Track from Wellington Falls

[muka]

Today we got to Wellington Falls and saw on the map a track that crosses the Falls and then wonders up to the Thark Ridge.

The question is this:

We tried to find the 'entrance' of this track at the end of the 'Springs to Wellington Falls' track but to no avail.

Anyone please have a clue where it starts ? (I know we will have to cross over falls )

Thanks

[bauera]

There is an unmarked route to the top of the falls which leave the Springs - Wellington Falls track some 50 or 100 metres before you get to the lookout, basically somewhere as you head down the hill. If you can find that and make it to the top of the falls you should be able to pick up the track on the western bank by a bit of tape. It's a little bit above the actual lip of the falls, maybe one or two little drops up, where it is easiest to cross the river (don't try this when there is a lot of water about) and almost directly opposite where you scramble down to it.
The track is a bit overgrown but still clear once you are on it.
I first approached it from the Mt Montague side, after a Cathedral - Thumbs - Montague traverse and used it to link up with the Pipeline and Siphon routes back to Bett's Rd. If you can get access to David Leaman's maps of the Wellington walking tracks you will find them very helpful. They are in his book Walking into History in Southern Tasmania, which I am sure you could get from the State Library or buy.

[ben.h]

Another approach would be to tackle this section of track starting at the top end (in the plateau between the end of Thark Ridge and Mt Montague) where the start of the track is also quite easy to find.

edit: I should've read the previous posters comment more carefully as they have already mentioned this
I also have "Walk into History..." and have literally loved the book to pieces. It is available at Fullers in Hobart and I highly recommend it [ http://www.fullersbookshop.com.au/tasmaniana.html ]

[Singe]

I followed this track yesterday, starting at Cathedral Rock, but missed the Western end of the track; by the time I realised something wasn't right, it was too late in the day to backtrack to Cathedral so fearing I wouldn't be able to locate the Wellington Falls track I ended up walking out to Pinnacle Rd and calling my lovely wife for a rescue! The strange thing is that I've walked this track in the past, and didn't have any trouble locating it - in fact I didn't recall there being a track that continued up to Mt Wellington at all...

[ben.h]

I followed this track yesterday, starting at Cathedral Rock, but missed the Western end of the track; by the time I realised something wasn't right, it was too late in the day to backtrack to Cathedral so fearing I wouldn't be able to locate the Wellington Falls track I ended up walking out to Pinnacle Rd and calling my lovely wife for a rescue! The strange thing is that I've walked this track in the past, and didn't have any trouble locating it - in fact I didn't recall there being a track that continued up to Mt Wellington at all...

I'm guessing you passed "Municipality Cairn" marking the intersection of Kingborough, Hobart and Glenorchy? (its a big rock with a red dot, an "M" and an arrow painted on it). If so then you walked up onto Thark Ridge.

As you walk along the plateau between Mt Montague and Thark ridge, Wellington Falls track starts at the end of the flat where the track you are following suddenly kicks uphill.

Give or take 100m or so, Wellington Falls track starts around about here (there's a pretty distinct cairn there somewhere and blue tape further along the route proper):


View Larger Map

[Singe]

Guess I must have passed it; I'll keep a sharper look out next time!

[ben.h]

Ok, I've trawled through the archives and found a few photos that may help
First, I've posted a little map previously explaining a few features of the loop walk:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=1749&p=14696

Now some photos showing detail:

This is where the wellington falls track starts (heading toward Mt Wellington).

Looking along Wellington Falls track (this shot is taken from between the two cairns on the right of the photo above)

This is where the track crosses the falls.

[Singe]

That's brilliant, thanks! I must've been on autopilot at that point... won't miss it next time though

Just so I'm making some form of contribution to this thread - I'd recommend gaiters for the Thark Ridge track. Some sections were quite overgrown and scrubby, and near Pinnacle Road it became boggy (though only about 20cm deep at the worst point).