Bushland Slopes Between Glenorchy and Wellington Park

Overview

N.R. Pierce Reserve is a large area of native bushland on Glenorchy’s western side, covering 449 hectares behind Berriedale and Montrose and east of Collinsvale. It forms an important green backdrop to the suburbs and links with Wellington Park along its south-western edge, giving the reserve a more expansive feel than its suburban setting might suggest.

The reserve was given to the Glenorchy community by the Pierce family in 1988. Today it remains a substantial patch of bushland close to Hobart, with a mix of vegetation communities and a strong role in protecting habitat as well as providing quiet space on the foothills above the city.

Highlights

The big draw here is the sense of scale. This is not a pocket reserve, but a broad sweep of bushland rising behind the suburbs, with the lower slopes of kunanyi / Mount Wellington nearby and Wellington Park directly adjoining the reserve. That position gives the area a distinctly foothill character, with changing elevation, a more open natural setting, and a strong contrast with the built-up areas below.

Its location behind Berriedale and Montrose, with Collinsvale to the west, also makes it one of those places that helps explain Glenorchy’s landscape at a glance. The reserve reads as part of the wider mountain backdrop rather than an isolated block of scrub, which is a large part of its appeal.

Best Time to Visit

Cooler months tend to suit this reserve best, when the foothill bushland is greener and the temperatures are more comfortable for longer walks. Spring is also a good time to see fresh growth across the reserve’s varied vegetation.

Because this is dry bushland on the edge of the mountain, the feel of the place changes quite a bit through the year. Autumn and spring generally offer the nicest balance of milder weather and clearer conditions, while summer can feel harsher and drier across the exposed slopes.

Plants and Animals

N.R. Pierce Reserve supports a wide variety of vegetation types, which in turn creates habitat for a broad mix of native fauna. The reserve is known for birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects, making it an ecologically important part of Glenorchy’s bushland network.

Among the mammals recorded here are bettongs, bandicoots, Tasmanian devils and wallabies. That mix gives a good sense of the reserve’s value as habitat, especially so close to suburban Hobart and alongside the larger bushland of Wellington Park.