The road to the summit of Hobart’s kunanyi/Mt Wellington was shut today after fresh snowfall sparked a rush of visitors that overwhelmed the mountain’s narrow access road.
The Hobart City Council closed Pinnacle Road at The Springs not long after midday, after traffic delays blew out to more than an hour.
“Traffic has banked up, with very long delays,” the council wrote online.
“It’s taking vehicles more than an hour to travel from Big Bend to the summit.”
The closure came as the spring mix of sunshine and snow drew thousands to Tasmania’s most popular natural attraction.
Council staff described the situation as “severe traffic congestion”, with cars bumper-to-bumper along the winding road.
“Once stabilised to normal safe levels [we] will count cars in and out,” the council’s latest road report said.
The incident has again exposed the mountain’s vulnerability to big visitor surges, particularly after snowfall events.
The state government is currently reviewing how the mountain is managed, with a focus on infrastructure upgrades that could help avoid a repeat of today’s gridlock.
Walking and cycling tracks stayed open despite the road closure, with the council urging visitors to check conditions online before heading up.
