At the southern end of the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park sits Australia’s deepest lake, carved out by glaciers and fringed by ancient pine forest — the kind of place where the water is often stone-still and the mountains around it feel a bit larger than life. It’s where the six-day Overland Track finishes, but you don’t need six days or a tent full of gear to see the best of it: a cluster of short, well-formed tracks fan out from the visitor centre at Cynthia Bay, ranging from a flat 45-minute stroll to a solid half-day circuit. It’s an easy add-on if you’re driving the Lyell Highway between Hobart and the west coast, and a good base for a night or two under canvas.
1. Lake St Clair Walks Circuit (Larmairremener tabelti, Watersmeet & Platypus Bay) — Lake St Clair
Three short tracks leave from behind the visitor centre and can be walked separately or combined into one figure-eight loop. The Larmairremener tabelti walk is an Aboriginal cultural walk giving insight into the people who lived around leeawuleena (Lake St Clair) for thousands of years; the Watersmeet Walk is a wide, mostly flat track to the confluence of the Cuvier and Hugel rivers and is Lake St Clair’s most accessible walk; and the Platypus Bay loop pushes a little further along the shore to a quiet bay where platypus are sometimes spotted at dawn or dusk. Note that the Watersmeet track to the Fergys Paddock entrance is closed for toilet construction until 30 September 2026, though the rest of the walk remains open.
Distance: 4.7km combined figure-eight (or do any one leg on its own) • Time: 45 minutes–1.5 hours • Difficulty: Watersmeet is Grade 2 (wheelchair-friendly with assistance); Platypus Bay and Larmairremener tabelti are Grade 3 • Dogs: Not permitted
Nearest campground: Lake St Clair Camping, right at Cynthia Bay where the walks start
2. Frankland Beaches Walk — Lake St Clair
A gentle out-and-back from Cynthia Bay that follows the old glacial moraines along the lake’s edge to a series of small, secluded beaches. It’s quieter than the walks closer to the visitor centre and a good option if you want some lake views without the busier foot traffic of Watersmeet.
Distance: 6km return • Time: ~2 hours • Difficulty: Grade 2 (moderate) • Dogs: Not permitted
Nearest campground: Lake St Clair Camping, at the Cynthia Bay trailhead
3. Shadow Lake Circuit — Lake St Clair
The pick of the day walks for anyone after a proper outing. The track climbs steadily out of wet forest near Cynthia Bay through eucalypt woodland into sub-alpine moorland and buttongrass plains, with pencil pines fringing Shadow Lake itself — a peaceful spot beneath Mount Hugel and Little Hugel that makes a natural halfway rest stop. At close to 1,000m, conditions up top can turn quickly, so it’s worth checking the forecast at the visitor centre before setting out.
Distance: 13km circuit (around 320m of climbing) • Time: 4–5 hours • Difficulty: Grade 4 (some bushwalking experience recommended) • Dogs: Not permitted
Nearest campground: Lake St Clair Camping, at Cynthia Bay where the circuit starts and finishes
4. Echo Point Walk (Ferry & Walk) — Lake St Clair
A different way to experience the lake: catch the passenger ferry — reportedly Australia’s highest-altitude ferry service — partway up the lake, then walk back to Cynthia Bay through cool temperate rainforest hugging the shoreline. It’s a relaxed way to cover more of the lake than the walking tracks alone allow. Worth noting: the Lake St Clair ferry service is not running during August 2026, so check current timetables with the Lake St Clair Visitor Centre or Lake St Clair Lodge before planning this one.
Distance: 11km one-way walk, plus a 20-minute ferry leg • Time: 3–4 hours total • Difficulty: Grade 3 • Dogs: Not permitted
Nearest campground: Lake St Clair Camping, at Cynthia Bay where the walk finishes
Planning Your Trip
Lake St Clair sits within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, so a valid parks pass is required for entry — grab one online in advance or at the visitor centre. Dogs are not permitted on any of the walking tracks in the national park, so leave them at home or with a sitter for this one. The area around Cynthia Bay is a fuel-stove-only zone, meaning campfires aren’t allowed, so bring a stove if you’re cooking at camp. Weather here can turn quickly even on the short lakeside walks — Lake St Clair sits close to 750m elevation and the surrounding peaks push well over 1,000m, so pack a waterproof layer and warm clothing regardless of the season, and check the forecast at the visitor centre before setting out on anything longer than Watersmeet. If you want a free or budget option outside the national park boundary, there’s camping further along the highway at Lake King William and Bronte Lagoon, both a short drive from Derwent Bridge.
- September 16, 2026
A challenging full-day circuit from Cynthia Bay to the summit of Mount Rufus, with wide views over Lake St Clair.
- September 15, 2026
Three short, easy walks from Cynthia Bay exploring Aboriginal culture, rivers and platypus habitat at Lake St Clair.
- September 14, 2026
A quiet lakeside walk from Cynthia Bay to a string of secluded beaches along Lake St Clair's old glacial moraines.
- September 12, 2026
A half-day alpine circuit from Cynthia Bay climbing through rainforest and moorland to Shadow Lake beneath Mount Hugel.
- September 11, 2026
Combine a scenic ferry ride with a rainforest walk back to Cynthia Bay along the shore of Lake St Clair.
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