Cynthia Bay Visitor Centre car park
Nearest Road: | Lake St Clair Rd |
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Nearest Town: | Derwent Bridge |
Locality: | Central Highlands |
Latitude: | S 42° 7′ 1″ |
Longitude: | E 146° 10′ 41″ |
Elevation: | 740 m |
Fee: | Parks Pass |
Management: | National Park |
Road Surface: | Sealed |
Car Park: | Good unsealed |
Water: | Tap if open |
Toilets: | Flush |
Shelter: | Shelter |
Picnic Table: | Picnic table |
Comment: | There is a large parking area at Cynthia Bay. Select a spot suitable for where and how long you are staying. |
16 walks from Cynthia Bay Visitor Centre car park
Caution
This site is a list of walks, not a walking guide. Before undertaking any walk, consult the references below.
For additional information about safe walking in Tasmania, go to the StepScape tab.
Cynthia Bay Jetty Walk
Goal: | Cynthia Bay Jetty |
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Grade: | Fairly flat |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 250 m |
Return distance: | 500 m |
Comment: | Walk right from the front of the visitor centre to visit the jetty. Return by path, or along the lake. |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Lake St Clair
“A gentle stroll around the lake shore at Cynthia Bay will suit just about everyone.â€
Tags
Forgotten Lake Walk
Goal: | Forgotten Lake |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 6,000 m |
Return distance: | 12,000 m |
Comment: | To Forgotten Lake via Watersmeet and Shadow Lake then continue on Little Hugel Track to Forgotten Lake. Return the same way. |
References
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 326, Number 95, Lake St Clair - Forgotten Lake
“A very muddy pad Leads … up Mt Little Hugel, but this is not recommended.â€
Peter Franklin, Bushwalk Track Notes, Page 4, Number 2008, Rufus Hugel Tracks - 17 April 2008
4 hours retrace route
“… good boardwalk built over a wet buttongrass plain… that was once an unpleasant section.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Shadow and Forgotten Lakes
6 hours retrace route
“… suitable for families as long as suitable clothing is worn.â€
Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks in and around Hobart, Hillside Publishing, Page 72, Number 30, Shadow Lake and Forgotten Lake
4 hours retrace route
“Excellellent view of Mt Hugel and Mt Rufus loom up beyond the lake.â€
Andrew Bain, Walks in Nature - Tasmania, Hardie Grant Travel, Number 7, 07 - Shadow Lake and Little Hugel
“… Forgotten Lake, pooled at the base of Little Hugel.â€
Tags
Forgotten Lake Walk via Shadow Lake Circuit
Goal: | Forgotten Lake |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | CircuitRetrace |
One-way distance: | 15,000 m |
Comment: | Follow Shadow Lake Circuit. At Shadow Lake, take Little Hugel Track to Forgotten Lake and return. Continue circuit. |
References
Andrew Bain, Walks in Nature - Tasmania, Hardie Grant Travel, Number 7, 07 - Shadow Lake and Little Hugel
“Return along the continuation of the Shadow Lake Circuit.â€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 1, Number 1, Shadow Lake Circuit - July 1, 2014
4 hours 40 minutes circuit
“… a 40 minute return side track along raised board walk takes you to Forgotten Lake…â€
Tags
Lake St Clair Lake Walk
Goal: | Frankland Beaches Pt |
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Grade: | Fairly flat |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 1,500 m |
Return distance: | 3,000 m |
Comment: | From Visitor Centre, walk to the lake shore. Turn right (east) and walk around the lake shore as far as you wish to explore. |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Lake St Clair
“Walk as far as you want to go.â€
Tags
Lake St Clair Lookout Walk at Visitor Centre
Goal: | Lake St Clair Lookout |
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Grade: | Fairly flat |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 100 m |
Return distance: | 200 m |
