Getting Started
Be safe! Discuss your plans with staff at either the Cradle Mt or Lake St Clair Visitor Centres before your trip.
From Cradle Valley
Public buses will drop you off at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, or at the accomodation nearby if you request.
You must check in at the Visitor Centre to collect your Overland Track Pass and your Parks Pass. A frequent shuttle bus service goes from the Information Centre and the Visitor Centre 7 days a week, to the start of the walking track at Ronny Creek, 5kms into the Park.
Allow at least 3-5 hours to reach Waterfall Valley. You should start on the track by 2.00pm in the summer months with good weather conditions. However, earlier starting times are advised in times of poor weather and in the months April to November. In winter, daylight hours are reduced to between 7.30am and 4.45pm and snow can make the track impassable.
Walkers leaving from Cradle have three options for starting the track. The views differ and all involve an uphill climb.
- From Ronny Creek via Crater Falls and Crater Lake to Marions Lookout - a moderate grade climb to Marions Lookout, with spectacular views from the lookout.
- From Dove Lake via Lake Lilla and Wombat Pool to Marions Lookout - includes the uphill section to Marions Lookout.
- From Ronny Creek via Horse Track to Crater Peak - this is a more gentle uphill climb, but is very exposed.
Other tracks in the area are rough, muddy and steep and are not recommended for accessing the Overland Track.
From Lake St Clair
(during the off-peak walking season only)
- You may catch the ferry up the 13 km glacial lake from Cynthia Bay to Narcissus. The ferry is run privately, phone (03) 6289 1137. Bookings are essential.
- Or you may walk the 15 km Lakeside track. It has a relatively even terrain through open temperate rainforest.
- (The Cuvier Valley track is not recommended as it is not clearly marked, and is wet and muddy underfoot.)
Side Tracks
The side tracks add diversity to the Overland Track, with waterfalls, lakes and peaks.
These side tracks are all clearly signposted, but the tracks are generally narrower and less obvious than the main Track. Don’t head off up a peak if the mountain is obscured by poor visibility. Rather than trying to plan in advance which side tracks you intend to do, it’s best to be opportunistic and do the side tracks when the weather is good and you have plenty of daylight hours.
You should always take your raincoat, warm clothing, map, snacks and water with you. Regardless of how fine the weather might seem conditions can change dramatically while you are away from your pack. Many of the turnoffs have a platform where you can leave your pack. If you have to leave it on the ground please place it on exposed soil if possible to avoid damaging fragile alpine vegetation.
1. Cradle Mountain summit (3hrs return from Kitchen Hut)
A sign posted track leaves from the main track just south of Kitchen Hut. Be aware that it is a steep climb over a large boulder rock scree.
2. Barn Bluff (2.5 hours return from Cradle Cirque)
Turn off half way along Cradle Cirque. The ascent to Barn Bluff is via the Barn Cirque, and is very exposed. In good weather there are spectacular views of glacial valleys of the north end of the Overland Track, the Walls of Jerusalem and the ranges of the west coast. You could attempt this on the day you walk from Waterfall Valley to Windemere, as it’s otherwise a short & easy day.
3. Lake Will (1 hour return from main track)
The track is boardwalked to the shore of the alpine lake. The lake is fringed with Pencil Pines and in calm weather may provide a mirror image of Barn Bluff.
4. Mt Ossa (3.5hrs return from Pelion Gap)
At 1617 metres this is Tasmania's highest mountain. There is some rock scrambling to the summit. There are good views from Mt Doris (enroute) if you do not wish to do the full climb. In hot conditions walkers are advised to carry water. This should be collected before reaching Pelion Gap.
5. D'Alton Falls and Fergusson Falls (1.5hrs return)
A marked track descends steeply through myrtle forest to another signposted junction. Separate tracks from here lead to D'Alton and Fergusson Falls. Take special care to not loose the track in the forest.
6. Hartnett Falls (1hr return)
There are excellent views from the top of the falls.
Huts and camping
There are bushwalker’s huts located at each of the five overnight stops on the Overland Track. Also at each overnight stop is a rainwater tank, camping platforms, other campsites and a fly-out bushwalker’s toilet.
The booking system manages departures and relieves the pressure at the overnight stops along the track and the amount and frequency of overcrowding at huts and along the track. So you don't need to rush to the next hut to stake out your territory, as nobody is allowed to refuse space to another walker. It is better to enjoy your day and take your time.
