The City of Hobart has opened a new link in the popular Pipeline Track so riders no longer have to carry their bikes up Gentle Annie Falls.
The new 2km link starts at the end of the road through Waterworks Reserve and joins the Pipeline Track above Gentle Annie Falls close to McDermotts Saddle.
It has been designed at a much gentler gradient than the old track, allowing shared use by people walking and riding.
It’s still a steep section of track but switchbacks make it easier to ride than the old track and are a smoother surface than the alternative fire trail.
You can now ride the 18km from Waterworks Reserve up through Fern Tree to North West Bay River without having to get off your bike (apart from the Fern Tree stairs) unless it’s for one of the history feature stops along the way.
New signage has been installed as part of the project, telling the story of the eponymous pipeline that transported water from Kunanyi/Mt Wellington to the reservoirs that were built in 1861 and 1908.
A new highlight of the track is an 1883 sandstone pipe-head well that had been covered by dense vegetation but has now been revealed, with a viewing platform built so visitors can appreciate it.
The $800,000 project has been funded by the City of Hobart with a $181,000 Tasmanian Government's Open Spaces Grants Program.
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