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Getting Started
Be safe! Discuss your plans with staff at either the Cradle Mt or Lake St Clair Visitor Centres before your trip.
From Cradle Valley:
Public buses will drop you off at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, or at the accomodation nearby if you request.
You must check in at the Visitor Centre to collect your Overland Track Pass and your Parks Pass. A frequent shuttle bus service goes from the Information Centre and the Visitor Centre 7 days a week, to the start of the walking track at Ronny Creek, 5kms into the Park.
Allow at least 3-5 hours to reach Waterfall Valley. You should start on the track by 2.00pm in the summer months with good weather conditions. However, earlier starting times are advised in times of poor weather and in the months April to November. In winter, daylight hours are reduced to between 7.30am and 4.45pm and snow can make the track impassable.
Walkers leaving from Cradle have three options for starting the track. The views differ and all involve an uphill climb.
- From Ronny Creek via Crater Falls and Crater Lake to Marions Lookout - a moderate grade climb to Marions Lookout, with spectacular views from the lookout.
- From Dove Lake via Lake Lilla and Wombat Pool to Marions Lookout - includes the uphill section to Marions Lookout.
- From Ronny Creek via Horse Track to Crater Peak - this is a more gentle uphill climb, but is very exposed.
Other tracks in the area are rough, muddy and steep and are not recommended for accessing the Overland Track.
From Lake St Clair (during the off-peak walking season only)
- You may catch the ferry up the 13 km glacial lake from Cynthia Bay to Narcissus. The ferry is run privately, phone (03) 6289 1137. Bookings are essential.
- Or you may walk the 15 km Lakeside track. It has a relatively even terrain through open temperate rainforest.
- (The Cuvier Valley track is not recommended as it is not clearly marked, and is wet and muddy underfoot.)
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