Cradle Mountain
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Cradle Mountain,Tasmania Australia Things to see at Cradle Mountain | Motels at Cradle Mountain | Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses | Apartments at Cradle Mountain | Cottages & Cabins at Cradle Mountain| Farm & Eco Holidays at Cradle Mountain | Lodges & Chalets | Caravan Parks at Cradle Mountain | Camping & Other | Restaurants at Cradle Mountain Spectacularly beautiful area in
the heart of the island which is ideal for bushwalking.
Cradle Mountain is located 144 km from Launceston and 83 km from Devonport, Cradle Mountain is the central feature of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of Tasmania's World Heritage area. The park covers an area of 124 942 ha which is characterised by a rugged, glaciated landscape with over 25 major peaks and a wide range of glacial formations - tarns, glacial lakes, moraine deposits, U-shaped valleys and waterfalls. In 1982 Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park along and the Franklin-Lower Gordon Wild Rivers National Park were placed on the prestigious world heritage list in recognition of their outstanding natural, cultural and wilderness qualities. Today the area is a model of an accessible wilderness region. There are numerous walking huts, a wide range of day and overnight walks through the mountains, a road to the edges of Dove Lake which lies in the shadow of Cradle Mountain, and plenty of excellent accommodation. Map of area around Cradle Mountain Lodge and Cradle Mountain Visitors Centre
View Larger Map History The area was glaciated during the last ice age (about 10 000 years ago) when a huge 6 km ice cap formed and glaciers flowed from its edges carving the landscape into dramatic shapes with their inexorable erosive powers. The first human settlement of the region occurred when the local Aborigines moved into the highlands as the glaciers began retreating. The extensive button grass plains are a legacy of their extensive use of fire to clear pathways through the rugged terrain and to aid hunting by attracting animals to the tender shoots of the new vegetation. Early reports of the Aborigines in the area tell of recently burnt vegetation and well constructed huts of bark some of which were still standing 25 years after the last of the people had been removed. Archaeological research in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park has revealed many Aboriginal sites consisting of stone tools and quarries which suggests that people moved mainly through the valleys with occasional visits to higher areas. Cradle Mountain was named in 1827 by the explorer Joseph Fossey who decided it bore a remarkable similarity to a cradle. It was first climbed by a European in 1831 when the explorer Henry Hellyer successfully reached the summit. Surveyor General George Franklin passed through the area in 1835 and he was duly followed by prospectors, trappers and settlers. As early as the 1890s there was some tourism in the area. Governor Hamilton had a house and boat shed built for visitors on Lake St Clair. The man remembered as the founding father of tourism in the area was the Austrian born naturalist Gustaf Weindorfer who, in 1911, bought land in Cradle Valley where he built 'Waldheim' which he opened to guests who wanted to explore the region. When his wife died Weindorfer moved to Cradle Valley permanently. He died in 1932 and is buried near 'Waldheim'. Weindorfer is credited with naming Lake Dove, Crater Lake and Hansons Lake. He named Mount Kate after his wife. Reservation of land began in 1922 when an area from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair was set aside as a 'scenic reserve and wildlife sanctuary'. In 1927 63 990 ha, including Cradle Mountain, were set aside as a reserve. Known as 'The Reserve' to generations of bushwalkers the area was eventually enlarged to 124 942 ha. It became a National Park in 1971. In 1978 the National Parks and Wildlife Service built a replica of 'Waldheim' and this, combined with the Cradle Mountain Lodge and the excellent new NPWS Information building, have made Cradle Mountain one of the most accessible and interesting attractions in Tasmania. How to get to Cradle Mountain (Click this link to see a Google Map) By Air Airports are located at Devonport (Flights from Melbourne) Burnie (Flights from Melbourne) Launceston (Flights from Melbourne and Sydney) Hobart (Flights from Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Brisbane) By Boat The Spirit of Tasmania runs between Melbourne and Devonport each day. By Car or Public Transport Cradle Mountain inland from Devonport on Tasmania's Northwest Coast. Cradle Mountain is 324 klm from Hobart (4hrs 30 mins ) , 146 klm from Launceston (2 hrs) and 80 klm from Devonport (1 hr 15 mins) (the arrival point for the Spirit of Tasmania). Driving directions to Cradle Mountain from Hobart click this link | from Launceston click this link | from Devonport click this link Things to see:
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