Pine Forest Moor Standing Camp and the Overland Track: Two firsts for Georgie
As a first-time hiker and guest on the first departure to stay in on freshly-completed Pine Forest Moor Standing Camp, we caught up with Georgie to hear about her experience. Here's what she had to say:
Did the Overland meet/exceed expectations?
I’m not a hiker, so while I had no idea exactly what to expect going in, I suppose I was a bit nervous - you hear all these stories of the Overland being both one of the most beautiful hikes in the world, and you also hear of the unpredictable weather. And we did get almost every kind of weather! Low fog and high winds on day 1, tapering through to sunny in the middle, and then ramping back up to rain and eventually snow on the last day! But our Guides were so excellent at making sure we had all the gear we needed and were such beacons of knowledge and guidance throughout the trip. They made it all feel easy.
What was your fave moment or two?
I’m a huge animal lover, so by far the most delightful moments for me were on day 6 and day 7. On day 6 we emerged from out hut and got maybe 100 metres down the track before a wombat appeared right next to us, just munching on some grass for breakfast. Day 7 we’d made it back to the Visitor Centre and as we walked up the driveway from Lake St Clair, there was an echidna destroying the edges of the asphalt in a fervent search for ants. Neither of these wonderful creatures gave any care to the fact that we were less than a metre away from them, and just carried on with life. Oh, and there was this cheeky currawong on day 3 at the turn off to Lake Will - it saw us drop our bags just off the track and was clearly waiting for us to leave so it could try its luck getting into them. Did you know they can open zips and buckles to steal your food??
What was the new PFM hut like?
We were the first group through the new PFM hut, which was very exciting. Words like “tent” and “no heating” had people wondering what the experience was going to be like, but the camp was gorgeous; cinematic views of the mountain from the dining room and outdoor couches, scones with jam and cream to welcome us on arrival, VERY fancy new bathrooms, and sleeping in the huge tents was really fun, like a childhood sleepover. It was the best sleep of the whole trip too, no lie.
How did the walk leave you feeling?
My take away was really “how lucky am I to live in Tassie?!” I reckon there are very few places in the world that have everything Tassie has to offer. And, as someone who has been glued to social media for work for the past seven years, it was also so blissful (and easier than I expected!) to be disconnected from the outside world - something that I’ll try my best to continue into the future.
Top tip to Overland walkers?
Not sponsored!! But my Ecco “Offroad” hiking boots were INCREDIBLE. So my top tip is, buygood boots. Bonus points if they’re colourful; mine are pink and purple. My feet stayed dry, and I didn’t get a single blister despite barely breaking them in beforehand.
Ready to experience our Cradle Mountain itineraries for yourself? See more walk details here.
Last updated: 23 December 2025.
