All That Taz – The Cataract Gorge

On day 3 our journey would take us across the city into the Cataract Gorge. The Cataract Gorge is where the three rivers of Launceston meet: the Tamar, the Northern Esk and the Southern Esk.

We took the Tiger Bus on our way to the River Explorer.  Getting off at the Royal Park, we soon arrived at the entrance point to Cataract Gorge.

The Cataract Walk is an easy 15-minute stroll leading to the Gorge Basin.  As we walked on, we saw the area gradually opening up to a nature colored in chestnut and verdant.  The river basin was in greenish brown, seeming to suggest a fertility that sustained many kinds of wild lives.

We decided to only take the chairlift one way, so we headed toward the suspension bridge.  On our way there, we were distracted by signs pointing us to a lookout.  The Cataract Lookout was a 20-minute walk return.  We tried to brave the trail, but twenty minutes later we saw no signs of the trail ending.  Despite the best of my determination, we decided to head back.

The chairlift claimed itself to be the longest such lift in the world.  I certainly thought that the ride on Mount Hermon in Israel was longer and steeper.  Yet it was a nice rest for me because my knees were hurting from all those walking since we came to Tasmania.  I would suffer from knee pain for the rest of the trip.

The plan for lunch was to visit the restaurants at the Sea Port.  It was a good walk from the Cataract Gorge to the Sea Port along the Tamar River.  We passed by the Ritchie’s Mill, what was once a building for industry, and now revived into a charming antique building as home to the Still Water River Café.  However, food would be too expensive at the Café for us.  Therefore we were happy just to snap a picture there.

Under the warm winter sunlight the Tamar River glowed, reflections of light glimmered against a very dark-colored water.  There were yachts and sailboats at the dock, together making an impression of a waterfront leisure.  We sat down for an Indian lunch at the very far end of the riverside.

Launceston left a lasting impression of quaint antiquity.