I was initially attracted to Cradle Mt – Lake St Clair National Park because of the bird list, but later I came to realize that mammals are the primary attraction here.  Tasmanian Devils are the star attraction at Devils@Cradle.  It’s an easy drive from Hobart or anywhere else in Tasmania for that matter.

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You will need to stop here and buy entry tickets.  If you are visiting other parks in Tasmania it’s best to get a multi-park pass.  If you buy your pass here, it will include bus transportation to the lake and hiking trails.  Driving in with your own car is limited to IIRC the first 50 cars as they want to minimize traffic and damage to the environment.

Bus route

The most popular thing to do at Cradle Mountain is hiking on the trails around the lake.  There are trails that range form one hour to several days.  You must register your hiking plans at the office for your safety.

This is one of the bus stops and a great place to get more information about Cradle Mountain.

Just 5 minutes from the Ranger Station is the beautiful Enchanted Walk.  The scenery is stunning, you may be lucky enough to see animals such as wallabies, pademelons, echidnas, platypus, wombats or even Tasmanian Devils!  There are hides where you can either shelter from rain or sit and observe animals.  There weren’t many birds on this trail.

ACCOMMODATION

A wide variety of accommodation is available from the luxurious Peppers (pictured below) to camping at the Discovery Holiday Park.  We were in the middle and took a cabin at the DHP (see separate review).Here’s a screenshot of what’s available during low season (not school holidays).

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Please be considerate of your fellow hikers and nature lovers and carry your trash out with you.  Look at all the junk some selfish pigs have left behind on the trails!  Please help Tasmania stay natural and beautiful!

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