Cradle Mountain, Tasmania 🇦🇺 2022

Date: 6th February 2022

Travelled: 75 kms from Lake Gairdner to Waratah, Tasmania. 

Visited: Cradle Mountain NP and Waratah

Stayed: Waratah Caravan Stop, $30, S41.44505, E145.53125 

Budget: 9 days @ $0 per day.

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We make something of an early start this morning. It was very quiet evening last night and a little chilly which makes for a good sleep. Saying goodbye to our neighbours we drive out of the camp and back up the gravel road to Cradle Mountain Road.

Some 20 kms later we turn for Cradle Mountian NP.

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We arrive to find a huge carpark and the Cradle Mountain Visitor’s Centre, just short of the NP. From here we arrange our bus tickets (free) and dress for the variable weather we may find. Our plan for today is to walk the Dove Lake Circuit.

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The 6.6 km walk around Dove Lake takes us an hour and 56 minutes (Pams Apple Watch). Frankly I’m walking like an old man currently as I’ve had a real attack of plantar fasciitis going back to a long walk in the NP at home a few weeks ago. Alcohol and drugs are working a treat but I don’t want to make it worse, so I lag behind Pam all the way.

Best let the pictures tell the story but frankly the camera doesn’t do the scenery justice.

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We have been lucky with the weather today, its mild but mostly sunny and just a breeze when you need it. As we walk we shed the Gortex completing the last couple of kms in just a shirt.

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So that’s it the Dove Lake walk is done. Would like to do another one of the walks after lunch but best see how I recover. So back in the Jayco we have lunch and make ready for the road once again.

Back on Cradle Mountain Road once again we continue across the high country. The road descends until we turn north on the Murchison Hwy for Waratah.

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Waratah is a sleepy little village 5kms off the Murchison, about 200 people according to the sign. We find the council campsite which is surprisingly large situated along a lake and settle in. Waratah is a pub and a general store come servo and perhaps 50 mostly very basic homes.

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So we spend half an hour taking in the sights of Waratah, the final highlight was the pub. We order a Boag’s and a glass of the local Sav Blanc, the barman asked if a want a dash of Sarsaparilla in the beer. Obviously I look at him as if he’s a madman, but he tells me that how the locals like it. Maybe next time.

We return to the Jayco and find more than 50 caravans and campers have settled in for the night. Obviously the place is a money spinner in season.

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Michael + Pam