The Cataract Gorge is a river gorge in Launceston, northern Tasmania, Australia and is one of the region's premier tourist attractions.

A pathway, known as the King’s Bridge-Cataract Walk, and originally built by volunteers in the 1890s, runs along the north bank of the Cataract Gorge, and is a popular tourist destination.

The chairlift crossing the Gorge is the longest single span chairlift in the world, with the longest span being 308 m. The chairlift, built in 1972, has a total span of 457m.

The First Basin on the southern side features a swimming pool and an open area surrounded by bushland.

The shady northern side, named the Cliff Grounds, is a Victorian garden where wilderness is created with ferns and exotic plants - nature is enhanced by art.

With steep walls along the banks of the South Esk River as it enters the Tamar, the gorge has become a favorite place to visit for its walking tracks and picnic areas

Alexandra Suspension bridge at Cataract Gorge's First Basin

When the first Europeans first came to the Gorge in 1804, they were amazed by its natural beauty. In fact the explorer William Collins described it as “…the most beautiful place in the world”

The European settlers still had nostalgic yearnings for the gardens of their homeland, and is the reason why in the 1890’s they tried to recreate the places that were familiar to them, including the decorative peacocks that were introduced and that still roam the grounds along with the native wallabies that can be seen grazing on the lawns alongside them.

Red-Necked Wallaby or Bennett's Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus), Cataract Gorge

Tasmania

Pictures: ♦ Sanda Foişoreanu♦ Doina Grigoraş Text: Internet

Arrangement: Sanda FoişoreanuThe lord of the dance - Whiskey in the airThe lord of the dance - Whiskey in the air