Tasmania and Cradle Mountain

Tasmania, Australia's island state to the south, is a rugged land of extraordinary wilderness, where ancient rainforests, alpine peaks, wild rivers and pristine coasts fill a vast UNESCO wilderness area. Its icon is Cradle Mountain, whose jagged dolerite silhouette rises above the still, reflecting Dove Lake, the start of the famous Overland Track, in a landscape of buttongrass moors, glacial lakes and rare wildlife.

What you actually see

• Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake - the jagged peak above the reflecting lake.
• The Overland Track - the famous multi-day alpine wilderness walk.
• The wildlife - wombats, wallabies and the Tasmanian devil.
• The wider island - the wild coasts, forests and historic Port Arthur.

When to go

November to April, the southern summer, for the mildest weather and open high trails; even then the alpine weather is famously changeable and cold snaps and snow can come any time, so pack layers. Wildlife is most active at dawn and dusk.

Honest expectations

The weather is wild and unpredictable, and Cradle Mountain is often shrouded in cloud and rain, so a clear view is never guaranteed; allow spare days. It is cool even in summer at altitude. Tasmania is a large island, so it needs a car and several days. The Tasmanian devil is largely nocturnal and rarely seen wild.

Nearby

Hobart, the historic penal site of Port Arthur and the Bay of Fires are elsewhere on the island.