CRADLE MOUNTAiN

Cradle Mountain

​

​

 

 

The drive into the Cradle Mountain National Park is a long one, whichever direction you come from, so allow plenty of time to get there and out again in daylight hours. 

 

While the road distances from Wynyard to the northwest, Strahan to the southwest, or Deloraine to the northeast may not appear all that long by reference to some distances between destinations in the sparser mainland states, the roads are generally single lane in either direction, running through forested hills and valleys. Overtaking lanes are infrequent, so slower moving traffic will affect your travel times. 

 

It’s also vitally important to check weather forecasts for the day you intend travelling, and to keep up to date with current conditions which can change quickly. Also, take note of roadside signs warning of snow and ice, regardless of actual season. 

​

We arrived at the Visitors’ Centre later in the day than intended, and then found that we could not take our car any further into the Park area. Entry to the Park and carriage to Dove Lake was by bus, paid for at the Visitors’ Centre. 

​

The buses are every half hour or so, but your time on site is reduced by however long you have to wait for it, and when your bus back to the Visitors’ Centre leaves Dove Lake carpark, remembering that your best option is to be driving out in daylight.

​

There are two Day Walks starting out from the Dove Lake carpark, the steeper being to Marion’s Lookout, the easier graded being the Dove Lake Circuit walk. Both are challenging walks, requiring a moderate level of fitness.

​

We had intended to attempt both of those walks, but our later arrival limited us to the Circuit walk, which is a bit more than 6 kms over a rising and falling track which also gets quite narrow in places towards the southeastern corner of the lake. 

​

It’s also gob-smackingly beautiful everywhere you look, so you’ll want to stop and just soak it up through your eyes, and/or camera lens; so disregard estimates of being able to walk the track in less than 2.5 hours. Take as much time as you reasonably can.

​

Remember my earlier comments about the weather. Dress for the conditions, but carry an additional weatherproof layer with you on the walk. A beanie and some gloves are sensible additions, and take some hiking mix, energy snacks or sandwiches to keep your energy levels up. And remember to carry water. 

 

We didn’t attempt the walk to Marion’s Lookout or beyond, because of limited time and a realistic appraisal of our fitness levels. Having walked clockwise around the lake, pausing to regard the ascent to Marion’s Lookout, I was looking forward to the bus ride back to our car by the time we reached the Boatshed.