips up the mountain started closer to the top of her rocky summit.

Following Hobart Rivulet

We started near Salamanca on the shores of the Derwent and the cultural hub of Hobart. We dipped our fingers in the water and of course then got our “before” shot. And away we were!  After skirting the waterfront we made our way to St Davids park, a historic spot which used to be a graveyard (really it still is, its just that the gravestones are now located in one corner of the park).  It is utterly beautiful in there with some very old and wise trees. Crossing two busy roads we find ourselves at the start of the Rivulet track, around 1.5km into the walk. We pass through historical South Hobart, including the world heritage site of the female factory and the old leather tannery and we talk about the importance of this water course for Hobart.

Australia's oldest Brewery

About 5 kms in we find ourselves at the Cascade Brewery. Luckily its only morning so no desire to stop for a beverage but we do partake in some scroggin (some of you know it as trail mix). We wind up through layers of vegetation – from wet schelorphyll forest (there’s your word of the day), dominated by Eucalypts/gum trees to temperate rainforest gullys where the Tree Ferns sprout like table umbrellas along the track.

Whispering water and soothing forest

We stop beside a river, sip tea and find our conversation slows, as though the whispers of the forest have their own words and they speak instead. The climb gets steeper as we ping pong across many a bridge with the gentle whir of the river to keep us company.

Halfway Hut for lunch

We find ourselves at Junction Cabin – a famous landmark on the mountain where five paths congregate before going on their merry way.  We stop for lunch here – salad wraps, soft cheese, Tasmanian Pepperberry quince paste and another hot drink is consumed before we head off up Hunters Track. The track is different again, with this section showing off large boulders, views and scree fields.  We stop twice along the way, to soak up the view, rest and listen to the squawking Currawongs. After one last push, we reach The Chalet – one of the many huts tucked away on the mountain, if you squint, I guess it looks a bit Swiss, hence the name...

Along The organ Pipes Track

We rest, gulp some water, fill up our bottles, have an apple and continue on along the Organ Pipes Track. This track is one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks and has been recently upgraded to provide a smooth underfoot experience.  About five minutes in, the weather turns and we find ourselves walking through swirling mist. We walk past the treeline and climb up beyond the cloud and are greeted with a view worth the climb – a layer of cloud nestles around the mountain and we see Hobart and beyond.

One last climb to the top

Rejuvenated by the view and high on our jelly bean sugar snack we make the final climb to the top. We did it!  It's now 4pm and we are stoked! We crack a beer, crack some jokes and revel in the sense of achievement of the day.  We both can’t stop talking about how iconic and rewarding the walk is.

Discovering Hobart's Iconic Walk

We admire the River Derwent so far below and feel so pleased to have started on her shores and now atop at 1271m. A wonderful sense of phenomenological unearthing – we think we have just discovered THE iconic walk for Hobart! A great day out, a great walk and we both leave the day feeling truly inspired.

It’s late 2018 and Walk on kunanyi is just about to be launched, offering Hobart’s only dedicated kunanyi / Mt Wellington guided walks, with small groups, specialised interpretation, gourmet catering and celebrating all that the mountain has to offer, not just the view from the pinnacle. We believe that Hobart needs an iconic walk, currently there are very few walking tour options in Wellington Park and we want to get visitors out of the bus and off the beaten track, feel safe and surprise them with the history and natural wonders that are tucked away just behind Hobart.

Daring to dream

Let’s go back to the start, It’s 2017 and I’m catching up with Ciara an old workmate who has changed employers, nothing unusual really, as we would often catch up for a cuppa and chat about work, trail running and life in general. However, on this occasion, we revisit another favorite topic, business innovation and a book called the lean start up. What sort of business would we start if we dared to dream? After spending some time pivoting from an idea in the energy industry, we land on the tourism industry as a way for us to share a common passion for Tasmania’s wild places and to step away from corporate culture. Using some design thinking tools like lotus blossum, we generated heaps of ideas and came up with some real gold. Lot’s of which is soo good I can’t share, as its part of the grand plan.

We have an idea but will people like it?

Following some market research we land on a guided day walk business on kunanyi / Mt Wellington. We discover that it is the third most popular destination is Tasmania and that almost all tourists plan to do some form of hiking / bushwalking, with day walking the fasted growing segment. People are travelling to seek out natural and cultural experiences, slowing down and reconnecting. I’m reminded of the 1901 quote from John Muir the Scottish-American naturalist, more better known as the “Father of the National Parks”, which resonates through the ages with such relevance for today “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.”

Our purpose and values

We exist to:

Our values guide our decisions, and comprise 5 Gs:

Rolling up our sleeves

Putting our skills in business strategysustainabilityguiding and natural resource management to use we developed all the boring procedures and back office processes and submitted our permits. 

A little help from our friends

Our good friends from the awarding winning business Wild Pedder helped out massively, sharing lots of industry insight and procedural advice. And put us on to other key industry sources such as Destination Southern Tasmania many of you know as Hobart and Beyond. We have discovered that the tourism industry is super friendly down here.  There is a genuine push towards helping each other, whether it be with information, contacts or advice. It has been a joy to become part of this fabric.

Finding the right walks. 

It was tough, but we had to head out and hit our favorite trails and walk them in a different light, considering what are our timings? where to stop for breaks? what is the track surface/gradient like? We’ve picked a range that still takes in the ‘must sees’ yet provides full and half day options for all walkers.

Bringing it all together

After months of setting up procedures, suppliers, and working with my amazing wife Sarah (aka A Lined Design) on our premo branding and website we start to bring it all together. However, at the 11th hour I’ve taken a pretty serious hit to my brownie point account, as we changed our name from Walk on Wellington to Walk on kunanyi following some feedback from the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. Our branding and website design is so much more than we could have imagined, and we think it really stands out from the rest of the field.

Striding ahead

We are getting close to launch time, lots of test walks and a dress rehearsal weekend are planned, all with a hope to take our first steps in fulfilling our vision of offering walking tours on kunanyi / Mt Wellington that celebrate all that the mountain has to offer. We might just have the right formula to create Hobart’s iconic walk from the shores of the Derwent to the mountain’s summit.

Are you looking for a unique and unforgettable way to experience Tasmania's natural beauty? Look no further than Walk on Kunanyi Tours!

Our guided walking tours take you on a journey through the stunning Mount Wellington/Kunanyi National Park, just a short distance from Hobart. 

Led by experienced and knowledgeable guides, our tours offer an immersive experience that allows you to connect with the natural world around you. We offer a range of tours to suit all fitness levels and interests, from leisurely strolls to more challenging hikes. And with our commitment to sustainable and responsible tourism practices, you can feel good about exploring this beautiful area. 

So why wait? Book your tour with Walk on Kunanyi today and experience the magic of Tasmania's wilderness like never before.
We walk on kunanyi in muwinina country, and acknowledge the palawa people of lutruwita as the traditional owners, who have looked after the land, sea and sky for more than 40 thousand years. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.
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