Day 60 - Launceston and Cataract Gorge

We think we had a zero degree morning this morning.  We know it was cold because there was no activity in the caravan park.  The morning was used to do household chores and in the afternoon we headed off to see Launceston and to walk through the Cataract Gorge.

We were able to get some shots of Launceston from the western side of the Tamar.  This side of the Tamar rises quickly from the river so the houses seem to be perched on the edge of the hillsides.  The eastern side is flatter.

280415 Launceston from a town lookout 1 of 3

280415 Launceston from a town lookout 2 of 3

280415 Launceston from a town lookout 3 of 3

The walk up the Cataract Gorge on the side we tackled is well graded and there were very few hilly bits.  The gorge is initially subject to tidal flow but about 400m up, the gorge rises and the fresh water from the South Esk River, cascades its way to join the salt water.

280415 The road bridges over the entrance to the Cataract Gorge

280415 Looking up the Cataract Gorge

280415 Where the rapids meet the river water

280415 Looking further up the gorge

280415 Looking back down the gorge

280415 Further up the gorge, looking across First Basin to the suspension
bridge in the far distance

The gorge opens out at one point and forms a basin in the gorge, called the First Basin. This has been made into an open grassy area with, of all things, a swimming pool in it.  There was nobody swimming in the pool.

280514 Looking across the basin from the Cataract Gorge gardens.
That is a swimming pool on the RHS

On the other side of the First Basin the forefathers planted European trees and flowering shrubs which form a series of gardens.  Sadly the rhododendrons and camellias were not out and most of the deciduous trees had lost there leaves.  The little wallabies seemed to be at home in this environment. 

The river, as it emptied into the First Basin was crossed by an old suspension bridge.  It was still going strongly even though it was built in 1904.  We chose not to take the zig-zag return route back to the car.  Apparently it is a fitness freak's delight and we are past that.

280415 The suspension bridge.  It does swing when you walk on it

280415 The suspension bridge across the gorge built in 1904

280415 Looking further up the gorge from the suspension bridge.

280415 Looking from the suspension bridge across First Basin

Many moons ago, further up the River, at Duck Reach, a turbine-driven power station was constructed by the Council and it is understood that Launceston had the distinction of being the first City south of the Equator to be lit by electricity, generated by water power. On the 10th December, 1895, electricity was officially switched on.   Today, 20km further up the gorge from the suspension bridge is a dam, the Trevallyn Dam, which has a hydro power station attached.

After a pleasant walk back along the gorge, we made our way back into Launceston and booked on a cruise up the Tamar River for tomorrow. We got lost a couple of times in the process but fortunately Launceston is not very big so we were OK

Today was a quiet interlude after the excitement of Jacob's Ladder yesterday.