The Best Hobart Hike Fueled By Delicious Bites: Mt. Wellington and Ginger Brown

Tasmania means business when it comes to nature. There are 19 national parks that span across 40% of the island, hundreds of walks along the coast and through the bush, and a general “let’s preserve this world we live in….” type of attitude. I might call New York City home, but nothing refills my cup quite like a long day in nature. So we’ve been hitting day walks across Tasmania ranging from The South Cape Bay walk at the most southern tip up to Mt. Amos in Freycinet National Park, all coupled with tasty bites. This is a food blog… after all.

While most have required a couple hours of driving each way, there’s one that’s right in Hobart’s backyard: Kunayi / Mt. Wellington.

Let’s dive into the next installment of Tasmania hikes and bites with a hike up Mt. Wellington fueled by delicious treats from Ginger Brown.

The Park: Wellington Park

Wellington Park is a natural reserve spanning across 44,500-acres. It’s right in Hobart’s backyard, and the striking Kunayi / Mt. Wellington serves as an impressive backdrop to the city. Unlike other parks featured in my Hikes and Bites series, Wellington Park isn’t a national park. Rather, it’s managed by the Wellington Park Management Trust, as established by the Wellington Park Act 1993. This means that various public and private parties have a say in how the park is managed. The internet isn’t too helpful on shedding light as to why this is and what it means. But I’m guessing it’s because this makes it easier to use the area for commercial reasons. I.E rain catchment facilities.

There are 264km of trails for walking, running, and mountain biking spread across the area. From easy, short strolls to heart-pumping hikes, there’s something for everyone amidst the network of trails. In typical Jeremy and Katie fashion, we opted for a longer, more intense option….

The Hike: Organ Pipes Circuit with the Zig Zag trail up to the summit

We began the circuit in The Springs, which is about half way up the mountain. At the trailhead, you’ll see a sign indicating the various paths. It’s very important to take note, because there’s a huge web of tracks weaving their way around Wellington Park. The Organ Pipes Circuit is a puzzle of a few of these various tracks, and there are only a handful of checkpoints that clearly say “Organ Pipes Circuit.” So snap a picture, download an app, or have a map handy to ensure you don’t get off track.

The first 3km connects The Springs to the Junction Cabin via the Lenah Valley Track. It’s flat and easy through a green forest with the type of path you could trail run. There’s a lookout over Sphinx Rock, and you’ll pass by a handful of interesting old huts. Then the climb begins….

At Junction Cabin, follow the signs indicating Hunters Track to The Chalet. The next hour (or so) is mostly up with a few switchbacks and sections of boulders that require intentional steps and rock hopping. The trail spits you out onto Pinnacle Road. At this point your legs might feel like jelly and you may start flirting with the idea of hitch hiking. But persevere! The good stuff is just a few minutes away.

Continue across the road to “The Chalet”, and follow the signs pointing to the Organ Pipes Track. Five minutes in, and you’ll be rewarded with incredible views overlooking Hobart and the surrounding area. Keep going another 5 minutes, and an epic view of the organ pipes reveal itself. (The Organ Pipes are dolemite rock. Learn about them in my Hikes and Bites featuring Cape Hauy!) The next 40 minutes (ish) is relatively flat with jaw-dropping views, and then you’ll reach a fork in the road.

You can keep going straight to finish out the Organ Pipes Circuit. Or you can take a detour up the Zip Zag Track for a 1.4km hike with a 300m elevation gain to the the summit of Kunayi / Mt. Wellington. It was a beautiful day with crystal clear skies, so we shrugged our shoulders and headed on up.

The elevation is relentless, but the track is very well maintained with no huge steps or rock scrambling. We made it up in 30 minutes, and the views were well worth the climb. After taking in the views, we returned from whence we came and continued the Organ Pipes Circuit back down to The Springs.

The entire hike was around 13km/8mi, and it took us exactly 4 hours.

Key Notes

• Weather can change very quickly, and it’s important to be prepared. Even on this beautifully sunny day, the summit was very cold and windy.
• Pack plenty of water and snacks.
• You can also just drive to the summit. But hey…. what’s the fun in that?!

The Bite: Ginger Brown

Ginger Brown is a charming cafe that serves up some of the best brunch in town. It was the first Aussie brekkie experience I had when I first visited 6 years ago in 2020– the giant crumpet smothered in cream and jam and the garlic mushroom omelet changed my brunch standards forever.

While Ginger Brown has stellar food, they also have excellent baked treats available for take away. We opted for a cheese muffin, caramel slice, and Monte Carlo biscuit to fuel the adventure. The cheese muffin had a soft texture and a delightful cheesy, slightly salty flavor. The Monte Carlo boasted two perfectly buttery biscuits sandwiched around a thick layer of cream and just-thick-enough layer of tart raspberry jam.

But my favorite item was hands down the caramel slice. It had a thin buttery biscuit base and just-thin-enough chocolate top with a super thick layer of silky caramel in between. I was shook by how the caramel layer simply melted in my mouth, and the biscuit and chocolate added a slight bit of crunch to keep the mouthfeel exciting. A home run of a treat.

This hike up Kunayi/Mt. Wellington with a stop at Ginger Brown is the perfect way to spend a day!