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Tasmania (Western Region) |
| Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park | |
| Practicalities at the South Entrance (at Lake St Clair) | |
| You
can register to walk the Overland Track in the opposite direction at the
ranger station at CYNTHIA BAY on Lake St Clair (daily
8am–5pm; tel 03/6289 1115), which houses an informative interpretive
centre, and an attractive bistro restaurant with views over the lake.
Short and long walks around Lake St Clair are detailed on a board
in the centre.
You can go on a cruise on the MV Idaclair, which will drop you off at Narcissus Hut to begin the Overland Track from the other end, or walk back to the centre (5–6 hours); alternatively, get off at Eccho Point and return on a three-hour bushwalk (summer: Cynthia Bay 9am, 12.30pm & 3pm; Narcissus Hut 9.30am, 1pm & 3.30pm; in winter the ferry runs on demand; $15, $20 return; bookings essential; round-trip 1hr 30min). Tickets are sold at the restaurant, where you can also rent dinghies with outboard motors, canoes, kayaks and bicycles. |
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restaurant also takes bookings for accommodation. Lakeside St. Clair
Lodge, has several luxury lodge-rooms, and backpackers’
accommodation.
Compared to Cradle Mountain, the campsite here is poor –
there’s no kitchen and there’s a 50¢ fee to use the showers. For
supplies (and takeaway alcohol), you have to go to to DERWENT BRIDGE,
5km away on the Lyell Highway, served by Maxwell’s Coaches (tel 03/6492
1431) whose shuttle service ($5) runs on demand.
At Derwent Bridge the focus of the community is the Derwent Bridge Hotel, where you can enjoy excellent food and drink sitting near one of the biggest fireplaces you’ll ever see. You can also stay here in old-fashioned lodge-style accommodation, but the rooms (some en-suite) are rather shabby, as are the hostel rooms out back. There’s more comfort in the luxurious self-catering units (sleeping four to eight) at Derwent Bridge Chalets across the road, run by the service station. Derwent Bridge is close to Lake King William, equivalent in size to Lake St Clair and popular with anglers. For more information on Cradle Mountains - Lake St Clair National Park, go to: |
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