Travel Guide Cradle Mountain - Lake St. Clair National Park

The Lake Country, 145 km southwest of Launceston, is a vast plateau crisscrossed by countless rivers. This "land of 3,000 lakes" still bears the traces of the last ice age in the form of glacial lakes, rolling meadows, steep cliffs and amazing burial mounds. The high plateau is covered with snow and swept by strong winds during the winter. The summer alpine flora consists of button grass and tortured scrub. Most of the lakes are accessible only by foot. Coming from the south, the Lake Highway follows Great Lake for about 50 kilometers, before descending the north side amidst waterfalls, volcanic cliffs, and views of Bass Strait. Lake St. Clair, the deepest lake in Australia, is surrounded by the towering mountains of Cradle Mountain National Park. This park is home to Mount Ossa (1,617 m), Tasmania's highest peak. Lake Saint Clair marks the end of the Overland Track, which runs through the entire national park. Further north, the Walls of Jerusalem National Park is only accessible via Mole Creek.