Separated from mainland Australia by the 240-kilometer expanse of Bass Strait, Tasmania is an island of dramatic contrasts. Home to some of the world's most pristine wilderness areas, this compact island state packs an extraordinary variety of experiences into its 68,000 square kilometers. After spending two unforgettable weeks exploring Tasmania's wild landscapes, I'm convinced it's one of Australia's most underrated treasures.
The Last Temperate Wilderness
Tasmania is home to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, which covers nearly 20% of the island and represents one of the last substantial temperate wilderness regions on Earth. This vast protected area spans over 1.6 million hectares and includes six national parks, each offering distinct ecosystems and experiences:
- Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park: Home to the iconic Cradle Mountain and the stunning glacial Lake St Clair
- Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park: Featuring pristine rivers, temperate rainforests, and deep gorges
- Southwest National Park: Tasmania's largest park, with remote wilderness, rugged mountains, and wild coastlines
- Walls of Jerusalem National Park: Alpine wilderness with ancient pencil pine forests and glacial tarns
- Hartz Mountains National Park: Offering spectacular views across Tasmania's southern wilderness
- Mount Field National Park: Featuring stunning waterfalls, towering trees, and alpine meadows
What makes Tasmania's wilderness truly special is its extraordinary biodiversity, ancient origins, and the extraordinary fact that so much of it remains untouched by development. Walking through these landscapes, you experience environments that have remained relatively unchanged for tens of thousands of years.
Cradle Mountain: The Jewel of Tasmania
My Tasmanian adventure began at Cradle Mountain, arguably the island's most iconic natural landmark. The jagged dolerite peaks of the mountain rise majestically above Dove Lake, creating one of Australia's most photographed landscapes.
The six-kilometer Dove Lake Circuit offers an ideal introduction to the area's beauty, winding through temperate rainforest and along the shore of the mirror-like lake. For more adventurous hikers, the ascent to Cradle Mountain's summit (1,545 meters) provides a challenging day hike with extraordinary panoramic views.
What struck me most about this area was the incredible diversity of landscapes within such a compact area. In a single day hike, you can experience everything from ancient rainforest and alpine heathlands to open moorlands and rugged mountain terrain. The contrast is particularly striking in autumn (April-May) when the deciduous beech trees, known locally as "fagus," turn brilliant gold and russet, creating a spectacular display against the dark green conifers and grey dolerite peaks.
I was fortunate to stay at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, which offered a perfect combination of wilderness immersion and comfort. Sitting by the log fire after a day of hiking while watching wallabies graze outside the window was a quintessentially Tasmanian experience.
The Overland Track: Australia's Premier Multi-Day Hike
For serious wilderness enthusiasts, Tasmania offers the Overland Track – a 65-kilometer trail that winds through the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. This six-day trek takes hikers through a remarkable variety of landscapes, from moss-covered rainforests to button grass plains and alpine plateaus.
While I didn't complete the entire track during this visit, I did hike the first section to Waterfall Valley, which gave me a taste of this world-renowned walk. The track is well-maintained and serviced by basic hut accommodations, though many hikers prefer to camp.
During the peak season (October to May), hikers must book in advance, walk from north to south, and pay a fee to help maintain the track's infrastructure. The limitation on numbers helps preserve the wilderness experience and reduces environmental impact.
For those considering this adventure, proper preparation is essential. Tasmania's weather is notoriously changeable, and conditions in alpine areas can deteriorate rapidly even in summer. Appropriate gear, including wet weather clothing and warm layers, is absolutely essential.
Ancient Forests and Towering Trees
Tasmania is home to some of the world's oldest and tallest trees. In the island's southern forests, particularly in the Styx Valley and Mount Field National Park, you'll find giant swamp gums (Eucalyptus regnans) – the tallest flowering plants on Earth. These magnificent trees can grow to heights exceeding 90 meters and live for more than 500 years.