Each hut has long sleeping platforms and communal cooking and eating areas with benches and tables. There is no food, cooking utensils, cooking stoves, mattresses or bedding available at the huts.
It is essential that you carry a tent and fuel stove. The huts may be full when you arrive. A tent is actually warmer than the hut as it is an enclosed cell of air. Having a tent and fuel stove gives you the flexibility to stop and camp when it is unwise to proceed, due to poor weather conditions, injury or fatigue. When camping on the camping platforms or other campsites near the huts, you do of course have an equal right to use the hut’s cooking and eating areas, as well as the rainwater tanks and bushwalker’s toilets.
The huts (with sleeping capacity and AGD GPS co-ordinates) from north to south, are:
Converting from AGD66 to GDA 94. You can easily convert a map co-ordinate to GDA. These
equations will give about a 3-5 metre accuracy. AGD66 to GDA94 - add 112 metres to the easting (X)
and 183 metres to the northing (Y) GDA94 to AGD66 - subtract 112 metres from the easting (X) and s
183 metres from the northing (Y) More accurate calculations can be obtained from using one of the
many free programs available on the internet.
The above table is available as an "OziExplorer Waypoint File" for use within Ozi or a GPS. See our maps page to download this and other data sets.
| Hut |
Sleeping Capacity |
Easting (AGD) |
Northing (AGD) |
Photos |
| Waterfall Valley |
20 |
412282 |
5381178 |
see photos |
| Windermere |
16 |
413139 |
5374873 |
see photos |
| Pelion |
36 |
420749 |
5368465 |
see photos |
| Kia Ora |
20 |
423691 |
5361602 |
see photos |
| Bert Nichols (Windy Ridge) |
24 |
424359 |
5357179 |
see photos |
| Narcissus |
18 |
425500 |
5348260 |
see photos |
Huts are fairly evenly spaced along the track. Approximate times and distances between huts are:
- Waldheim - Waterfall Valley Hut 10.0 kms, 6 hours.
- Waterfall Valley Hut - Windemere 7.5 kms, 3 hours.
- Windemere - Pelion Hut 16.5kms, 6 hours.
- Pelion Hut - Kia Ora Hut 9kms, 3 hrs.
- Kia Ora - Bert Nichols Hut 10.0kms, 4 hrs.
- Bert Nichols Hut - Narcissus Hut 9 kms, 3 hrs.
The Bert Nichols Hut was previously known as the Windy Ridge Hut. It replaced the Windy Ridge Hut in 2008. See details of why the hut was replaced. (PDF 136 KB)
There are three additional bushwalkers’ huts, mostly off the main track, at Lake Rodway (the Scott-Kilvert hut), at Pine Valley and at Echo Point. (Each of these has a bushwalker’s toilet.)
Three other huts are historic sites; Kitchen Hut (has a toilet), Old Pelion Hut and Du Cane Hut. These huts are not to be used except in a genuine emergency, to preserve their historic value.
The huts have either coal-burning or gas heaters. Think conservation! Don't light the hut heater if the thermometer in the hut reads 10°C or more. Supplying coal and gas to huts is expensive, and the ash waste from coal heaters degrades the environment around the huts. Putting on extra clothing is a non-polluting way of getting warm.
Water
Few places on Earth have water as pristine as in the Tasmanian wilderness. Your habits are crucial in helping to preserve this quality. Careful toilet habits are the main way that walkers can preserve water quality.
Collect drinking water from hut water tanks, or from deep lakes or fast flowing streams. Drinking water should be collected upstream of any places where people are swimming. Likewise, bathe downstream of obvious water collection points such as near huts and campsites.
Of course, the water within our national parks is not treated. It may therefore not meet the National Health and Medical Research Council's Guidelines for drinking water. The Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services thus advises that as a precautionary measure, untreated water should be boiled (1-3 minutes) before drinking or being used for food preparation. Other forms of water treatment (iodine, water filters) may also be used.
Toilets
Compost or pit toilets are available at all the overnight hut sites along the Overland Track. Where possible please use these toilets. To assist the composting process, do not put rubbish (such as tampons, sanitary pads or condoms) in the toilets.
Walkers must bring their own toilet paper as it is not provided.
Where there are no toilets, go at least 100 metres away from any lake, river, creek or stream. Carry a sturdy hand trowel and dig a hole at least 15 cm (6 inch) deep, otherwise animals may dig up the waste and scatter the toilet paper. Bury all faecal waste and toilet paper with soil.
