Reservoirs Beneath the Foothills of kunanyi
Overview
Waterworks Reserve sits on Hobart’s edge at Ridgeway, in the lower foothills of kunanyi / Mount Wellington. It combines two historic reservoirs, open lawns and shaded parkland with bushland that climbs further into the valley, so it feels part urban reserve and part mountain fringe landscape. The reserve also remains part of Hobart’s mountain water supply system, which gives the place a distinctive character that is hard to separate from the surrounding creeks, slopes and forest.
Highlights
The defining feature here is the pair of reservoirs set against forested hillsides, with water, open grass and tall trees framed by the rising slopes behind them. The setting has a calm, enclosed feel, but there are also broad views across the water to the foothills of kunanyi, which give the reserve much of its scenic appeal.
The landscape is also geologically varied. Around the Lower Reservoir the ground is shaped by Permian siltstone and fossiliferous mudstone, while Triassic sandstone surrounds the Upper Reservoir. That shift in rock and landform helps explain why the reserve changes in character as you move through it, from formal parkland to rougher bushland on the valley sides.
Best Time to Visit
Spring and autumn are usually the most comfortable times to spend longer in the reserve, when the mountain foothills are often cool, green and clear without the sharper winter chill. Winter can still be especially appealing for the reserve’s still water, bare-trunked trees and misty mountain backdrop, while warmer months suit anyone who wants to enjoy the open parkland and the contrast between water and bush.
Plants and Animals
Waterworks Reserve links into a larger band of native vegetation running through Ridgeway Reserve toward Wellington Park, giving it more ecological depth than a typical city-edge park. Native vegetation communities vary across the site, shaped by geology, slope and a long history of reservoir construction and disturbance.
The dominant native plant community is Eucalyptus obliqua dry forest, and the mix of bushland, mature trees and planted parkland supports a wide range of birds, native marsupials and insects. Parts of the reserve are recognised as having high biodiversity value, even though some areas have been modified over time and now need ongoing weed control and restoration.
