A 10-minute wander west of the city centre is magnificent Cataract Gorge. The bushland, cliffs and ice-cold South Esk River here feel a million miles from town. At First Basin there’s a free outdoor swimming pool (November to March), the world’s longest single-span chairlift (9am to 5.30pm), summer concerts, huge European trees and sociable peacocks. Eating options include a cafe, kiosk and the sassy Gorge Restaurant . The whole shebang is impressively floodlit at night.
Two walking tracks straddle the gorgeous gorge (Cataract Walk is level; the Zig Zag Track is steep), leading from Kings Bridge up to First Basin. You can also drive to the First Basin car park – follow the signs from York St to Hillside Cres, Brougham St and Basin Rd.
Just upstream from First Basin is the Alexandra Suspension Bridge . Another walking track (45 minutes one way) leads further up the gorge to Second Basin and further still to Duck Reach , the earliest municipal hydroelectric power station in Australia (1895).
