Photography Guide: Cradle Mountain, Tasmania

Located in Tasmania's central highlands, Cradle Mountain is arguably the jewel in the Apple Isles crown - and for good reason.

Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park boasts epic landscapes and a stunning array of flora and fauna, and is a wonderful destination to be as active or leisurely as you'd like. With alpine heathlands, rugged mountainous peaks, waterfalls, lakes, ethereal forests, an abundance of wildlife, walking trails to suit every level of fitness and ability, overnight hikes, and accommodation to suit all budgets, there is something here for everyone. As a photographer and someone who enjoys hiking, Cradle Mountain is one of my favourite places to visit.

There is no "best time" to visit Cradle Mountain - it's spectacular to photograph no matter what season you’re visiting.

In Autumn, the turning of the fagus - or Nothofagus gunnii - is quite the sight to behold. The leaves of this deciduous beech explode with colour, and vibrant pops of burnt orange and yellow are scattered throughout the mountainous landscape. There's plenty of other flora to look out for like pink mountain berries, buttongrass, wild fungi and pencil pines.

In the winter months, the lush deep green of this rugged and wild wilderness is transformed into a winter wonderland. It is worth noting that as with all of Tasmania, whilst there are seasons, it’s not uncommon for there to be snowfall year round in Cradle Mountain.  The weather in Tasmania can be quite unpredictable and so it’s always a good idea to keep this in the back of your mind when planning any trips and packing your camera gear and clothing accordingly.

For the wildlife photographer, you are spoiled for choice at Cradle Mountain, and it’s safe to say that wombats are the main attraction. These solid balls of fluff meander along the duckboard walkways and are often unfazed by having to share the path with humans. Pademelons and wallabies generally come out around dawn and dusk. Copperhead & Tiger snakes are abundant in the warmer months and so care should always be taken when walking. Tasmanian devils, quolls, echidnas and an array of birdlife also call Cradle Mountain home.

For those who enjoy long exposure waterfall photography, you will not be disappointed. Knyvet Falls and Pencil Pine Falls are located within a 2km radius of most accommodation, and these particular waterfalls are made easily accessible due to the well maintained duck board paths. Regular snow fall ensures the waterfalls are full and flowing most of the year.

Walks in Cradle Mountain.

From the Overland Track which can take up to seven days to complete to the Dove Lake Circuit which can take up to 2 hours to complete, there are a range of hikes and walks in Cradle Mountain to suit any photographers level of fitness and ability.

A memorable hike I took was to the Kitchen Hut which sits at the base of Cradle Mountain.  Taking a right at the start of the Dove Lake track, I followed signs to Marion’s Peak Lookout.  From the lookout here there was a magnificent view of Dove Lake in it’s entirety, Crater Peak behind, and an expansive view over Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.  Continuing along toward the Kitchen Hut, tarns and vast moorlands decorate the landscape and mountainous peaks and alpine heathland make for some stunning photographic opportunities.  Further along there’s a fork in the track where you can take to the right and head toward Barn Bluff, or turn left and make your way to Cradle Mountain.  I took the track to the Kitchen Hut and I recall the scene so vividly as I approached it. A single winding path led to the hut, with Cradle Mountain towering above it in the background, and it gave a real sense of scale to this tiny hut against a backdrop of this magnificent mountain peak.  After taking some time to sit back and enjoy my surroundings, I could see the weather changing and started the journey back to Dove Lake.  I followed signs to go to the Wombat Pool track to check out the Wombat Pool and Lake Lilla before getting back to Dove Lake.  I decided to finish my day of hiking off by walking the Dove Lake Track, where I was met with more incredible photo opportunities before heading back to my accommodation.

Stays worth wandering for.

Accommodation here is suitable for any budget.

I’ve stayed at budget friendly Discovery Parks cabins, and I’ve also stayed at Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge luxurious cabins - both were great options.

Discovery Parks was the perfect base for, no fuss, self-contained accommodation and was easily accessible to the Visitors Centre. It’s a great option for larger groups of people traveling together, for families and for more budget conscious photographers and adventurers.

Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge provided a more luxurious and decadent escape, and was the perfect place to kick back with a glass of red in front of the fire sifting through my photographs.

Whilst I've only explored a small piece of this incredible landscape, it certainly won’t be the last time I go in search of more photography adventures within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. It truly is a photographers dream to capture right here in Australia, and I hope the photography guide to Cradle Mountain Tasmania has given you some ideas when researching where you might like to visit next.

Until next time,

Deb