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Cradle Mountain Huts Walk
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"There is no WiFi in the forest, but I promise you'll find a better connection"
Join us on the iconic Overland Track, retreating each evening to the only private accommodation along the trail. Over 6 days, the rare beauty and diversity of Tasmania’s World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park is yours to discover.
Expert guides take the lead across this ancient landscape, converting to chefs come evening. They’ll also take the heavy load, leaving you with a light weight pack. At the end of each day, retreat to a hot shower, sumptuous meals, freshly baked bread, a glass of Tasmanian wine and a comfortable bed. We’ll take you all the way to Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest freshwater lake.
Welcome to the Overland Track our way. Welcome to our nature.
12kms; 7 hours walking
We climb the steepest section of the whole Overland Track today, fuelled by a hearty lunch. Reaching Marion’s Lookout (1250m) takes about an hour, with steps leading through steeper sections. The reward, providing weather conditions allow, is staggering views of Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake. Every uphill step is worth it.
We continue around the base of Cradle Mountain along the edge of a spectacular glacial cirque before dropping into Waterfall Valley. Our private hut awaits, beneath towering Barn Bluff, having completed the steepest part of your journey (excluding side trips). It’s a welcome retreat after several hours walking over exposed alpine plateau where some days the wind howls – a reminder of nature’s power.
12kms; 6 hours walking
Today, we’ll be walking across plains where glaciers once rested, slowly moving and scouring out shallow tarns. Although an undulating trek with a few sections of exposed moorland, there are no significant climbs today.
We take our time venturing across vast button grass plains where ancient pencil pines fringe alpine tarns. Rising from the moors, the peaks of Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff are behind us. Look ahead, and the stately Mt Pelion West comes into view.
Those looking for additional challenge today can take a side trip to Lake Will. Hugged by pencil pines and with its narrow quartzite sand rim, Lake Will is striking. Keep an eye out for gravel mounds along the way, remnants of Joseph Will’s coal mining efforts in the 1890s.
This evening, at Pine Forest Moor Hut, enjoy our outdoor dining setting with views out to Mt. Oakleigh in fine weather.
10kms; 5 hours walking
This morning, we venture through gorgeous myrtle-beech rainforest as we descend around the base of Mt Pelion West, down to the Forth River before it plunges into Lemonthyme Valley. We’ll take a break at Frog Flats beside the Forth River, which happens to be the Overland Track’s lowest point.
From here, it’s a gentle ascent back out of the valley. We leave thick Eucalypt forest behind as the trees part to reveal Pelion Plains. Uninterrupted views of Mt Oakleigh’s dolerite spires now come into play.
The Pelion Plains area offers a host of side trips, hugged by mountainous terrain. There are excellent swimming holes, peaceful nooks to rest and abandoned copper mines to explore. Come nightfall, we’ll be nestled amongst dry sclerophyll forest at Pelion Plains Hut.
14kms; 6 hours walking
Today, we head east, crossing Pelion Plains and following the southern shore of Lake Ayr, mainly wandering through open eucalypt forests and across button grass plains. We then follow a gradual incline along the Innes Track before having lunch near Wurragarra Creek.
From this point, Mount Pillinger and peaks along the Overland Track dominate our view. After lunch, we pass the mirror-still waters of Lake Price before a sharp descent into the Mersey Valley near the Arm River. This is where our shuttle bus is waiting. Our return trip to Quamby Estate takes us through the Mole Creek Karst area and the rural township of Deloraine.
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