The drive out through the rolling hills of Nietta really gives you a sense of how rugged and beautiful this part of Tasmania is. We found ourselves constantly peering out the windows at the landscape, but it wasn't until we reached the Gunn Plain that I had to pull over. The view across the valley is spectacular, with the greenest paddocks you’ve ever seen tucked between the dark, forested hills. There are little farm dams reflecting the clouds and the shadows of the mountains stretching across the grass.
We eventually made our way to the Leven Canyon Regional Reserve. We’d heard it was impressive, but standing on the edge is another thing entirely. We decided to tackle the walk down to the second viewing platform, which involves about 700 steep steps. Lisa, of course, took it all in her stride, but I knew those steps were going to be a different story on the way back up.
The scale of the place is massive. From the top, you can see the deep V-shape of the canyon where the Leven River has carved its way through the rock over thousands of years. The mountains just seem to roll on forever under a big, open sky.
When we finally reached the lower platform, we were looking straight at a giant limestone cliff that towers over a sharp bend in the river. The water down there is dark and churns over the rocks, surrounded by thick, ancient-looking bush. It’s a wild, untouched sort of place that makes you feel very small.
The walk back up was the real test. It’s only about 500 metres, but when it’s all uphill after those 700 steps, it certainly finds you out. I’ll admit I struggled a bit on the climb back to the car, taking a few more "scenery breaks" than Lisa probably needed. My legs were definitely feeling the pinch by the time we reached the top, but looking back at those views, it was worth every bit of the effort.
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