Quamby Bluff Forest Reserve Walk
- August 20, 2026
A climbing half-day walk through forest and a dramatic scree field to the 1,250m summit of Quamby Bluff, with 360-degree…
The Threshold of the Central Walls
Herods Gate marks one of the great transition points in Walls of Jerusalem National Park, where walkers leave the more open alpine plateau and enter the dramatic dolerite country of the Central Walls. Reaching Herods Gate from the main car park is a substantial undertaking. The route follows the steep climb to Trappers Hut, continues past Solomons Jewels and Wild Dog Creek, and then pushes deeper into the national park toward the entrance of the Central Walls. Once through Herods Gate, the landscape changes noticeably. Towering dolerite mountains, alpine lakes, tarns and open high-country vegetation replace the broader plateau scenery encountered earlier in the walk. Very fit walkers may attempt Herods Gate as a long day return, but for most visitors it is better experienced as part of a two- or three-day trip with an overnight stay at Wild Dog Creek.
See Also:
The route to Herods Gate begins with the same steep climb used by walkers heading toward the heart of Walls of Jerusalem National Park. From the trailhead, the track climbs through forest toward Trappers Hut, gaining considerable elevation over a relatively short distance. Beyond the hut, the gradient eases as the route crosses the alpine plateau, passing the beautiful Solomons Jewels and continuing toward Wild Dog Creek. From Wild Dog Creek, the track continues deeper into the park across open alpine country and hardened sections designed to protect boggy and fragile vegetation. As Herods Gate approaches, the surrounding dolerite peaks become increasingly dominant and the landscape begins to feel noticeably more enclosed.
Herods Gate is a hard walk when attempted as a day return. The challenge comes from the combination of distance, the steep initial climb, exposed alpine terrain and the need to allow enough time and energy for the return journey. For most walkers, covering around 15 kilometres while also climbing into the high country makes this significantly more demanding than the distance alone might suggest. Splitting the journey over two days with a night at Wild Dog Creek makes the route much more manageable.
Herods Gate is more than simply a named point on the track. It marks the moment when walkers enter the Central Walls, where the surrounding mountains begin to rise dramatically around the route. The change in scenery is immediate enough to give Herods Gate a genuine sense of arrival. For many walkers, passing through the gate is one of the defining moments of a trip into Walls of Jerusalem National Park.
Beyond Herods Gate lies the dramatic landscape that gives Walls of Jerusalem National Park much of its character. Dolerite mountains rise around a landscape of alpine vegetation, tarns and lakes, creating one of Tasmania’s most distinctive high-country environments. The biblical place names scattered throughout the park add to the sense of entering a naturally enclosed mountain sanctuary. Continuing deeper into the Central Walls leads toward locations including Damascus Gate, Dixons Kingdom and several of the park’s major peaks.
Before reaching Wild Dog Creek, the route passes a series of small alpine lakes known as Solomons Jewels. The tarns sit among alpine vegetation and provide a beautiful introduction to the high-country landscape. On calm days, the dark water can produce striking reflections of the surrounding vegetation and sky.
After the steep climb to Trappers Hut, walkers emerge onto a very different landscape. Low alpine vegetation, open views and scattered lakes replace the forest of the lower slopes. The contrast makes the journey into Herods Gate feel like several very different walks combined into one.
Wild Dog Creek is the main overnight camping area on the approach to the Central Walls. For walkers heading to Herods Gate, it provides the logical place to split the journey into two days.
Facilities at the campsite include:
Natural water should be treated before drinking. Staying overnight also reduces pressure on fragile alpine vegetation by concentrating camping in the designated area.
Day 1
Climb from the car park to Trappers Hut, continue past Solomons Jewels and establish camp at Wild Dog Creek.
Day 2
Walk to Herods Gate, explore the entrance to the Central Walls, return to Wild Dog Creek, collect your overnight gear and descend to the car park.
Stronger walkers may extend the second day farther into the Central Walls, but allow enough time for the lengthy descent back to the trailhead.
If staying at Wild Dog Creek, you will also need full overnight bushwalking equipment.
Walls of Jerusalem is remote alpine country and conditions can deteriorate quickly:
The Walls of Jerusalem contains fragile alpine vegetation that can be damaged very easily. Use boardwalks and hardened tracks wherever they are provided and avoid widening muddy sections by walking around them. Overnight campers should use designated tent platforms at Wild Dog Creek rather than creating new campsites. Carry all rubbish out with you and leave the landscape exactly as you found it.
Generally, no.
The distance, steep initial climb and remoteness make Herods Gate unsuitable for young or inexperienced walkers. Very experienced bushwalking families with capable older teenagers may consider it as part of an overnight trip, provided everyone is comfortable carrying equipment through alpine conditions. For most families, one of the shorter approaches into the park will be a better choice.
No. Dogs and other domestic pets are not permitted within Walls of Jerusalem National Park.
The Walls of Jerusalem trailhead is reached from Tasmania’s Central Highlands via the Lake Rowallan area. From Deloraine, travel through Mole Creek before following the roads toward Lake Rowallan and the Walls of Jerusalem access road. The final section to the trailhead is on gravel roads. Drive to the conditions and allow more travel time than the distance alone may suggest. The walk begins from the main Walls of Jerusalem car park.
Walkers should use the registration facilities at the trailhead before entering the park. Record your intended route, destination and expected return details accurately. Remember to complete any required sign-out procedure when you return.
Facilities are deliberately limited because this is a remote wilderness area.
At the trailhead and along the route you can expect:
There are no shops, cafes or other visitor services once you reach the trailhead.
Bring everything you need for the entire trip.
For most walkers, December through April provides the best chance of more settled conditions and longer daylight hours. Even in summer, however, Walls of Jerusalem can experience cold, wind, rain and occasionally snow. Winter transforms the park into a much more serious alpine environment requiring appropriate experience and equipment. Whatever the season, choose a favourable forecast rather than relying solely on the time of year.
Herods Gate is where the journey into Walls of Jerusalem begins to feel truly dramatic. The climb from the trailhead, the lakes around Solomons Jewels and the open plateau are impressive in their own right, but passing through Herods Gate introduces you to the enclosed dolerite landscape for which the park is famous. Suddenly, mountain walls rise around you, alpine lakes appear between the peaks and the biblical names scattered across the map begin to make sense. It is a substantial journey from the car park, which is exactly why taking two days makes so much sense.
For walkers wanting their first real taste of the Central Walls, Herods Gate is a memorable destination — and one best enjoyed without rushing.
A climbing half-day walk through forest and a dramatic scree field to the 1,250m summit of Quamby Bluff, with 360-degree…
A short boardwalk to a dramatic cliff-edge lookout over the Fisher River valley, with views to Cradle Mountain on a…
A quieter, undulating walk through tall eucalypt forest in Mole Creek Karst National Park to a secluded waterfall.
One of Tasmania"s 60 Great Short Walks, passing four named cascades through cool temperate rainforest to a viewing platform over…
An ancient pencil pine forest campsite deep within the Central Walls of Jerusalem — best reached as part of a…
A steep, 600m climb through eucalypt forest to a historic snaring hut on the edge of the Walls of Jerusalem…
The full Day 1 route into Walls of Jerusalem National Park, past Trappers Hut and Solomons Jewels to the designated…
A demanding climb via Trappers Hut to a cluster of small alpine lakes framed by ancient pencil pines on the…
