Organ Pipes Circuit
Mount Wellington
Directions - Located 20 minutes from the centre of Hobart, take the A6 and then Huon Rd towards Mount Wellington. Snake up this road for a while until you see the sign pointing you up towards the summit of Mount Wellington. The Springs is located on Pinnacle Road before the summit with the Lost Freight Café near the trail head.
The Hike - With the Three Capes Lodge Walk finished it was decided we would stick around Hobart for a few days and visit Caris' sister as she lived just out of the city centre (everything in Hobart is 20 minutes away). Given they are lucky to have a mountain plonked on the side of the CBD with some epic views of the Derwent River and surrounding hills, it would be a shame if I didn't explore the area and get in a few hikes. After a couple of days of chilling out and doing tourist stuff around Hobart I decided to check out one of the walks that I had been looking forward to doing ever since we had planned the trip over, the Organ Pipes Circuit.
Being a decent length, showing off some of the amazing features around Mount Wellington and providing some fantastic views was the reason I chose this one as what would be my only Hobart hike of the trip. Being without a car during our stay I was able to borrow Caris' dad's Suzuki van for the half hour drive up to starting point for the hike, The Springs. A cool little area that is home to a few trail heads, it felt very North American with a coffee shop, a stone cabin and lots of information boards. I liked it a lot and it had the feeling of a place where people would just come to relax and enjoy themselves in the outdoors, rather different from the tourist infested selfie stick bun fight at the summit (which we did on one day but it was super windy so we didn't stay long). The Organ Pipes Circuit starts from the western side of Pinnacle Drive at one of the many informative boards in the area. I figured it would be easier to start closer to the actual Organ Pipes Track as the whole loop is a combination of different tracks so you'll need to be aware of the various trail junctions and which direction you need to go.
Starting on the Pinnacle Track you are thrown into the climbing straight away as the track makes its way through thick tunnels of vegetation up towards the summit. The ascent is not super steep but it's long and enough to get your legs burning, taking your breath away every now and then (much like the views a bit later on). Some beautiful stone stairs help your rhythm and a good collection of wildflowers in the scrub helps create an excuse to stop (not that you should need one to look at pretty flowers). The tunnels were doing a great job of blocking out the sunlight, along with the intermittent cloud cover, so this stretch was looking very photogenic and the details of the stone and old tree trunks weren't washed out. Breaks in the scrub provide a glimpse of the epic city views that become the norm further on and serve to build the excitement. A more sombre scene appears when you come across a small plaque marking the spot where a hiker had died competing in the "Go As You Please" race to the summit in 1903.
It's a good reminder that it wasn't all well maintained walking tracks up here and to be able to safely navigate around a network of trails is a nice luxury. The end of the sustained climbing stops at the trail junction where the Pinnacle Track and Organ Pipes Track meet. Follow the signs for the Organ Pipes Circuit (of course) and enjoy the flatter terrain as you begin the shuffle underneath the impressive dolerite pillars. Having seen similar structures from above and side on during the Three Capes, it was fun to see them from a different perspective, really appreciating their impressive height. A smattering of Pineapple Heath plants dotted the vegetation, bringing back more memories from the past week and serving to provide interesting focal points for the photos. Initially the views of the Organ Pipes are partially blocked by the tree line so you only get limited views. As you move closer this changes and you are underneath these rising columns of ancient stone staring up as they jut out into the heavens. A popular area for climbers, there are warning signs about the risks of climbing in the area but I spotted a few locals up in the crevices enjoying the sheltered conditions that the Organ Pipes provide.
My pace at this point was not quick at all given I had the marvel of the Organ Pipes to my left and the expansive views of Hobart and the Derwent River to my right. I had a brief period where there was minimal cloud cover above the pipes so furiously shot away trying to capture the whole thing in one panoramic (it only just fits). Prying myself away from this spot was made better by the exposed track leading away from the Organ Pipes and towards The Chalet. Some of the best views from this trail are to be found here as the scree fields rolling down the mountain provides a lack of tree cover on the slopes. Feeling like the trail just skipped off the side of the mountain, there are some really cool spots here where you can soak it all in and let your gaze wonder from distant object to distant object. Along with the views down towards the city and river, the views to the north provided you with an unspoiled landscape that looked very similar to the views near the summit of Bluff Knoll. I love the sight of silhouetted hills and moody skies so was having a fantastic time photographing everything.