Russell Falls and the astounding Wall

Russell Falls in Mount Field National Park was truly impressive - not surprising perhaps after all the  snow that Tasmania has had this winter. We enjoyed walking around it from below and further up the mountain and taking in the profusion of tree ferns and river gullies but also the tall, tall trees, which were hundreds of years old. 

In the usual Aussie style which always amuses me we were out in a national park and we come across this sign. BEWARE OF TRAFFIC WHEN CROSSING ROAD. The road ahead is in the Park and used infrequently but we stopped and looked both ways before we crossed with a great big smile on our faces. Better safe then sorry and we have Australia to thank for that !

The astounding wall is the one we came across in Hobart's impressive Botanical Gardens,  which we were established as early as 1818. It is full of local plants, Japanese gardens, and interesting statues, historical information about the gardens and great views. The Historic Arthur wall constructed in 1830 was a heated wall designed to protect plants from frost with internal channels in the brickwork which were heated by a coal fire. In fact in the end it was infrequently used as apparently Van Diemen's land while cool was not as harsh as English winters so the fruit trees flourished unaided by this centrally heated wall constructed as early as the 1830's. 

The lovely bronze statue of a worker in the gardens and on the side his jacket( in bronze ) folded over a shovel stuck in the earth. Thought that was beautiful especially as the bronze took in the softness of the folds of cloth.

 The trees were in bloom and the Arch below is the Anniversary Arch built to commemorate 170 years.