Do not attempt to burn toilet paper as this practice is unlawful and could start a bushfire. Please do not urinate in the close vicinity of huts and campsites. Urine adds nutrients to the environment and the plant life close to some huts has been altered by concentrated urine.
Fuel Stove Only Area
The Cradle Mt-Lake St Clair National Park is a Fuel Stove Only Area and campfires are not permitted. Many parts of this park have already been burnt and it is important to prevent further fires from occurring. You will need to carry a fuel stove for cooking (the heaters in the huts are not suitable for cooking).
When using a fuel stove, please ensure that the stove is placed on a hard surface such as a rock or on the tables inside a hut. Radiant heat from the stove can destroy underlying vegetation. Similarly, please do not place hot saucepans or pots on vegetation, or dispose of boiled water on vegetation.
Walk softly
Keep on track
Wade through the centre of boggy sections of track. This is the best way that walkers can help with stopping the sprawl of muddy areas. We recommend wearing gaiters to protect yourself against the scrub and mud.
Group size
The preferred maximum party size is 4-6 people. Large groups can be difficult to accommodate at huts and campsites and have greater social and environmental impact.
Plant disease kills - help boot it out
Bushwalkers can carry plant disease into wilderness areas via muddy boots, tents and other walking equipment. All items used in the bush need to be scrupulously cleaned between one trip and the next. Items that require a scrub include boots and gaiters (the most risky items), tent floors, groundsheets, tent poles and pegs, trowels, packs, waterproof coats and trousers.
Cleaning is best done in a laundry and the water disposed of via the septic/sewerage system or on a bitumen road.
Camping
It is preferable to camp in the areas adjacent to the huts, and use the tent platforms where they are provided. These sites offer good camping spots, and using these sites helps to limit degradation. Camping platforms have either hooks or cables attached to the edges to which you attach your tents' peg loops. You can bring spare strong string in case you camp on a platform where cables are missing.
Do not camp within 30 metres of lakes and streams as these areas erode most easily.
Carry something for collecting water so as to limit the number of trips that need to be made for water (a well rinsed, empty wine cask bladder is recommended). Do not dig drains around tents. Camping is not permitted inside the Cradle Mountain day walk area.
Dishwashing
Use hot water and a scourer to clean plates and cookware. Soaps and detergents are not welcome in the bush. Despite their name, biodegradable products still impact on water-life.
Where possible, dish washing water should be disposed of in the grease traps that are located near most of the huts. Where there are no grease traps, dish washing should be done 50 metres away from water and the waste water scattered.
Keep Wildlife Wild
The smell of food will have native animals raiding your pack, rattling your cookware and riffling through your rubbish. Nocturnal visitors include brush-tailed possums, eastern quolls and spotted-tail quolls, while during the day currawongs may attack unattended packs in search of food.
Animals such as possums and native mice can carry disease by licking your cookware and cause rubbish to be scattered when they break into garbage bags. At night, hang your food and rubbish in the huts or stow securely in your packs. The vestibule of your tent is not a secure place. Rigid plastic containers are useful for storing food.
Do not feed animals and ensure that no food scraps are left in huts or outside. Processed food is not part of their natural diet and, in some cases, can lead to the death of native animals, as well as result in unnaturally high populations occurring in the vicinity of huts.
Rubbish
All rubbish must be carried out with you. Rubbish includes cigarette butts!
Do not attempt to burn any rubbish in the hut stoves. Much of it will fall through the stove grates and be discarded as litter outside the huts.
Please don’t put any rubbish into the composting toilets, as this restricts the composting process. Used sanitary pads, tampons, condoms and baby nappies are items of litter and must be carried out.
Leave the huts clean and tidy. Don't leave unwanted food and clothing in the huts.
Walk safely
It is important to let someone know before you go - leave details of your planned trip with a reliable friend or relative, police, or complete a trip intentions form at the visitor centre at Cradle Mt or Lake St Clair. Use walker registration books to register and deregister your walk. But be aware that these are not checked regularly, and a search will only be mounted if someone reports you as lost or overdue.
It is always wise to carry a first aid kit.
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) can be hired (subject to availability) from the Parks and Wildlife Service at Cradle Mt and Lake St Clair and from Service Tasmania in Hobart.
For detailed information on planning your walk and a gear checklist, see our Before you walk.