Overland Track

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The Overland Track

Cradle Mountain
Length 80 km (50 mi)
Trailheads Cynthia Bay (Lake St Clair), Ronny Creek (Cradle Mountain)
Use Hiking
Highest Point Alpine plateau between Marions Lookout and Kitchen Hut
Lowest Point Cynthia Bay
Trail Difficulty Medium
Season All
Sights Mountains, Lakes, Rivers, Waterfalls
Hazards Hypothermia

The Overland Track is Australia's most well known bush walk, situated in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania. Attracting over 8000 walkers each year, it runs for approximately 80km from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. The track winds through terrain ranging from sheer mountains, wild rivers and alpine plains all in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Aside from the main track there are also several alternative side tracks, including to the summit of Cradle Mountain and Mount Ossa, the tallest mountain in Tasmania. Also reached are a group of tarns called The Labyrinth and Lake St Clair (the deepest lake in Australia). World-renowned for its pristine environment and beauty, the walk has been compared to New Zealand's Milford Track.

Walkers typically complete the trail in 5-6 days, normally south-bound. The record time is 7 hours and 25 minutes, which was achieved by Andy Kromar during the Cradle Mountain Run.[1]

Contents

[edit] History

Europeans first explored Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair in the 1820s, and prospectors and hunters explored the area well into the 20th century. It was not until 1931 that fur trapper Bert Nichols blazed the Overland Track and by 1935 it was consolidated and used by independent walking parties.[2]

[edit] Landscape, Climate, Flora and Fauna

The remarkable landscape was all carved by glaciers during the last ice age, and the prominent mountains are composed of dolerite columns. The climate is generally unstable, with temperatures ranging from hot (35+°C) in summer to below zero in winter. Snow is common in winter, especially on Mount Ossa. Rain is very common, and often torrential.

The most common fauna are Tasmanian Pademelons (native), and mice/rats (not native). The trail traversed areas of many types of vegetation, including Myrtle Beech forest, Eucalypts forest, Button Grass plains (swamps), alpine herb fields and shrubs and mosses.

[edit] Sights

The Overland Track contains some of Australias best and most varied scenery. The landscape was glacier carved, and is some of the most rugged in Australia.

  • Lakes (Lake St Clair, Lake Will, Lake Windermere, Dove Lake)
  • Mountains (Cradle Mountain, Barn Bluff, Mount Ossa, Mount Pelion East, The Acropolis, Mount Rufus)
  • Waterfalls (Hartnett Falls, Ferguson Falls, D'alton Falls)

[edit] Walking

Trail Location

The trail is mostly very well defined and adequately marked. The trail condition however varies greatly. There are a great number of long sections of duckboard (boardwalk) which consist of split logs embedded in the ground, held together with wire and nails. Where there is no duckboard, the conditions can sometimes be very muddy. In winter, the mud is frozen solid early in the morning, however offsetting this is the problem of dangerous ice on the duckboard. The mud is not nearly as frequent or deep as hikes in the south west, due mainly to the duckboard.

Inexperienced walkers are advised to undertake the walk in summer, when the days are longer and the weather milder. The walk is not challenging provided that walkers are adequately prepared with proper equipment.

[edit] Side Tracks

There are a number of side trips that can be undertaken while on the Overland Track. From north to south these are:[3]

  • Cradle Mountain Summit - 2km, 2-3 hours return.
  • Barn Bluff - 7km, 3-4 hours return.
  • Lake Will - 3km, 1 hour return.
  • Mount Oakleigh - 8km, 4-5 hours return.
  • Mount Ossa - 6km, 3.5-4.5 hours return.
  • Mount Pelion East
  • Pine Valley, Tasmania
    • The Acropolis
    • The Labyrinth
  • Ferguson Falls and D'alton Falls - 1km, 1-1.5 hours return.
  • Hartnett Falls - 1.5km, 1 hour return.
  • Mount Rufus

[edit] Preperation

The following should be gotten before undertaking the track:

  • Overland Pass (Ticket which limits walker numbers - only required between 1 November and 30 April)
  • Compass & Map ( Tasmap Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair 1:100000 ) - Excellent guide in case of emergency and in route planning
  • Sleeping mat - Huts do not have mattresses
  • Sleeping bag
  • Tent
  • Rain gear - Raincoat, Rain Pants, Pack cover - It's not unusual to have 2 or 3 days of heavy rain without break.
  • Warm clothes - eg thermal underwear
  • Fuel Stove with pots - Fires are banned.
  • Food - There are no stores on the trail, so take all the food you will need plus food for at least one extra day in case of emergency.
  • Water purification equipment - Whilst most water is clean, there is always a risk of contamination.
  • Water bladder/bottle for carrying water (at least 2L).
  • First aid kit - Help is a long way from most areas of this trail.
  • Torch

[edit] Huts

The track has many huts, making it possible to stay in a hut every night.

[edit] Main Trail Huts

  • Waterfall Valley Hut
  • Windermere Hut
  • Pelion Hut
  • Kia Ora Hut
  • Windy Ridge Hut
  • Narcissus Hut
  • Echo Point Hut

[edit] Side Route Huts

  • Pine Valley Hut
  • Scott-Kilvert Memorial Hut

[edit] Day Use and Emergency shelters

Overnight use of these is prohibited except in an emergency

  • Kitchen Hut
  • Ranger Hut
  • Du Cane Hut

[edit] Transport

The trail is a one way A to B trail, hence use of public transport is usually necessary. Make sure to book ahead in high season.

Tassielink have special Overland track packages (Summer only) which provide transport to/from Devonport, Launceston or Hobart.

Tassielink also provide transport from between the two trailheads, however services do not run every day.

[edit] Cynthia Bay, Lake St Clair

Tassielink have buses to/from Hobart and Queenstown/Strahan.

[edit] Ronny Creek, Cradle Mountain

The Ronny Creek trailhead is actually 7km from the Visitors centre at the entrance to the park. There is a free shuttle bus between the visitors centre and Ronny Creek. Check HERE for the timetable.

Tassielink have buses to/from Devonport and Queenstown/Strahan.

McDermott's run buses between Cradle Mountain and Launceston (not every day)

[edit] Trailhead Accommodation

Apart from the Visitors Centre, a small cafe, and a couple of places for accommodation, there are no facilities at the trailheads. There is a very limited range and supply of hiking equipment and food.

[edit] Lake St Clair

  • Cynthia Bay - Camping and basic single rooms are available, as well as family sized cabins.
  • Derwent Bridge - very basic rooms available at Derwent Bridge Hotel

[edit] Cradle Mountain

  • Camping - ...

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ Cradle Mountain Run. Australian Ultra Runners Association. Retrieved on 2007-03-27.
  2. ^ Bain, Andrew; et al. (2006). Walking in Australia, 5, Lonely Planet, pp 214-228. ISBN 1-74059-310-3. 
  3. ^ (2005) Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair 1:100000 scale map. Information and Land Services: Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries Water and Environment. 

[edit] External links

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