Lake St. Clair and Mt. Field National Park

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A view from the shore of Lake St. Clair in Tasmania

A view from the shore of Lake St. Clair in Tasmania

Following my experiences at Cradle Mountain I was excited to take in more of the national parks of Tasmania. Luckily, Lake St. Clair and Mt. Field are just south of the mountain and the drive is puntuated by the lovely mining towns of Rosebery, Zeehan, Strahan and Queenstown.

Lake St. Clair is Australia’s deepest lake and Mt. Field National Park is the oldest national park in Tassie. Both parks have several walking trails – as do most in Tasmania – and of course there are loads of waterfalls and species of wildlife to take in.

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Cradle Mountain

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Cradle Mountain viewed from the Dove Lake walking circuit

Cradle Mountain viewed from the Dove Lake walking circuit

Cradle Mountain and the surrounding national park is widely considered the crown jewel of Tasmania, and for good reason. There’s absolutely gorgeous scenery, easily accessible wildlife, and walking trails for all levels of fitness.

I spent two days at the park and did two major walking tracks: the circuit around Dove Lake and a more strenuous trek up to Marion’s Lookout. There was an option to climb to the summit of Cradle Mountain, but I was running out of time (and energy).

I saw a wombat in the wild for the first time, and the charming creature became my favorite Australian animal. He was entirely oblivious to the people around him and was just interested in scratching his butt. That’s a life philosophy I can get behind. I also saw an echidna and some Tasmanian devils at a sanctuary close to the entrance of the park.

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Mole Creek Caves

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A column (when a stalactite and stalagmite meet) in Marakoopa Cave

A column (when a stalactite and stalagmite meet) in Marakoopa Cave

After Sheffield I drove down to Mole Creek, which is home to a massive karst cave network. Marakoopa and King Solomon’s caves can be toured over a couple of hours and the experience is unreal. The pictures barely begin to do it justice. Marakoopa is a much larger cave and has what’s called “The Cathedral”, a gigantic cavern with gorgeous formations. King Solomon’s Cave is smaller but has more intricate and colorful formations, and the tour focused a bit more on the history of the caves. The cave is named after the historical King Solomon and his collection of treasures.

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The Murals of Sheffield

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A large mural in the town of Sheffield, Tasmania

After Launceston I took a roundabout drive through the mountains and stopped by a few waterfalls on the way to Sheffield. The small town is known for its murals that illustrate the history of Tasmania, as well as an annual mural competition.

Common themes are aboriginal history and relations with European settlers, Tasmanian wildlife, and historical figures from the region. The visitor’s office has maps to assist in touring the town, and it’s well worth an hour or two to stroll around.

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Cataract Gorge and Tamar Island

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A black snake on Tamar Island

A black snake on Tamar Island

I got to Launceston in time for Festivale, where I got to sample local wines and watch some great street performers and musical acts. I hadn’t heard of the event in advance, so it was a nice surprise and a welcome break from the hiking and sightseeing I’d been doing.

Upon leaving Tasmania’s second largest city I stopped by two local natural wonders – the Cataract Gorge and Tamar Island. Like everywhere else in Tasmania, the sights are well set up for visitors with clear and safe walking tracks loaded with wildlife. There is also a lot of historical elements to these sights and you can learn about the lives of early Tasmanian settlers.

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