Quick links

From dry woodlands to windswept summits. Wellington Park is threaded with tracks and trails. Shorter walks in the eastern foothills are well-suited to families, while exposed tracks extend beyond the summit of the mountain to wild and remote places. Walkers should choose a route to suit as tracks vary in condition and gradient. Most are well marked and easy to follow, however, remote and higher altitude tracks may be rough or wet underfoot. Navigation skills may be required on some routes, especially during poor visibility.

Every year, walkers (even experienced locals) get disoriented and delayed or lost when the weather changes or misadventure visits.  Preparation is key for an enjoyable walking experience in the Park. Walks below The Springs (700m above sea level) don’t require special preparation – just always pack warm clothes, wet weather gear and a charged mobile phone if you're planning on walking for more than 30 mins.

• Always carry a charged mobile phone. Reception is generally very good, but there will be blackspots in more remote parts of the Park. Download the Emergency+ app to enable critical location details needed to mobilise emergency services.
• All walks marked on maps are signposted
• All commonly used walks leaving from Fern Tree, The Springs, the Chalet (1000m above sea level) and The Pinnacle (1271m above sea level) are routinely maintained by the City of Hobart's professional Bushland Reserves Track Management Unit.
• Generic online maps (eg Google Maps) are unreliable for directions in Wellington Park. The locations of many features, such as Disappearing Tarn, are not shown correctly.

A walk in the remote areas of Wellington Park is a deeply rewarding and memorable experience. You will find yourself in a wild place of spectacular, rugged landscapes, inhabited by remarkable variety of interesting vegetation and wildlife.  Remote area track types vary, from fire trails to cross country routes with marker poles. 

There are 10 tracks from the Eastern face (i.e. The Springs, The Chalet, Big Bend or The Pinnacle):

• From The Springs: Pinnacle Track, Zig Zag Track (closed Jan-March 2023), Milles Track (connecting to Snake Plains Track), Ice House Track. 
• From the Chalet: Organ Pipes Track, connecting to the Zig Zag Track (closed Jan-March 2023). 
• From The Pinnacle: Panorama Track, South Wellington Track, Zig Zag Track (closed Jan-March 2023). 
• From Big Bend: Thark Ridge Track (to Mount Montague, Devils Throne, The Thumbs and Cathedral Rock); Big Bend tail, Collins Bonnet Track. 

There are also more than 10 tracks from other starting points:  

• Betts Rd, Longley: The Cathedral Rock Track; Mount Montague, The Thumbs, Devil’s Throne and Thark Ridge. 
• Morphetts Rd and Huon Rd, Neika: Snake Plains Track, southern end, connecting to the Milles Track (nearest access point is via the Pipeline Track from the carpark at Morphetts Rd on the Huon Rd at Neika). 
• Mountain River: The Mountain River Trail, connecting to the East West Trail. 
• Myrtle Forest, Collinsvale: Myrtle Forest Track; Collins Cap Track; Collins Bonnet Track.

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.  You will need moderate experience, fitness and knowledge. Consider all members of your party:  

• Do you know what you’re getting yourself in for (steep rocky terrain, dense scrub, quick changes in weather)? 
• Are you up for it and to it? 
• Do you know what to do if you get lost? 
• Do you know how to use map and compass? GPS? 
• Does your mobile phone have GPS and a navigator and compass and can you confidently use them? (Practise before you set off.) Mobile phone GPS apps work off satellites, not mobile phone networks, so they will work even where mobile reception drops out. 

Prepare for your remote area walk:

• Choose an appropriate route 
• Do your research - Wellington Park Management Trust, Greater Hobart Trails, Tassie Trails, Bushwalktasmania.com, Leave No Trace Australia. 
• Gain experience: start young, get base fitness; get the right gear/equipment; join a club e.g. Hobart Walking Club, Pandani Bushwalking Club. 
• Check weather the day before and on the morning of your walk; consider rescheduling as necessary 
• Tell someone your plan and estimated time of arrival/return 
• Have at least one companion, preferably 2-3 
• Use a checklist 
• Allow time to be thorough – ideally pack the day before 
• Give yourself space: put all your gear out on a big table/floor/bed and tick it off a list 
• Check each other’s preparation

BASIC gear list:  

• Comfy sturdy boots 
• Long pants or gaiters 
• Long sleeve shirt 
• Spare thermal / woollen layer 
• Spray jacket 
• Hat 
• Sunglasses 
• Sunscreen 
• First aid kit including compression bandages 
• Charged mobile phone 
• Map and compass, or GPS with fresh batteries 
• Sufficient food and drink 
• Personal medication (for allergies, asthma etc) 
• Matches – fires allowed in an emergency 
• Torch – in case you are caught out after dark and to signal. 

ADDITIONAL gear to consider for more extended walks and poorer weather:

• All of the above
• Goretex type jacket 
• Overpants 
• Extra warm clothes e.g. fleece, woollen jumper 
• PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) or EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon): not essential, but many solo and remote walkers appreciate the security of carrying a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to activate in the event of a life-threatening emergency. PLBs can be hired from Service Tasmania shops (Mon-Fri only) in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport. Phone 1300 135 513 for further information. ​​There are also independent hire companies.​ 

Be warned!

• COTTON – don’t rely on it for warmth when wet. Pack wool/warm synthetics. 
• Complacency – assumption is the mother of all stuff-ups. 
• Constrained time – allow time to prepare, get there and get back. Go by Mountain time not city time. Consider available light. 
• Climate – check weather before and during if possible. 
• Confidence – experience can be as hazardous as inexperience. 
• Caution – Allow more time than you think you need, particularly on longer walks in more remote areas. 
• Concentrate – keep to the track. Natural forces can work to conceal signs and markers and tracks: water, animals, weather. The way ahead is not always clear on natural surfaces like rock. “Watch where you put, every little foot.” 
• Keep together – If you are walking in a group, stay together, walk at the speed of the slowest member.