subject: Mount Wellington The Pride Of Hobart [print this page] The town of Hobart, Tasmania rests mostly on the foothills of Mount Wellington, which rises some 4000 feet above the blue harbours of the town. Its significance is such that it is generally referred to as simply "The Mountain" by the locals; those ambitious enough to trek to its very summit will be rewarded with amazing views of Hobart city from within a protective enclosure, the Derwent Estuary and good proportion of the World Heritage Area which looms a 100 kilometers to the west.
The 20 minute drive up the mountain features a passing montage of snow-capped slopes and thick rainforests ranging from temperate to sub-alpine. Rare flora and glacial rock formations surprise those who take part in the many nature hikes which take place up the mountain; trekkers and hikers of all fitness levels gamely scale this wilderness of rocks and trees every year, picnic baskets in hand.
For Horbartians, there are two aspects of Mount Wellington that secure their special attention, other than the diversity of flora. One is the distinctive cliff known as the Organ Pipes comprising dolerite columns. The other is the mountain's importance to the indigenous tribes of the Palawa, who are believed to have arrived in Tasmania 40,000 years ago, and whose customs and traditions are inexorably woven around these mountain environs which first nurtured them for millennia, thus endowing it with great archeological significance.
When viewed against a history such as that, the mountain can be said to have been discovered by white Europeans ridiculously late in the timeline. Firstly known as "Table Mountain" among white settlers, its current name was granted in honour of the Duke of Wellington when he emerged victorious over Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. Mount Wellington only became a popular holiday resort during the 19th and 20th centuries; much of these early holiday abodes were destroyed in the catastrophic bushfires of the 1960s. However, Hobartians are proud to recount that Charles Darwin was one of the first Europeans to scale and examine the natural bounty of the mountain, which appeared in his book "The Voyage of the Beagle".
Mount Wellington is also notable for acting as a broadcasting base for several local TV and radio stations, as well as housing the island's weather station. Any further developments however, such as cable car transport, have so far been vehemently vetoed by concerned Hobartians adamant that the beauty of the landscape remain as unsullied as possible.
Mount Wellington is merely the garnish in the host of visual delights presented by the scenic city of Hobart. Travelers looking for accommodation in Hobart will find the luxury serviced apartments Hobart offers a welcome alternative to the oft-tried hotels. Somerset on Salamanca is one such highly-recommended serviced residence located in the Hobart city center.
