Tasmania: Launceston Cataract Gorge

Hey all! I'm going to start my first post with a beautiful picture of Cataract Gorge in Launceston that I took in 2011. I went there for a road/backpacking trip with a group of friends. Cataract Gorge was our first stop after reaching Tasmania. 

A brief description of Cataract Gorge quoted from their website: 

Cataract Gorge Reserve, or ""The Gorge"" as the locals call it, is a unique natural formation within a two-minute drive of central Launceston - a rare natural phenomenon in any city.
In 15 minutes you can walk from the city centre along the banks of the Tamar River into "The Gorge".
From here you follow a pathway along the cliff face, originally built in the 1890s, looking down onto the South Esk River. The Kings Bridge over "The Gorge" was floated into place in 1867. 
The First Basin, on the southern side, features a swimming pool and an open area surrounded by bushland. 
In contrast, the shady northern side, named the Cliff Grounds, is a Victorian garden where wilderness is created with ferns and exotic plants - nature is enhanced by art. There's a Restaurant and kiosk, rolling lawns and a rotunda, a pub with a view, a footbridge and chairlift across the river, peacocks in the trees, wallabies at dusk. This may be the nation's most alluring urban reserve. 
Further upstream is the historic Duck Reach Power Station, now an Interpretation Centre. The Launceston City Council originally commissioned the Power Station in 1893, making it the largest hydro-electric scheme of its day. By 1895 it was lighting the city.

Looking at the beautiful scenary, I am sure you won't regret paying a visit here. Back then, I'm like a little girl, holding my camera, keep snapping photos and "wow"-ing all the way. 

Of course, to get better scenery, you need to put some effort in. Follow the walking trail and you will find nicer scenery along the way. I enjoyed the walk and it wasn't a tiring experience for me because I went during end of Spring (the weather is just perfect! Note: Tasmania is normally colder compared to cities like Melbourne and Sydney). 

This is a photo taken by my friend half-way through the walking trail. The lighting is heavenly pretty isn't it. =) 

 (On the left) A photo of cliffground - there's many peacocks around that area. Get your chance to take good photos with them. They're really cute! Some even appear in the restaurant while we were having our lunch.
(On the right) The blogger on the kings bridge with amazing scenery around. 

If you wish to find out more about Cataract Gorge, you can go to their official website and have a look. It is definitely worth a trip. I miss Tasmania again after writing this post. haha!

Stay tuned for next post! Thanks for reading. =) Cheers