Comment: | There is a lookout on the shore of the lake in front of the visitor centre and clear of the trees. |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Lake St Clair
“… panoramas of Mount Olympus… and of the Traveller Range and Mounts Rufus and Hugul.â€
Tags
Lake St Clair triple walk
Goal: | Platypus Walk junction |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | Circuit |
One-way distance: | 4,700 m |
Comment: | To Watersmeet on Overland Track, Complete Platypus walk, return on Larmairremener tabelti Track, then short piece of Mt Rufus Track. |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Lake St Clair Walks
1 hour 30 minutes circuit
“All three walks can be combined for … a figure-of-eight loop.â€
Tags
Larmairremener tabelti Walk
Goal: | Aboriginal interpretive walk returning via Watersmeet track |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | Circuit |
One-way distance: | 2,500 m |
Comment: | To Watersmeet on Overland Track, return on Larmairremener tabelti Track, then short piece of Mt Rufus Track. |
References
Lake St Clair - Pumphouse Point - Tasmania, Lake St Clair - Pumphouse Point - Tasmania, F - Larmairremener tabelti walk
“… creative interpretation panels to introduce the Larmairremener, the indigenous people …â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 18, Lake St Clair
“… an insight into the Aboriginal people who lived around leeawuleena for thousands of years.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Platypus Bay and Larmairremener Tabelti - Aboriginal cultural walk
“Continue on from Watersmeetâ€
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 324, Number 94, Watersmeet - Platypus Bay
“Aboriginal cultural walkâ€
John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 83, Number 185, Watersmeet Circuit
“This track in an Aboriginal culture walk.â€
Tags
Little Hugel Circuit Walk
Goal: | Little Hugel |
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Grade: | Some Very Steep |
Type: | CircuitRetrace |
One-way distance: | 17,500 m |
Comment: | Take Shadow Lake Circuit route, but from Forgotten Lake continue on to Little Hugel. Return and continue circuit. |
References
John Chapman and Monica Chapman, Day Walks Tasmania, 2 ed., John Chapman, Page 88, Number 17, 17 - Mt Rufus Circuit
6 hours circuit
“… include the 2.6km side trip to the summit of Little Hugel.â€
Andrew Bain, Walks in Nature - Tasmania, Hardie Grant Travel, Number 7, 07 - Shadow Lake and Little Hugel
“… The climb to Little Hugel.. Up a boudery ridge to a vast view…â€
Tags
Little Hugel Walk
Goal: | Little Hugel |
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Grade: | Some Very Steep |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 9,000 m |
Return distance: | 18,000 m |
Comment: | Take track out past Shadow Lake and Forgotten Lake and then on up track to Little Hugel. Return same way. |
References
Lake St Clair - Pumphouse Point - Tasmania, Lake St Clair - Pumphouse Point - Tasmania, I - Little Hugel Walk
4 hours 20 minutes retrace route
“… intermediate walk with some challenging boulder hopping involved…â€
Peter Franklin, Bushwalk Track Notes, Page 4, Number 2008, Rufus Hugel Tracks - 17 April 2008
5 hours 30 minutes retrace route
“… until the rock scree is reached. It is then a clamber up the rocks to the summit.â€
Andrew Bain, Walks in Nature - Tasmania, Hardie Grant Travel, Number 7, 07 - Shadow Lake and Little Hugel
“The climb to Little Hugel passes though a tall pandani grove.â€
Tags
Mount Rufus Circuit
Goal: | Mount Rufus Summit |
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Grade: | Long climb |
Type: | Circuit |
One-way distance: | 18,000 m |
Comment: | Mt Rufus Track to summit, return via Mt Rufus Circuit Track and Shadow Lake Track. |
References
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 329, Number 96, Lake St Clair - Mt Rufus
8 hours circuit
“One day, hardâ€
Mark Dickenson, Chris Howard, Greg Rubock, Day Walks in Tasmania, Envirobook, Page 58, Number 26, 26 - Mount Rufus
7 hours circuit
“…provides a genuine alpine experience on a well-marked and generally clear track.â€
