Featherstone Cascades

Featherstone Cascades is on an old track near O'Gradys Falls

Proposal

Above O’Gradys Falls on the Hobart Rivulet are a series of attractive small waterfalls named Featherstone Cascades. It was once a popular walk beside the rivulet on an easy gradient track, but for some reason stopped being maintained and fell into disuse. Records from 1930’s mention the track and it is on maps dated 1931 and 1935.

The old track to Featherstone Cascades is still visible for much of the way beside the cascades and it would not take much effort to reopen this historic track, especially now the new rocky Wheel’n track crosses Hobart Rivulet that flows over Featherstone Cascades.

I have walked from the start of the track on Betts Vale Track just north of O’Gradys Falls mostly using part of the original track. It is approximately 450 metres to the main waterfalls. A couple of large trees block part of it and would be the major work needed to clear it to the main area of Featherstone Cascades. However, the cascades continue up the creek and there are signs of where the old track went and can be followed for much of the length to the new Rocky Wheel’n ‘multi-use track’.   The old track can be seen zig zagging up the slope making it an easy gradient.   From the old map it can be seen that the old track remained on the north side of the rivulet until somewhere near the Rocky Wheel’n track and therefore does not require any bridging.  The total track length is approximately 680 metres.

Given the large amount spent on the Rocky Wheel’n and associated tracks, it would be a relatively small amount to resurrect the Featherstone Cascades track for walkers.  At the very point where the Rocky Wheel’n track crosses Hobart Rivulet there is a very attractive small fall that would have once been considered as part of the cascades.  A rough track has already formed from the multi-use track to this waterfall and rocks have been placed for access, an indication that a formal hardening is needed to prevent damage.

As the remains of the original track still exist, any reopening work ought to be done very sensitively to retain the original 1930s work as much as possible.  It may also be feasible to reopen the upper section marked on the map below, from Rocky Wheel’n track to the junction with Woods Track near the Pinnacle Road.  Part of this does cross the downhill bikes only Free Wheel’n track virtually at the same spot that it also crosses Woods Track, so may not present any additional safety problems.

As part of the creation of the Free Wheel’n downhill bike track, about 100 metres of the Circle walking track was closed, shutting off the circuit.   The opening of Featherstone Cascades track would offset that loss for walkers.

Rocky Wheel’n is for walkers to go up and down and for bikes to only go up. If reopened it would give walkers an option of a small circuit using Woods track or the other tracks linking to Rocky Wheel’n for longer walks.

Featherstone Cascades Historical Information

Details below from Placenames Tasmania

A secluded waterfall upstream of O'Grady's Falls, Featherstone Cascades was a long-forgotten waterfall, having been a popular attraction around the 1930's, that has recently been rediscovered and is quickly becoming a favourite spot for photographers once again.

Featherstone Cascades are well worth the effort required to reach them, cascading about 3 metres over a wide, mossy cascade before funnelling into a narrower plunge into a small pool below.

Named for Robert Featherstone who was employed as Mountain Ranger and was overseer to the Construction of the Mountain Rd to the Pinnacle in the Depression of the 1930's. He also spent a lot of his spare time and money improving tracks. He was employed for 40 yrs by the HCC and the Featherstones Track was named after him and mapped in 1934 and acknowledged by the Lord Mayor.

The Wellington Park Management Trust's heritage database indicates the waterfall was originally known as "Featherstone Cascades" (not Falls) and first appeared on a Hobart Walking Club map in 1931.

The name is noted in the 'Wellington Park Historic Heritage Inventory', volume 2 (McConnell and Scripps, 2005) and in 'A Brief History of the Waterfalls of kunanyi/Mount Wellington', Hobart (Grist 2016).

Coordinates: -42.9108745, 147.2519134.  

From Maria Grist

A brief history of the waterfalls of kunanyi/Mount Wellington  Jan 2016

Featherstone’s Cascades are a short distance above O’Grady’s Falls. The lovely zig-zag track beside the cascade, which is no longer used, was opened in 1931. It was a very popular walk.

Additional information from Marie Grist

More details about Robert Featherstone **`

 Was noted as a council employee in July 1924 when he applied for a license to cut firewood (not granted).

In 1927, was recommended by Betts as mountain overseer, along with Reid.

In 1931, was a paid ranger, along with King.

Referring to his track work: “Favourable references from citizens and visitors have appeared from time to time about the artistry and appropriateness of the track construction on Mountain Park”.  1931.

R. Featherstone was a “foreman of track works”.

Later, Ranger (1934). Employed 7 days a week at 11/4d per day.

Injured in motor car accident 1934

Hoped to retire in 1936. His age noted as 61.

In 1937, was getting slow in his work. His leg meant that he could no longer do hoeing.

1938 payment due to "medical unfitness".

** Sourced from notes taken from the HCC Reserves Committee minutes:

Comments on Proposal

I sought some comments from people who were familiar with Featherstone Cascades.

From Maria and John Grist

John and I are happy for the track to be re-opened as it is so beautiful. We hope that the build work would be done very sensitively to retain the original 1930s work as much as possible. Is it at all possible to reconnect it with the upper section which meets up at the top of Woods Track? Since this is the route which the original track took. We recall walking the upper section of the track a few decades ago, which ran roughly parallel to the mountain road but below it, towards the top part of Woods Track.

 Maria   1 April 2023

From Ben Masteman

I was amazed at the sustained beauty and tranquillity, not to mention the number and regularity of the cascades along that whole section of the Rivulet!

30 March 2023

Adrian Bol

Having missed the opportunity with ‘secret falls’ to protect that area from degradation they should not let the same happen here.
The waterfalls of Tasmania facebook group has 70.000 members and a large number of these will want to ‘tick off’ the Featherstone cascades and what I call Woods cascades (A on map).
As soon as the word gets out they will all be traipsing everywhere to get the ‘perfect’ shot.

1 April 2023

The old track can be seen in the photos, some sections being very well benched and with a gentle gradient.