Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
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| Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park | |
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| IUCN Category II (National Park) | |
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| Nearest town/city: | Queenstown |
| Coordinates: | |
| Area: | 1612 km² |
| Visitation: | 209,000 (in 2005) |
| Managing authorities: | Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Official site: | Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park |
Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair is a national park in Tasmania (Australia), 165 km northwest of Hobart. The park contains many beautiful walking trails, most famous of which is the Overland Track. Major features of the park are Lake St Clair and to the north, Cradle Mountain. This park is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site.
Wanting to avoid dangers of over-use, in 2005, the Tasmanian Parks & Wildlife Service introduced a booking system & fee for use of the Overland Track over peak periods. Access from the south (Lake St. Clair) is usually from Derwent Bridge on the Lyell Highway. Northern access (Cradle Valley) is usually via Sheffield, Wilmot or Mole Creek.
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[edit] Development
The Tasmanian Government has moved to allow development in national parks and conservations areas. An 'In principle' permit has been granted for the establishment of an 'eco-friendly' resort at Pumphouse Point at Lake St Clair.
[edit] Flora
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is a bastion of Tasmania's endemic species - 40-55% of the park's documented alpine flora is endemic. Furthermore, 68% of the higher rainforest species recorded in alpine areas in Tasmania are present in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. The park's alpine vegetation is very diverse and, fortunately, has largely escaped forest fires that have caused neighboring regions to suffer.
[edit] Fauna
Animals present in the park include: pademelons, Bennett's wallabies, wombats, possums, ravens and currawongs.
[edit] References
- Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service page about Lake St. Clair
- Tasmania's Parks and Wildlife Service page about Cradle Mountain
- UNESCO's World Heritage List web page for the Tasmanian Wilderness
- An article touching on the park's flora
- Wikitravel's Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park site
[edit] See also
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