The Taroona Environment
The name Taroona is said to derive from the the Aboriginal word for the chiton, a marine mollusc found on rocks in the inter-tidal and shallow sub-tidal regions of our beaches.
Taroona is bounded on the east by the Derwent River, and has several beaches along the shore. The main beaches with public access are Taroona Beach, Hinsby Beach and Dixons Beach.
Volunteer Landcare Group
The Taroona Environment Network (TEN) is a local volunteer Landcare group founded by Dr. Ralph Chapman in 1997 to protect and restore the biodiversity of Taroona’s foreshore.
Equally as important as the practical land care, is TEN’s environmental education and advocacy work, providing information and resources about Taroona’s biodiversity and promoting awareness of environmental issues, from low flammability gardens to climate change.
Visit the TEN website ten.org.au to learn more about their work and how you can be involved.
You will find information on Taroona’s Native Plants, Habitat Gardening, Common Weeds, Low Flammability Plants and much more.
Birds of Taroona
Photo Catalogue
Local resident Mick Brown has photographed a full catalogue of birds to be found in the Taroona area.
Article: Changes in Taroona bird species occurrences (1986-2019)
by Mick Brown and Peter Vaughan.
>Read article (pdf)
Marine Biology
Local ecology articles from local resident Simon Grove
Tasmanian Nature Through The Looking Glass (pdf)
Jimbles In The Derwent (pdf)
The Derwent Estuary
Ocean Planet has made a short film about Tasmania’s unique marine life. This film features parts of the Derwent Estuary at Taroona.
> View video (3 mins)
Walks Around Taroona
Track Down Taroona
A beautiful walking map and flora/fauna poster of Taroona, produced by the Taroona Community Association, with assistance from Taroona Environment Network and Kingborough Council.
For a printed copy, email: taroonacasecretary@gmail.com
Taroona Coastal Discovery Trail
A podcast trail developed by the Taroona Environment Network. The trail runs along the coastal track from Hinsby Beach to the High School, and features 11 points where walkers can listen to podcasts on their own mobile devices.
Taroona High Grade 10 students conducted interviews with ten local experts in their special field. The interviews were recorded as audio files and edited by other Grade 10 students. You can listen to these interviews on the TEN website or by clicking on QR codes while on the trail.
Length: 4km | Approx. 1.25 hrs | Easy Grade
Truganini Track
Starting at the Big Bend on the boundary of Kingborough and Hobart municipalities, it is a pleasant walk of about one hour to the signal station on the top of Mt Nelson. The track follows a creek through wet sclerophyll forest before climbing steeply up the hill into heathy dry sclerophyll.
The track emerges out onto lawns at the old signal (semaphore) station, where there are magnificent views encompassing Hobart’s northern suburbs, the city, Eastern Shore including Ralphs Bay and South Arm, and south to Betsy Island.
Light meals and drinks are available at the signal station cafe.
Wildflowers are abundant in spring and summer in the heathy upper section, and orchids, colourful fungi, ferns and mosses abound in the forested areas. Honey eaters, pardalotes, wattle birds and many other small birds are abundant in the heath, and sometimes clinking currawongs can be seen at the signal station.
A memorial sculpture for Truganini and the Tasmanian Aborigines can be visited nearby.
The return walk is much less than the climb up (25-30 minutes), and there is a metro bus service at both ends of the track (Southern Connector at the bottom, Mt Nelson bus at the top).
Alum Cliffs Track
Walk from Taroona to Kingston Beach (or vice versa) along the Alum Cliffs Track. The track starts in the carpark near the Shot Tower, or further north at the end of Wandella Avenue.
‘The track has a section of very steep steps, and at times runs close to the cliff top, so care is needed particularly with children.
Length: 6 km | Half Day | Moderate/Intermediate
