Cradle Mountain Hotels

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Most visitors who are drawn to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania are rugged adventurers, naturalists or outdoorsy types who want to be immersed in its breathtaking natural surroundings. This part of Australia lures visitors who like to climb, hike, camp and enjoy the caverns, lakes and indigenous flora and fauna. Cradle Mountain is the northern gateway to theCradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, a World Heritage site. In this wilderness area, visitors can enjoy off-road tours, hang-gliding, river-rafting andcanoeing. Hikers should get into top condition before travelling to Cradle Mountain if they are interested in multi-day treks. If you want a less taxing adventure, you can enjoy the vistas of Dove Lake by joining one of the guided walking tours. The Cradle Mountain Canyons tour company offers thrilling canyoning excursions too. There are also plenty of crittersat Cradle Mountain, where the wombats, wallabies, pademelons, ravens and currawongs will try to get your food at any cost. Many of these clever marsupials and birds are able to work a zipper, so keep your provisions tightly sealed in your pack. Do not feed these animals or take any plants as the park rangers will levy high fines.

When To Go

Visitors to Cradle Mountain should be prepared for unpleasant weather. This part of Tasmania is very wet and chilly, and it rains almost every day. Since Cradle Mountain is located in the Southern Hemisphere, summer runs from December through February. Don’t expect the summer months to get too warm, though, as the highest average temperature is about 15°C (59°F). The weather patterns are unpredictable at best, so you should pack a variety of gear no matter when you visit. Since conditions can change quickly, carry raingear even if it is sunny out. The wind in this area renders an umbrella mostly useless, but the good news is that it usually does not rain hard or continuously.

Warmest months are December to February, with highs of 15°C (59°F)
Rains almost every day and can be windy
Chilly or cold year-round

Getting There

If you are travelling by air, you can fly into Tasmania from Hobart or Launceston before continuing on to Cradle Mountain. There are ferries that service Tasmania from mainland Australia that are operated by Spirit of Tasmania Ferries. If you are renting a car to travel to Cradle Mountain, check to see if there are restrictions for transporting the vehicle on the ferry. You can drive to Cradle Mountain from Hobart, Devonport or Launceston using Highway 1. There is the option of taking a bus, but this is a very slow option. Some people choose to get around Cradle Mountain by canoe, but you should not try this unless you have plenty of canoeing experience or hire a guide.