Cradle MountainCity/Region: Devonport
One of Tasmania's most popular attractions is the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, placed on the World Heritage list in 1982. Landscapes include ancient rainforest and alpine heath lands, interspersed with button grass and stands of deciduous beech trees. Trails winding through forests of King Billy pines around the mountain offer superb day treks, and the 50 miles (82km) trek from Cradle Mountain in the north to Lake St Clair in the south is Australia's most famous bushwalk. The Park is equipped with mountain huts that
offer accommodation for long guided treks, and Cradle Mountain Lodge offers log cabins in a tranquil setting. Lake St Clair, a narrow 10-mile (15km) long waterway in the south of the park, is Australia's deepest natural freshwater lake.
Phone Number: (03) 6492 1110 (Cradle Mountain Visitor Center)
Email Address: cradle@parks.tas.gov.au
Website: www.parks.tas.gov.au/natparks
Transport: It is a one and a half hour drive from Devonport to the park entrance. A free shuttle bus services all areas of the park from the visitor center
Hours: The Visitor Center is open daily 8am to 5pm
Admission: A$22 per vehicle; A$11 per individual
Port ArthurCity/Region: Hobart
In the far south of Tasmania, on the Tasman Peninsula, is Port Arthur, which in the early 1800s was originally a timber station. In 1833 it became a prison settlement for male convicts, and quickly established a reputation as being 'hell on earth'. Today Port Arthur lies among 40 hectares of English Oaks and magnificent gardens as a memorial to Australia's convict past. The Port Arthur historic site offers an inclusive all day ticket, which includes a guided historical walking tour of the ruins and restored buildings, a harbor cruise and access to the visitor center and interpretation gallery. One of the more popular features of a visit to Port Arthur is the Historic Ghost Tour run at night. Port Arthur is located 65 miles (100km) south-east of Hobart. Allow about an hour and a half to enjoy the scenic drive along the Tasman and Arthur highways.
Phone Number: (0)3 6251 2300 or 1800 659 101 (toll free)
Email Address: reservations@portarthur.org.au
Website: www.portarthur.org.au
Hours: The grounds and ruins open daily 8.30am to dusk. The Visitor Center opens 8.30am until after the Historic Ghost tours at night
Admission: Site entry: A$28 (adults), A$14 (children 4-17 yrs); After dark Ghost Tour: A$20 (adults), A$12 (children 4-17 yrs); pass is valid for ½ a day to a full day (Bronze pass). Other concessions available
