Tag Archives: Franklin Wharf

Walking along the wharves of Sullivans Cove, Hobart

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On Stage 11, after walking along Hunter St, I turned right to walk along the Franklin Wharf street, and had the Derwent River on my left and an enclosure for fishing and other vessels to my right. The morning was fresh, the sun was shining and it was all together delightful. Not many people around. The mountain, clearly visible, looked down on the centre of Hobart and over the wharves. Clouds were reflected serenely in the water.

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A family of bronze sculptures, perched life-like on rocks on the River side, is much loved by visitors.

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Passing Mures fish restaurant on my right, I continued on until I could see the row of floating fish shops selling fresh and cooked fish and other seafood.

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A minute later, I was standing on the celebration platform used when the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race boats arrive. I looked across to Elizabeth Pier which contains accommodation, conference facilities and a number of eateries (where sitting outside is such a pleasure).  In the photo below the ‘tall-ship’ replica Lady Nelson sits outside the T42 restaurant.

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Opposite Elizabeth St pier, a number of buildings of different architectural styles and vintages line part of the street. Continuing to the other side of the Elizabeth St pier, a second tall ship, the Windward Bound offers sailing trips.

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On the next pier after the one in the photo above, a couple of the contemporary camouflaged MONA ferries sat either side within the slightly mobile surface of beautiful glassy water.  Taking a trip on these ferries down the Derwent to and from MONA (Museum of New and Old Art) located in the suburb of Berriedale (I walked through that on recent Stages) helps you to see parts of Hobart you would not normally see, and it gives you a perspective on the distances over which the Greater Hobart Area sprawls. It is interesting to reflect on the two extremes of water vessel technology, when you look at the 19th century sailing ship close by a state-of-the-art catamaran.

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These starting sections of my Stage 11 were colourful and tranquil. It’s a free, easy, stroll along the waterfront and there is much to see looking out onto the side of the Derwent River. The next posting on this blog will look at landmarks on the non-River side of the streets.

Starting off for Hunter St Hobart on last Monday’s Stage 11 of the walk along the Derwent River

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Despite having a severe dislike of getting out of bed early, I always try and ‘get on the road’ as early as possible for my walks in case the weather changes for the worse during the day – the earlyish starts give me all the chances in the world to walk as far as I can. It was no different last Monday. I left home not long after 6.30am (yes I know many of you would still have been snoring) and bussed into Hobart. I walked down to the intersection with the major thoroughfare at Davey St and Evans St near the wharf area. Looking around, notable landmarks for locals surrounded me.

The chimney of the beautiful 19th century sandstone Gasworks now reinvented into a HOGS restaurant and a bottle shop, sits on one corner.

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A warehouse-like building for Tas Ports on another corner.

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The apartment block for residents and tourists known as Zero Davey on another.

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The concert hall of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra at one end of the Grand Chancellor Hotel on the other.

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By 7.15am I had walked to the intersection of Hunter St with Davey St. There are a considerable number of information boards along this street providing lots of information about the history of the area. This was the area where the first European settlers started the colony after giving up on Risdon Cove on the eastern shore of the River.

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One side of the street is lined with buildings many of which were built in the 19th century.

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The other side of the street has the wharf space which is normally used by fishing boats: for example, the crayfish/lobster boats. Look at how silken soft the water is. Wonderfully colourful.

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I left Hunter St at 7.25am at the intersection with the Franklin Wharf street that extends parallel to the waters of the Derwent River. If you were to walk along Hunter St and not be note taking and clicking photographs, it would take you a maximum of two minutes to walk.  But if you want to stop and look and read then allow longer.