Tasmania - Australia 2004 - page 632

Motorists enter the park via the Lyall Highway from Hobart, via Deloraine or
Poatina from Launceston, and via Sheffield or Wilmot from Devonport. Both
Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair are well signposted.
VISITOR INFORMATION The park headquarters, Cradle Mountain Vis-
itor Centre ( & 03/6492 1133; fax [phone]; www.parks.tas.gov.au), on
the northern edge of the park outside Cradle Mountain Lodge, offers the best
information on walks and treks. It's open 8am to 5pm (6pm in summer) daily.
EXPLORING THE PARK
Cradle Mountain Lodge (see “Where to Stay & Dine,” below) runs a daily pro-
gram of guided walks, abseiling (rappelling), rock-climbing, and trout-fishing
excursions for lodge guests. There are also plenty of trails that can be attempted
by people equipped with directions from the staff at the park headquarters (see
“Visitor Information,” above). Be warned, though, that the weather changes
quickly in the high country; so go prepared with wet-weather gear and always
tell someone where you are headed. Of the shorter walks, the stroll to Pencil
Pines and the 5km (3-mile) walk to Dove Lake are the most pleasant. Between
June and October it's sometimes possible to cross-country ski in the park.
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
Cradle Mountain Lodge If you like luxury with your rainforests, then
this award-winning lodge is the place for you. Cradle Mountain Lodge is mar-
velous. Just minutes from your bed are the giant buttresses of 1,500-year-old trees,
moss forests, mountain ridges, limpid pools and lakes, and hoards of scampering
marsupials. The cabins are comfortable, the food excellent, the staff friendly, and
the open fireplaces well worth cuddling up in front of for a couple of days. Each
modern wood cabin has a pot-bellied stove as well as an electric heater for chilly
evenings, a shower, and a small kitchen. There are no telephones or TV in the
rooms—but who needs them? Spa cabins come with carpets, a Jacuzzi, and a bal-
cony offering a variety of views. Some have a separate bedroom. Two cabins have
limited facilities for travelers with disabilities. Guests have the use of the casual,
comfortable main lodge where almost every room has a log fire.
G.P.O. Box 478, Sydney, NSW 2001. & 13 24 69 in Australia, 800/225-9849 in the U.S., 0171/805-3875 in the
U.K., or 03/6492 1303. Fax [phone]. www.poresorts.com.au. 96 units. A$230 (US$150) Pencil Pine cabin;
A$290 (US$188) spa cabin; A$360 (US$234) spa suite. Extra person A$58 (US$38). Children under 3 stay free
in parent's room. Ask about special winter packages. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Cafe; 2 bars;
laundry service. In room:Kitchenette, no phone.
Waldheim Cabins If you want a real wilderness experience then head for
these cabins run by the Parks and Wildlife Service and located 5km (3 miles)
from Cradle Mountain Lodge. Nestled between button grass plains and tem-
perate rainforest, they are simple and affordable and offer good access to plenty
of walking tracks. Each cabin is equipped with heating, single bunk beds, basic
cooking utensils, crockery, cutlery, and a gas stove. They are serviced by two
composting toilets and showers. Generated power is provided for lighting
between 6 and 11pm only. Stores and fuel can be bought at Cradle Mountain
Lodge. Bring your own bed linen and toiletries.
Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, P.O. Box 20, Sheffield, TAS 7306. & 03/6492 1110. Fax [phone]. Cradle
@dpiwe.tas.gov.au. Minimum cabin charge A$70 (US$46) for 2 adults, A$25 (US$16) for each additional adult,
A$9.90 (US$6.45) for each additional child 6-16, children under 6 stay free. Linen is provided for A$5.50
(US$3.60) per person. MC, V. Collect cabin keys from the National Park Visitor Centre, just inside the boundary
of the national park, daily 8am-5:30pm. In room:No phone.