Explore other great holiday locations in Tasmanias South.
Arthur's Lake in the central highland region of Tasmania is famous as a brown trout fishery with some of the best fly fishing in the world.. read more
Bothwell is the gateway to the central highland and was settled by Scottish pioneer farmers in the early 1820s. It has wide open streets.. read more
Wild seascapes and sweeping surf beaches, wonderful coastal walks, birdlife and wildflowers, tall forests and an historic lighthouse are.. read more
Cockle Creek – this is where the most southerly road in Australia ends. By the time you arrive at Cockle Creek you are almost at the.. read more
Derwent Bridge is on the road to and from the west coast (Highway A10), 2.5 hours' drive, 186 kilometres (115 miles) from Hobart. It.. read more
Traveling through Tasmania's South for 187km, the Derwent River is the second longest river in the state. The river plays many crucial roles.. read more
The deepest freshwater lake in Australia (190 metres/623 feet), Lake St Clair was scooped during several glaciations over the past two million years.
The Lake forms the southern boundary of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park and the finishing point for the Overland Track, one of the world’s best multi-day bushwalks. During summer and autumn (fall), rangers offer a variety of activities such as walks, talks and slide shows for adults and children.
There a number of short walks from the Interpretation Centre around the shores of the Lake at Cynthia Bay (Cynthia Bay is named for the Greek goddess of the moon). Some of the most spectacular walks take three to four hours or overnight – such as the walks to Shadow and Forgotten lakes. A pantheon of dolerite mountains – Mt Olympus, Mt Orthys, Mt Byron and Mt Ida surround Lake St Clair; at the southern end is a drowned moraine – the tumbled rock remains after the glaciations.
The Aboriginal people of the area called the lake Leeawuleena, meaning sleeping water.
Most of Australia’s mammals are nocturnal but at dusk or dawn around Cynthia Bay you are likely to see two species of wallaby – the Bennetts or red-necked wallaby, and the small more timid Tasmanian pademelon. And sometimes wombats and quolls head out after dark; echidnas and platypuses are also common around Cynthia Bay. Birdlife such as black currawongs, strong-billed and black-headed honeyeaters and the yellow wattlebird can be seen and are found only in Tasmania.
Try fishing, boating or the ferry service travelling the 18 kilometre length of the lake, and meet bushwalkers completing the Overland Track.
Turn off The Rivers Run trail (A10) at Derwent Bridge.
For comprehensive travel information on travelling to Lake St Clair, select a category below.
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