Mount Direction is a prominent mountain located within

Greater Hobart Hobart ( ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent, it is the southernmo ...

, situated on the city's eastern shore. Part of the

Meehan Range The Meehan Range ( ) is a prominent geographic feature in southeastern Tasmania, consisting of steep hills and ridges running parallel to the River Derwent (Tasmania), River Derwent on the eastern shore of Hobart. Situated primarily in the C ...

, it rises to an elevation of and is situated between the Clarence and Brighton Council

local government areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The ph ...

. Its distinct curved shape makes it a visually striking feature of the landscape and one of the most prominent natural landmarks on the eastern shore of the River Derwent.

Geography

Mount Direction is approximately northeast of Hobart’s central business district. From its summit, the mountain offers panoramic views of the Derwent estuary, surrounding waterways, and the Greater Hobart area. Its geology is dominated by

dolerite Diabase (), also called dolerite () or microgabbro, is a mafic, holocrystalline, subvolcanic rock equivalent to volcanic basalt or plutonic gabbro. Diabase dikes and sills are typically shallow intrusive bodies and often exhibit fine-grain ...

, an igneous rock common to Tasmania, formed through ancient glacial and tectonic activity.

History

Mount Direction has significant cultural and historical importance. It was part of the traditional lands of the Moomairremener people, a clan of the

Paredarerme Paredarerme (also known as Paytirami, Poredareme or Oyster Bay Tasmanian) is an Aboriginal language of Tasmania in the reconstruction of Claire Bowern.Claire Bowern, September 2012, "The riddle of Tasmanian languages", ''Proc. R. Soc. B'', 279 ...

of the Tasmanian Aboriginal (Palawa) people. The mountain and its surrounding areas were integral to their way of life, providing resources and holding spiritual significance. The slopes of the mountain, overlooking the River Derwent, were used for hunting, gathering, and other daily activities. In 1794, Lieutenant John Hayes of the East India Company named Mount Direction during his exploration of the River Derwent. Hayes recognised the mountain's prominence as a navigational landmark. Four years later, in 1798,

George Bass George Bass (; 30 January 1771 – after 5 February 1803) was a British naval surgeon and explorer of Australia. Early life Bass was born on 30 January 1771 at Aswarby, a hamlet near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, the son of a tenant farmer, George B ...

climbed Mount Direction during his circumnavigation of Tasmania with

Matthew Flinders Captain (Royal Navy), Captain Matthew Flinders (16 March 1774 – 19 July 1814) was a British Royal Navy officer, navigator and cartographer who led the first littoral zone, inshore circumnavigate, circumnavigation of mainland Australia, then ...

. This marked the first recorded European ascent of the mountain. Bass also became the first European to climb nearby

kunanyi / Mount Wellington Mount Wellington, also known as kunanyi () in palawa kani and gazetted as kunanyi / Mount Wellington, is a mountain in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. It is the summit of the Wellington Range and is within Wellington Park reserve. Hoba ...

. In 1803, Lieutenant John Bowen established Tasmania’s first European settlement at

Risdon Cove Risdon Cove is a cove located on the east bank of the Derwent River, Tasmania, Derwent River, approximately north of Hobart, Tasmania. It was the site of the first United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British settlement in Van Diemen's La ...

, located on the southern slopes of Mount Direction. This site was also the location of the first recorded hostile conflict between the Tasmanian Aboriginal people and British settlers. This tragic event marked the beginning of a long and devastating period of displacement and violence for the Moomairremener people and other Indigenous communities in Tasmania.

Art and cultural depictions

Mount Direction’s profile has been the subject of numerous artistic works: *

Joseph Lycett Joseph Lycett (c.1774 – 1828) was a portrait and miniature painter, active in Australia. Convicts in Australia, Transported to Australia for counterfeit money, forging banknotes, Lycett found work in the colony as a painter specialised i ...

, in his early colonial landscapes of the River Derwent. *

John Skinner Prout John Skinner Prout (19 December 1805 – 29 August 1876) was a British painter, writer, lithographer and art teacher who worked in Australia in the 1840s. Biography Skinner Prout was born on 19 December 1805 in Plymouth, Devon, England. ...

, whose works are held in collections such as the

National Gallery of Victoria The National Gallery of Victoria, popularly known as the NGV, is an art museum in Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is Australia's oldest and list of most visited art museums in the world, most visited art mu ...

. * Edith Holmes, in her painting ''Mount Direction, Tasmania'' (1948).

Recreation

Mount Direction is popular for

bushwalking A hike is a long, vigorous walking, walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer tim ...

, with the Mount Direction Track offering a well-maintained route to the summit. Managed by the

City of Clarence Clarence City Council (or City of Clarence) is a Local government in Australia, local government body in Tasmania, and one of the five municipalities that constitutes the Hobart, Greater Hobart Area. The Clarence local government area has a po ...

, the trail allows visitors to enjoy scenic views, diverse flora, and the chance to observe local wildlife.

Flora and fauna

The mountain supports a variety of plant species, including

eucalyptus ''Eucalyptus'' () is a genus of more than 700 species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae. Most species of ''Eucalyptus'' are trees, often Mallee (habit), mallees, and a few are shrubs. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalyp ...

forests and heathlands. It is home to local wildlife such as wallabies, possums, and a variety of bird species, including the

wedge-tailed eagle The wedge-tailed eagle (''Aquila audax'') also known as the eaglehawk, is the largest bird of prey in the continent of Australia. It is also found in southern New Guinea to the north and is distributed as far south as the state of Tasmania. A ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Direction Brighton Council (Tasmania) City of Clarence Geography of Hobart Jurassic Oceania Landmarks in Hobart Mountains of Tasmania Tourist attractions in Hobart