| Hobart | |
|---|---|
 Strickland Falls on the upper Hobart Rivulet | |
  Location of theriver mouth inTasmania | |
| Location | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | Tasmania |
| Region | South East |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | kunanyi / Mount Wellington |
| • coordinates | 42°54′26″S147°14′49″E / 42.90722°S 147.24694°E /-42.90722; 147.24694 |
| • elevation | 566 m (1,857 ft) |
| Mouth | Urban stream flowing into theRiver Derwent |
• location | Hobart |
• coordinates | 42°52′38″S147°20′22″E / 42.87722°S 147.33944°E /-42.87722; 147.33944 |
• elevation | 22 m (72 ft) |
| Length | 7 km (4.3 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Derwent catchment |
| [1] | |
TheHobart Rivulet, part of theRiver Derwent catchment, is anurban stream located in theHobart hinterland and flows through and underneath the city, inTasmania, Australia.
The rivulet rises on the slopes ofMount Wellington and flows generally northeast over O'Grady's Falls, Strickland Falls, throughSouth Hobart and past what was known as theWorld Heritage-listedCascades Female Factory towards the Hobart central business district. As a result of urban development, the naturalcourse has been altered significantly. The lower portion of the rivulet has been piped through the city and runsbelow the central city area. The rivulet emerges again near theRoyal Hobart Hospital on Collins Street before flowing underneath theCenotaph and emptying into the Derwent.[2][3] The rivulet descends 544 metres (1,785 ft) over its 7.3-kilometre (4.5 mi) course.[1]
Regular tours of the rivulet once took place under the CBD.[4] The sandstone Wellington Bridge (1841) over the rivulet lies under theElizabeth Street Mall, and is visible through a viewing portal there.[5][2][6]
The rivulet was an important source of drinking water for the MouheneenerAborigines, and later for the first European settlers.[7] The site for Hobart was originally chosen in part due to the availability of fresh water from the rivulet.[7] Because of the pure water of the upper portion of the rivulet, theCascade Brewery was built beside it.[8] There were several typhoid epidemics during the late 19th century due to poor water quality further downstream.[7] It was also an important source of energy for early industry in Hobart.[7] There are multiple old bridges over the Hobart Rivulet. The oldest is the Wellington Bridge that is on Elizabeth Street built in 1841. Second oldest is the Harrington Street Bridge built in 1844. Third oldest is the Molle Street Bridge built in 1866.
In June 2023, the City of Hobart published its first ever 'State of our Rivulets' report.[9] Hobart Rivulet was found to be healthier upstream than downstream, degrading gradually from its naturally forested headwaters to its urbanized mouth, where the rivulet enters the River Derwent.
The Hobart Rivulet is home to small population of urbanplatypus. A community organisation,Hobart Rivulet Platypus, was founded to raise awareness of the ecology of the rivulet, which was managed primarily as a storm drain. Pollution restricts the platypus population to upstream areas. Growing public awareness of the platypus population has led to better care of waste entering the rivulet.[10]
