Tasmanian Travel Destination: Mt Wellington

Kunanyi / Mt Wellington is a wilderness experience just a 20-minute drive from the Port of Hobart after pickup from the Cruise Ship terminal and is much loved by locals. It is one of the most fantastic places to admire the view of Hobart Town. When Hobart locals want to consider the day’s weather they look to Mount Wellington. Don’t forget to pack accordingly - it can often get down to 7 degrees atop the mountain.

The 21-km drive to the summit passes through temperate rain forest to sub-alpine flora and glacial rock formations, ending in panoramic views of Hobart, Bruny Island, South Arm and the Tasman Peninsula. The diversity of plant and animal life reflects the many micro-climates that exist in the park's perimeter. A total of 500 native plant species live here, including many endemic Tasmanian plants. A diverse range of fauna also call the park home, including dozens of bird species and a long list of ground animals including potoroos, pademelons, bettongs, bandicoots, possums, platypus and echidna.

No other city in Australia has a vista like this one atop Mt Wellington. The interpretation center at the top protects you from the blustering winds while an open viewing platform on the western side of the car park looks out to the World Heritage Wilderness Area beyond.

Please submit a detailed quote request to find out more information or more about the tour itself directly by clicking this multi day quote button.

Tasmanian Travel Destination: Mt Wellington

During settlement the Mountain's greatest asset was water, firstly from the Hobart Rivulet and later carried from mountain streams through an extensive system of aqueducts, pipelines and reservoirs to supply the town below. For over a hundred years Mount Wellington was exploited for its natural resources – timber, stone, food, ice, skins, ferns and seeds. 

Timber was the main commodity – wattle, she-oak, stringy bark and blue gum – and was used for building and firewood. Tree ferns were cut down and used extensively for decoration and lined the streets and arches during the Royal Tour in 1901. Concern by conservationists and tourist promoters regarding denudation began in 1870, but it was not until 1906 it was declared a Public Park.

Tasmanian Travel Destination: Mt Wellington

The cliffs, boulder fields, swamps and gullies provide diverse habitat for fauna and flora During the nineteenth century Mount Wellington became a mecca for botanists. Examples of flora and fauna were sent to England for examination and classification and many still bear the names of the botanists who collected them. New discoveries continue to be made. Over 400 plant species are found on Mount Wellington while 62 species of birds were recorded in 1976. Animal life is mainly nocturnal. Snakes, frogs and lizards are common during the day. A living fossil, Anaspides tasmaniae, a tiny freshwater shrimp, was recorded in 1837.

Mount Wellington has a vivid history. It has been devastated by fire and flood; the scar of a major landslip is clearly visible. It has provided sites for weather stations, AUSSAT's Barth Station and telecommunication facilities. Recreational purposes have included bushwalking, foot racing, cliff climbing and sightseeing. Many huts were built on the Mountain and by the 1930s a network of tracks existed. The Mountain was also popular with skiers, but lost favour when the snow became unreliable. The Pinnacle Road, opened in 1937, enables easy access to the top. Mount Wellington continues to be Hobart's major tourist attraction, offering spectacular panoramic views of the city, river, land and sea below.