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Fern Tree Park

Shaded by trees Fern Tree Park is a lovely spot for a picnic and has a nature-based playground featuring beautifully inlaid Tasmanian animal engravings.

It is one of the main entrances to Wellington Park and the starting point to several beautiful walks through the foothills of kunanyi / Mount Wellington, including the heritage-listed Pipeline Track and the Fern Tree to Silver Falls Loop walk.

There are also great cycling tracks in the area.

About this place

Tourists were first drawn to the natural beauty of this area in the early 1860s, when they would visit Silver Falls and the rainforest glade at Fern Tree Bower using access along the newly-built water supply pipeline.

In the early 1890s summer strawberry feasts were held on the lawns to raise funds for nearby St Raphael's Church, which was built in 1893. Stalls were set up serving berries and cream and afternoon tea, and the feasts soon became a local attraction with many people making the trip from Hobart to Fern Tree for the occasion.

The church has survived two major bushfires, including the 1967 Black Tuesday bushfires, and still stands today.

The Muwinina people thrived on this Country for more than 40,000 years. They were strongly connected to kunanyi / Mount Wellington, the rivulets and River Derwent. Tasmanian Aboriginal people represent the southernmost, oldest continuing culture in the world. They are recognised as the Custodians of this land.