Today my journey was to reach 'new heights' as described in the AAT Kings Itinerary notes, with a visit to the 1,545-metre Cradle Mountain, the backdrop to Dove Lake and the spectacular and pristine wilderness surrounding the mountain, home to the mysterious and secretive Tasmanian Devil. Today, however, I would not be searching for these animals in the wild but at the 'Devils@Cradle' Sanctuary that is supporting the conservation of this endangered species.
A later departure at 8.00am local time for the hour-and-a-half drive from Strahan back into the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in the north of the Tasmanian Wilderness. At 1,545 metres (5,069 ft) above sea level, it's the sixth-highest mountain in Tasmania.
Over the last decade Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake have become a very popular tourist destination. The area around the mountain has a large number of day walks, as well as being the start of the Overland Track. You may recall from an earlier post that the Overland Track winds through a variety of landscapes for 80.8 kilometres (50.2 mi) to the south, terminating at Lake St Clair, Australia's deepest lake. Our guide mentioned that over a hundred thousand visitors per quarter are now visiting the Park on a regular basis.
Several of my companion guests on this tour had visited Cradle Mountain before and commented how much the destination had changed. A large car park and new Visitor Centre and Cafe had replaced a small gravel car park and limited facilities at the entrance. A fleet of coaches now operates a frequent shuttle service from the Visitor Centre to Dove Lake, a distance of perhaps 3 to 4 miles with various pick-up points, such as the beginning of trail paths.
We were driven in a small bus along the narrow road leading to the viewpoint overlooking Dove Lake and Mt Cradle but our view today, was obscured by heavy cloud and drizzle! I have attached my photo and another taken from the internet on which I have illustrated the Geological feature from which the mountain gets its name.
In 1827 and 1828, the first Europeans to explore and summit Cradle Mountain were Joseph Fossey and Henry Hellyer, who were surveying for the Van Diemen's Land Company.
Trappers worked in the area from the 1860s until the collapse of the fur trade in the 1950s, although hunting in the park was declared illegal in 1927.
A large expanse of King Billy Pines (In the photo it's the large green tree in the background) were found by James Smith in 1863, and the area was logged until the 1910s. Smith's son continued logging the area on private land (Adjacent to the National Park) from 1943 to the 1972, ending after significant public protest.
Growing only in the alpine areas of western Tasmania, King William (Billy) pine has suffered enormously from wood fires, although it's not a true pine. It is an evergreen coniferous tree growing to 20–30 m tall, with a trunk up to 1.5 m diameter. The leaves are claw-like, 7–18 mm long and 3–4 mm broad, arranged spirally on the shoots (See photo).
Although not quite as prodigiously old as Huon pine, King Billy pines have been known to grow for 1,800+ years. Similarly, their rot-resisting qualities are not as phenomenal as Huon, but they can be successfully stockpiled for perhaps hundreds of years, an ability unheard-of in most other timbers.
The example shown in my photo is rare, so worth noting here. Other examples of the species can be viewed at The Tasmanian Arboretum and would you believe it, I have discovered that at Bedgebury National Pinetum, about 15 miles from me in Kent, England has some examples too! It has about fifty trees in its collection, the majority of them planted in the Conifer Conservation Project Area. Yet another of those joyous coincidences!!
The creation of the National Park that we visited today has an interesting origin and is, in the main, due to a couple called Gustav Weindorfer and Katie Cowle. Part romance, part tragedy but a story of persistence and a passion for the area which is worth recounting in more detail in my next post.
Excellent summation Terry. Just pity the weather was not kind.
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