Wild Tiger - Bushwalking and mountaineering Tasmania. Real people, wild adventures., Wildtiger Blog team, Mount Rufus - April 7, 2006
7 hours circuit
“There were some interesting sandstone rock formations on the lower slopes.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 19, Mt Rufus
7 hours circuit
“During early summer the flowering of scoparia can be spectacular.â€
John Chapman and Monica Chapman, Day Walks Tasmania, 2 ed., John Chapman, Page 88, Number 5, 17-Mt Rufus Circuit
7 hours circuit
“An anti-clockwise direction …. so that south-westerly wind come from behind while on summit ridge.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Mt Rufus Circuit
7 hours circuit
“… a more demanding walk that takes 7 hours.â€
Peter Franklin, Bushwalk Track Notes, Page 4, Number 2008, Rufus Hugel Tracks - 17 April 2008
5 hours 40 minutes retrace route
“At the summit cairn there is a route east back to Cynthia Bay or south to Rufus Canal Rd.â€
Tags
Mount Rufus Walk
Goal: | Mt Rufus summit |
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Grade: | Long climb |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 7,500 m |
Return distance: | 15,000 m |
Comment: | Start on Watersmeet Track. Turn left to Mt Rufus track to summit. Return by same route |
References
Lake St Clair - Pumphouse Point - Tasmania, Lake St Clair - Pumphouse Point - Tasmania, H - Mt Rufus Walk
7 hours retrace route
“… breathtaking panoramic views over the western wilderness…â€
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 329, Number 96, Lake St Clair - Mt Rufus
Mark Dickenson, Chris Howard, Greg Rubock, Day Walks in Tasmania, Envirobook, Page 58, Number 26, 26 - Mount Rufus
“… you can return via the same route…â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 19, Mt Rufus
“While long and occasionally steep, this walk is accessible to capable… walkers.â€
John Chapman and Monica Chapman, Day Walks Tasmania, 2 ed., John Chapman, Page 88, Number 17, 17 - Mt Rufus Circuit
6 hours retrace route
“The summit of Mt Rufus is marked by a large cairnâ€
Tags
Platypus Bay Circuit
Goal: | Platypus Bay, added on to Watersmeet walk |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | CircuitRetrace |
One-way distance: | 4,000 m |
Comment: | From Visitors Centre to Watersmeet on Overland Track, then Platypus Bay Circuit and return via Watersmeet track. |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 18, Lake St Clair
“… where platypus are sometimes seen.â€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 6, Number 1, Platypus Bay -24 Nov 2014
1 hour 30 minutes circuit retrace
“… you may be able to spot the local platypi during twilight hours.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Platypus Bay and Larmairremener Tabelti - Aboriginal cultural walk
“… wide uninterupted views across the lake to the Traveller Range.â€
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 324, Number 94, Watersmeet - Platypus Bay
“The best times to see a platypus would be early and late in the dayâ€
John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 83, Number 185, Watersmeet Circuit
“… platypus are normally only active at dusk.â€
Tags
Shadow Lake Circuit
Goal: | Shadow Lake |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | Circuit |
One-way distance: | 11,500 m |
Comment: | To Shadow Lake via Watersmeet and return via Shadow Lake Circuit Track and Mt Rufus Track. Or vice versa. |
References
Di, Di's Walk a Month, Di, Page 2, Number 2013, 3 Feb 2013 - Shadow Lake Circuit
5 hours circuit
“Walk was longer than anticipated but still well worth it.â€
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 326, Number 95, Lake St Clair - Forgotten Lake
5 hours circuit
“There are pockets of rainforest in gullies, alpine sedge, button grass plain and sub-alpine woodlandâ€
John Chapman and Monica Chapman, Day Walks Tasmania, 2 ed., John Chapman, Page 88, Number 17, 17 - Mt Rufus Circuit
5 hours circuit
“Recommended if the summit of Mt Rufus is under cloud.â€
