Page 473 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia
P. 473
T ASM ANIA 471
The home and grounds of its
colonial overseer are now open
for public tours.
P Highfield House
Green Hills Rd, via Stanley. Tel (03)
6458 1100. Open 9:30am–4:30pm
daily. Closed 25 Dec. & ∑ historic-
highfield.com.au
yKing Island
~ n Tasmanian Travel and
Information Centre, cnr Davey &
Elizabeth sts, Hobart (03) 6238 4222.
Elephant seal bull on King Island – males can weigh up to 3 tonnes
Lying off the northwestern coast
of Tasmania in the Bass Strait, of the property, booked in of Lake St Clair, the deepest
King Island is a popular location advance, include a lunch of local freshwater lake in Australia.
for wildlife lovers. Muttonbirds beef fillet and a trip to Cape In 1922, the area became
and elephant seals are among Grim, known for the cleanest a national park, founded by
the unusual attractions. air in the world. Austrian nature enthusiast
Divers also frequent the Gustav Weindorfer. His memory
island, fascinated by the ship iCradle Mountain lives on in his forest home
wrecks that lie nearby. The Waldheim Chalet, now a
island is also noted for its Lake St Clair heritage lodge in Weindorfer’s
cheese, beef and seafood. National Park Forest. Nearby at Ronny Creek
is the registration point for
@ Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair.
uWoolnorth n Cradle Mountain (03) 6492 1110 the celebrated Overland Track,
(shuttle from gate is every 20 mins which traverses the park
Via Smithton. n Tasmanian Travel in summer, infrequent at other times). through scenery ranging from
and Information Centre, cnr Davey & Lake St Clair (03) 6289 1172. & 7 rainforest, alpine moors,
Elizabeth sts, Hobart (03) 6238 4222. buttongrass plains and waterfall
8 obligatory. The distinctive jagged peaks valleys. Walking the track takes
of Cradle Mountain are now an average of six days, stopping
The huge sheep, cattle and recognized as an international overnight in tents or huts.
dairy farming property on the symbol of the state’s natural At the halfway mark is Mount
outskirts of Smithton is the only environment. The second Ossa, the state’s highest peak
remaining land holding of the highest mountain in Tasmania at 1,617 m (5,300 ft). In May,
Van Diemen’s Land Company. reaches 1,560 m (5,100 ft) at the the park is ablaze with the
The last four Tasmanian tigers northern end of the 161,000ha autumn colours of Tasmania’s
held in captivity were caught (400,000acre) national park. deciduous beech Nothofagus
in the bush backing on to Wool The park then stretches 80 km gunnii, commonly known as
north in 1908. Daylong tours (50 miles) south to the shores “Fagus” (see p458).
Dove Lake backed by the jagged peaks of Cradle Mountain
