Tasmania (Northern Region)
Walls of Jerusalem
The Walls of Jerusalem National Park is on the western side of the Central Plateau, a series of five mountain peaks which enclose a central basin, an isolated area noted for its lakes, pencil pines, and the biblical names of its various features. The best time to visit is late spring through to April; people have died of exposure here, so make sure you’re well prepared. You’ll need the Walls of Jerusalem National Park Map and Notes ($9), which has walking notes on the reverse.
The Walls of Jerusalem is the only national park that you can’t drive into, so the walk begins outside the park boundaries. From King Solomons Cave, head south, following the Mersey River and the unsealed road east of Lake Rowallan; the car park is at Howells Bluff. You walk through wilderness into the park, which is isolated and lacking even basic facilities, without a ranger (although rangers do patrol). However, the track is well kept, with boardwalks laid down over boggy areas, and there’s plenty of clean water to drink from the streams and lakes. 

There are a few small leaky huts but these are really for emergencies only – bring your own tent. If you just want to walk into the park to the central basin (through Herods Gate, with views of Barn Bluff and Cradle Mountain to the northwest), set up camp and then walk back, it’s a fourteen-kilometre return hike, which takes seven or eight hours altogether, going at a steady pace over two days. The walk begins with a steep climb then levels out on the plateau. 

There are numerous routes to the various peaks and lakes – from Damascus Gate you get stunning views of Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park immediately west – and an experienced, well-equipped walker (preferably accompanied) could spend a couple of days here. 

If you can afford the prices, you can always go on an organized walk: Craclair Walking Holidays (tel & fax 03/6424 7833) has a five-day walk for $875, while Ausprey Tours (tel & fax 03/6330 2612) offers a two-day version for $210, organized from Hobart or Launceston. 

Tasmanian Wilderness Travel can bring you to the beginning of the walk into the park on their service from Launceston, via Deloraine, Mole Creek and Marakoopa Cave (2–3 times weekly) while Maxwell’s (tel 03/6424 8093) goes there on demand from Devonport ($30) and Launceston ($40).