Charles Darwin Trail

Difficulty

• Walking: Moderate
• Cycling: Easy

Length: 12km approximately

Time: 4.5 hour walk

Parking: End of Cambridge Road by Clarence Hotel in Bellerive Village or Kangaroo Bay Parklands on Kangaroo Bay Drive

Dogs: On lead

This walk follows the footsteps of Charles Darwin when he visited Hobart on the HMS Beagle in 1836. Interpretive signs along the trail are based on the notes and observations that Darwin made during his day excursion to Hobart’s eastern shore.

The route follows the coast between Kangaroo Bay and Howrah, then heads inland via local streets to Waverley Flora Park, before returning to the start at Kangaroo Bay. Walkers have the option of using Bellerive Beach and Howrah Beach while bike riders and dog walkers will need to remain on the Clarence Foreshore Trail.

A side trip can be done to Knopwood Hill using the pedestrian overpass off Tilanbi Street to cross the South Arm Highway.

There are pavement markers on footpaths and signage in Waverley Flora Park to assist with navigation on the trail.

Interpretive signs can be found at the following locations:

• Interpretive sign 1 – Bellerive Bluff (Victoria Esplanade)
• Interpretive sign 2 – Second Bluff (Veronica Thorpe memorial seat)
• Interpretive Sign 3 – Mornington Hill
• Interpretive Sign 4 – Pitfield Quarry
• Interpretive sign 5 – Waverley Flora Park (Mercedes Place entrance)

Activities

• Cycling
• Walking

Warning: The track through Waverley Flora Park is gravel with some moderate hill climbing. There are restrictions for dogs on beaches – see signage on the path. Dog walkers will need to remain on the Clarence Foreshore Trail at Bellerive and Howrah. Effective control of dogs also applies in Waverley Flora Park.

Special thanks: We would like to thank David Leaman and The Royal Society of Tasmania for providing information for the signs and Karen Marlowe for the Darwin sketch used on the signs.

More information on Charles Darwin and his visit to Hobart can be found in the following publications:

• Walk Into History: In Southern Tasmania (1999) by David Leaman, published by Leaman Geophysics
• Charles Darwin in Hobart Town (2009), a special publication of The Royal Society of Tasmania