Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is located in the Central Highlands area of Tasmania (Australia), 165 km northwest of Hobart. The park contains many walking trails, and is where hikes along the well-known Overland Track usually begins. Major features are Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff in the northern end, Mount Pelion East, Mount Pelion West, Mount Oakleigh and Mount Ossa in the middle and Lake St Clair in the southern end of the park. The park is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The climate here in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is Very unpredictable and can change extremely rapidly. In this part of Tasmania, it rains 9 out of 10 days a year, so fully equip yourself with gear for wet weather.

The temperature is always colder than other parts of Tasmania, although it is not far south. Precipitation here is high because of the large number of trees. It could be raining for 5 minutes, and then it is suddenly sunny. Rain here is very light, like little "flakes" of water. Bring a raincoat instead of an umbrella, because it is extremely windy and you do not want to risk spoiling your brolly. Get ready for freak weather - including snow in summer.

You can drive, ride or catch a bus. On occasions you can canoe up the river to get to your destination. There are a few up scale cafes and restaurants in the park. If you are self-catering, make sure you buy your food in the towns nearby before driving in. The tourist park sell limited food and prices are extremely expensive.