Mt Wellington, Hobart, Tasmania

view of hobart on the derwent river and beyond

snow on top of mt wellington (over 1270 meters), hobart

freezing at top of mountain

great rock formations on top of mt. commonly called the organ pipes. Mountain is a mass of igneous rock pushed upward by molten rock, as the Australian continental shelf tore away from Antarctica, over 40 million years ago. 

mt wellington

back down at sea level, hobart harbor, constitution dock. lots of nice fish restaurants and off  the boat fish places are in the harbor.

Nice morning going up to Mt Wellington with Dave, Scott's friend who lives in Tasmania. There is a windy road up to top of mountain built in the 1930's. lots of nice hiking trails off the road. Dave told us that many people often get into trouble on the mountain as the temperatures can drop radically catching people without the proper clothing/equipment. Incredible views of Tasmania from the summit. One fifth of Tasmania is protected as a World Heritage Area. Aborigines first settled the area over 35,000 years ago when it was linked to continental Australia. Over 12,000 years ago at the end of the Ice Age the Bass Strait was formed cutting off Tasmania from Oz.  The Dutch explorer Abel Tasman (from Groningen province in Holland!) in 1642 sighted the west coast of Tasmania.  He named his discovery Van Diemen's Land after Anthony van Diemen, Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies, it was known by this name until the 19th century.