At Mount Field National Park, the Tall Trees Walk leads through a forest of these soaring giants. Standing at the base of these trees, necks craned back to glimpse their crowns disappearing into the canopy above, creates a profound sense of our own smallness in the face of nature's grandeur.
Even more ancient are Tasmania's Huon pines, among the oldest living organisms on Earth. Some individual trees have been dated at over 3,000 years old, meaning they were already ancient when the Roman Empire was founded. These slow-growing conifers are found along river systems in Tasmania's remote southwest, with accessible specimens at Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park along the short walks near the Franklin River.
The island's cool, wet climate has also created perfect conditions for temperate rainforests dominated by myrtle beech, sassafras, and leatherwood trees. These forests feature a lush understory of ferns, mosses, and lichens that create an enchanted atmosphere, particularly in the misty mornings that are common in Tasmania's highlands.
Tasmanian Wildlife: Unique and Endangered
Tasmania's isolation has helped preserve species that have disappeared or become endangered on mainland Australia. The island is a crucial sanctuary for many of Australia's most iconic and threatened species.
The Tasmanian devil, the world's largest carnivorous marsupial, is perhaps the island's most famous endemic species. While these charismatic animals are nocturnal and can be difficult to spot in the wild, I was able to observe them at the Devils @ Cradle sanctuary, which runs an important breeding and conservation program.
During dusk walks around Cradle Mountain, I frequently encountered wallabies, pademelons (smaller relatives of kangaroos), and wombats grazing in the clearings. The wombats, in particular, seemed remarkably unperturbed by human presence, quietly continuing their vegetarian foraging as I watched from a respectful distance.
Birdlife is also abundant and varied, from the colorful scarlet robin and green rosella to the endangered wedge-tailed eagle soaring above the mountain peaks. The Tasmanian native hen, found nowhere else in the world, can often be seen foraging along roadsides and in open areas.
For wildlife enthusiasts, dawn and dusk provide the best viewing opportunities. The Maria Island National Park, accessible by ferry from Triabunna on Tasmania's east coast, offers one of the best wildlife experiences in Tasmania, with abundant wallabies, wombats, and the opportunity to see Tasmanian devils that have been introduced to the island as part of a conservation program.
Wild Coastlines and Maritime History
Despite being renowned for its mountains and forests, Tasmania is an island with over 4,500 kilometers of coastline. The contrast between the serene beaches of the east coast and the wild, wave-battered cliffs of the west and south coasts creates yet another dimension to Tasmania's diverse landscapes.
On the east coast, the Freycinet Peninsula is home to the picture-perfect Wineglass Bay, consistently rated as one of the world's most beautiful beaches. The hike to the Wineglass Bay Lookout offers breathtaking views over this perfectly curved bay with its brilliant white sand and sapphire waters.
In stark contrast, the southwest coast presents a more formidable face to the Southern Ocean. At the South Cape Bay walk in Southwest National Park, I experienced the raw power of waves that had traveled uninterrupted from Antarctica to crash against Tasmania's southernmost shores. The sense of standing at the edge of the world is palpable here.
Tasmania's maritime heritage is inextricably linked to these diverse coastal environments. At Port Arthur Historic Site on the Tasman Peninsula, I explored the remains of one of Australia's most notorious penal colonies, where the natural prison of shark-infested waters and a narrow, heavily guarded isthmus made escape nearly impossible.
For a more contemporary maritime experience, the Bruny Island ferry from Kettering provides access to this beautiful island with its dramatic sea cliffs, abundant wildlife, and excellent local produce. The Bruny Island Neck, a narrow isthmus connecting the north and south parts of the island, offers panoramic views and the chance to observe fairy penguins returning to their burrows at dusk.
Wilderness Conservation: Ongoing Battles
Tasmania's wilderness areas haven't survived by accident. They exist today because of decades of passionate conservation efforts, sometimes involving bitter conflicts between development interests and environmental advocates.