Peter Franklin, Bushwalk Track Notes, Page 4, Number 2008, Rufus Hugel Tracks - 17 April 2008
3 hours 40 minutes retrace route
“This (link) traqck is relatively new having been put in somewhere close to year 2000.â€
Andrew Bain, Walks in Nature - Tasmania, Hardie Grant Travel, Number 7, 07 - Shadow Lake and Little Hugel
“Return along the continuation of the Shadow Lake Circuit.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 20, Shadow Lake Circuit
5 hours circuit
“A delightful alpine lake amidst impressive mountains…â€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 1, Number 1, Shadow Lake Circuit - July 1, 2014
4 hours circuit
“… a brilliant family walk that highlights just some of the unique and beautiful landscape…â€
Tags
Shadow Lake Walk
Goal: | Shadow Lake |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 4,500 m |
Return distance: | 9,000 m |
Comment: | To Shadow Lake via Watersmeet and return |
References
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 326, Number 95, Lake St Clair - Forgotten Lake
“A straightforward 4km walk, basically up a ridge on the Shadow Lake Track.â€
Peter Franklin, Bushwalk Track Notes, Page 4, Number 2008, Rufus Hugel Tracks - 17 April 2008
“Beaches of brownish gravelly sand are on the northern side.â€
Jan Hardy & Bert Elson, 50 Family Walks in and around Hobart, Hillside Publishing, Page 72, Number 30, Shadow Lake and Forgotten Lake
“Well-made track, only gently climbing, beautiful lake and mountain views.â€
Andrew Bain, Walks in Nature - Tasmania, Hardie Grant Travel, Number 7, 07 - Shadow Lake and Little Hugel
“Cross dry alpine woodland to Shadow Lake.â€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 1, Number 1, Shadow Lake Circuit - July 1, 2014
“Shadow Lake itself is beautiful and provides a picturesqueâ€
Tags
Watersmeet Circuit
Goal: | Platypus Bay |
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Grade: | Moderate |
Type: | Circuit |
One-way distance: | 4,700 m |
Comment: | Figure 8 shape walk via Larmairremener tabelti walk and the Platypus Bay walk. |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 18, Lake St Clair
1 hour 30 minutes circuit
“The confluence of the Cuvier and Hugel rivers.â€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 6, Number 1, Platypus Bay -24 Nov 2014
“… you may be able to spot the local platypi during twilight hours.â€
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 324, Number 94, Watersmeet - Platypus Bay
2 hours circuit
John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 83, Number 185, Watersmeet Circuit
2 hours circuit
“Take wet weather clothing as this is a region of high rainfallâ€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 5, Number 1, Watersmeet Nature Trail - 24 Nov 2014
“The trail ends where the Cuvier and Hugel rivers join before feeding into Lake St Clair.â€
Tags
Watersmeet Walk
Goal: | Hugel Bridge |
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Grade: | Flat |
Type: | Retrace route |
One-way distance: | 1,200 m |
Return distance: | 2,400 m |
Comment: | Overland Track to Hugel Bridge at Watersmeet and return |
References
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Number 18, Lake St Clair
“The confluence of the Cuvier and Hugel rivers.â€
Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania, Parks & Wildlife Service Website - Explore our Parks, P&WS, Watersmeet
1 hour retrace route
“This easy walk follows the crest of a glacial moraine…â€
Tyrone Thomas & Andrew Close, 100 Walks in Tasmania, Explore Australia, Page 324, Number 94, Watersmeet - Platypus Bay
“… the rushing crystal-clear waters of the Hugel River…â€
John and Monica Chapman, Short Walks Southern Tasmania, 1st ed., John Chapman, Page 83, Number 185, Watersmeet Circuit
“… bridge above the junction of the Hugel and Cuvier Rivers…â€
TasTrails, TasTrails, Page 5, Number 1, Watersmeet Nature Trail - 24 Nov 2014
45 minutes retrace route
“… ends where the Cuvier and Hugel rivers join before feeding into Lake St Clair.â€