Discover The Beauty Of Tasmanian Wilderness At Cradle Mountain

Let the adorable wombats welcome you in the national park

With the extensive road network, most visitors in Tasmania will choose to rent a vehicle to explore the island’s rugged wilderness on their own. For those who choose not to drive, you may either book a private tour from tour operators like Groups Tasmania, or take a public bus to the mountain from Devonport or Launceston. The bus journey will take about 2 to 3 hours, depending on your boarding point. As part of the conservation efforts to preserve the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, heavy vehicles are not permitted in the park. So if you are travelling by public bus, transfer to the complimentary McDermott’s Coaches’ shuttle bus service operated on behalf of the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service upon arrival at the visitor centre.

Along the way to the Dove Lake carpark – gateway to a lovely introductory walk to the park, let the cute and chubby wombats welcome you! Do approach these territorial marsupials quietly from the front as their sense of smell is better than their sight. If they detect your smell from their backs before they see you, they may be frightened and take flight out of fear. The cuddly wombat is native to Australia and is a common sight in this area, so don’t forget to look out for them once you enter the national park.

Marvel at the magnificent Cradle Mountain views across Dove Lake

Gear yourself for at least 2 hours of picturesque views of the Cradle Mountain along the great Dove Lake Circuit walk of ~6 kilometres long. Start on the left side of Dove Lake carpark and follow the newly-completed track clockwise around the lake. The narrow but well-preserved track takes you under the beautiful shadow of the mountain, through the tranquil Ballroom Forest and back along the lake’s western shore to the starting point.

For the first hour or so, the journey will be relatively easy and pleasant for most people with its generally gentle terrain. Midway through the track, you will be able to find large wooden benches by the lake to rest on. Do pack along your own nutritious lunch for this day walk so that you may enjoy an awesome picnic in the wild by the gorgeous lake overlooking the mountain. Replenish your energy here to prepare for a slightly more strenuous journey ahead comprising of numerous large steps uphill followed by rocky slopes downhill, a relatively rugged terrain compared to the first half of the track. Nonetheless, the rewards you will reap upon reaching the elevated point along this track is worth the effort, for you will be able to discover unique alpine and subalpine vegetation and soak in breathtaking views of the Cradle.

Admire the colourful deciduous beech

Amidst the evergreen native Australian flora such as the Tasmanian Snow Gum and Pandani in the mountain, lies the colourful deciduous beech, which is more commonly known as Fagus. This yellow-leave shrub is Down Under’s only cold climate winter-deciduous plant and can only be found in the highlands of west and central Tasmania. Depending on the season you visit, the colour of its leaves differ, from bright green in the summer, to yellow in spring till early autumn, and finally brilliant red in the later part of autumn.

Find your picture-perfect spot near the iconic boatshed

Built in 1940 by the first ranger at Cradle Mountain, this famous boatshed has appeared in countless photos featuring the mountain. It was made mainly of King Billy pine, a Tasmanian endemic softwood tree found in cold and wet sub-alpine forests. Until the 1960s, it was used to house a number of Huon Pine boats that ferried visitors around the lake. Although left vacant now, it continues to be a historical highlight for Cradle visitors as it remains largely in its original form, except for some restoration works completed in 1983. With the impressive mountain as the backdrop, the iconic boatshed on the northwestern shore of Dove Lake about 600m from the starting point is the perfect spot to take lovely pictures!

Check out the forest around the home of the national park’s founder

Done with the Dove Lake Circuit and still eager to discover more Tasmanian wilderness in the national park? Then take a short 20-minute easy grade walk in the Weindorfers Forest starting from the Waldheim chalet. This rustic chalet was once home of Gustav Weindorfer, an Austrian-born Australian who was the founding father of the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park. Enjoy your stroll as you navigate through the forest of huge King Billy pines, celery-top pines and myrtles.

If you can, take some time to view the displays in the chalet for a glimpse into Gustav’s pioneering life at Cradle. In addition, if you are lucky, you may find wild Wallabies and Pademelons leaping around near the forest. So do keep your eyes open for pleasant surprises like this!