The most famous of these was the campaign to save the Franklin River from a proposed hydroelectric dam in the early 1980s. The "No Dams" movement became one of Australia's most significant environmental campaigns, eventually resulting in the protection of the river and its inclusion in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
Today, conservation debates continue over issues such as logging in old-growth forests, mining projects, and tourism development within protected areas. The challenge of balancing economic opportunities with environmental protection remains as relevant as ever.
During my travels, I visited the Wilderness Society's office in Hobart, where I learned about current conservation initiatives and ways visitors can support wilderness protection. For travelers interested in these issues, the Tasmanian Conservation Trust and Wilderness Society offer resources and information about responsible tourism and conservation volunteering opportunities.
Practical Tips for Wilderness Travelers
If you're planning your own Tasmanian wilderness adventure, here are some practical considerations:
When to Visit
Tasmania's wilderness areas can be experienced year-round, but each season offers different advantages:
- Summer (December-February): Longer days and generally milder weather make this peak hiking season, though popular areas can be crowded.
- Autumn (March-May): My personal favorite time to visit, with fewer crowds, stable weather, and the spectacular autumn colors of the deciduous beech.
- Winter (June-August): Many higher areas receive snow, creating beautiful alpine landscapes. Some tracks may be closed or require winter equipment and experience.
- Spring (September-November): Wildflowers bloom and rivers flow strongly from winter rains and snowmelt. Weather can be changeable.
Getting Around
A rental car offers the most flexibility for exploring Tasmania's wilderness areas, many of which are remote and not serviced by public transport. Roads in Tasmania are generally good, though some wilderness areas are accessed via gravel roads that may require careful driving.
For those without a vehicle, tour operators offer day trips to popular destinations like Cradle Mountain and Mount Field from major centers like Hobart and Launceston.
Accommodation
Options range from luxury wilderness lodges to basic camping:
- Wilderness Lodges: Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge and Pumphouse Point at Lake St Clair offer immersive wilderness experiences with comfort.
- National Park Accommodation: Basic cabins are available in some parks, usually requiring advance booking.
- Camping: Many parks have designated campgrounds with varying facilities. A Parks Pass is required for all national parks.
- Gateway Towns: Communities like Strahan (for the west coast wilderness), Derwent Bridge (for Lake St Clair), and Sheffield (for Cradle Mountain) offer a range of accommodations close to wilderness areas.
Safety Considerations
Tasmania's wilderness demands respect and preparation:
- Weather: Conditions can change rapidly in alpine areas. Always check forecasts and be prepared for rain, wind, and cold temperatures even in summer.
- Communications: Mobile coverage is limited or non-existent in many wilderness areas. Consider hiring a personal locator beacon for remote hikes.
- Bushwalking Register: Always sign logbooks at track heads and inform someone reliable of your plans.
- Water: While many streams and lakes have clean water, treatment is recommended to prevent giardia infection.
- Wildlife: Observe from a distance and never feed wild animals.
A Final Reflection
Tasmania's wilderness offers something increasingly rare in our hyperconnected world – the opportunity to experience true solitude and connection with nature in landscapes that remain much as they were thousands of years ago. In an age of climate change and biodiversity loss, these pristine environments are more precious than ever.
My journey through Tasmania's wild places wasn't just about spectacular scenery or physical challenge – though it offered plenty of both. It was about experiencing a different relationship with the natural world, one based on humility and wonder rather than dominance and exploitation.
As I stood on the shore of Lake St Clair on my final day in the Tasmanian Wilderness, watching mist rise from the mirrored surface of Australia's deepest freshwater lake, I felt a profound gratitude for the foresight of those who fought to protect these places and a responsibility to ensure they remain for generations to come.
Whether you're an experienced wilderness enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates natural beauty, Tasmania's wild places have something extraordinary to offer. They remind us of what the world once was and what, with care and commitment, it might still be.
Ready to plan your own Tasmanian wilderness adventure? Contact our team for expert advice on exploring Australia's remarkable island state.