Conquering the Overland Track: A Comprehensive Guide to Tasmania's Iconic Hike
The Overland Track. The name alone conjures images of rugged peaks, pristine forests, and the raw beauty of Tasmania's wilderness. It's a call to adventure, a promise of life-changing experiences in one of the world's most spectacular wilderness areas.
For over a year, my husband and I dreamt of this iconic 65km trek (or like us, 100km+ including summits) through Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, a jewel of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Imagine Christmas surrounded by glacially carved valleys, ancient rainforests, fragrant eucalypt forests, and golden buttongrass moorlands. This is the Overland Track, Australia's premier alpine walk, drawing adventurers globally.
Join me as I share the challenges, triumphs, and magic of our six-day Christmas adventure, from Cradle Mountain's trailhead to Lake St Clair's serene beauty. It's a journey into the heart of Tasmania's Highlands and one of the most memorable experiences of our life.
Pre-Track Logistics:
Getting there: Flying into Launceston from Brisbane two days before our trek allowed us ample time to finalise preparations. We stayed at an Airbnb in Launceston on the 23rd December to enjoy a cosy bed and repack our bags in a more organised fashion. Remember, a well-packed bag can make all the difference on the trail!
Supplies: Launceston proved to be a great place to pick up last-minute supplies. Within the city centre there is both Paddy Pelon and Aspire Adventure Equipment as well as grocery stores. We grabbed gas canisters, wraps, fruit, avocados, and dehydrated meals. Remember to double-check you have everything you need before heading to the trailhead.
Overland Track Transport: For transport to and from Cradle Mountain, we used the Overland Track Transport company. They picked us up from our accommodation in Launceston (and can also pickup from Hobart) and took us on the 2-hour trip to Ronny Creek (approximately $90 per person). We also opted to hire a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) from them for $50 rather than buying one (much more costly), they have a range of gear you can hire if you don’t want to invest in the full purchase. This crucial piece of safety equipment provided peace of mind knowing we had a reliable way to call for help in case of an emergency. As part of our return booking, they also had the convenience of being able to leave an extra bag with them to be picked up after our trek, considering our upcoming golf trip at Barnbougle, was an invaluable perk.
Accommodation Pre-Trek: We highly recommend spending the night before your trek near Cradle Mountain. Not only does it allow you to attend the mandatory 3pm briefing at the visitor centre the day before your hike (rather than the morning of), but it also ensures you can catch the first shuttle to Ronny Creek at 8:15 am the next morning, maximising your first day on the trail (especially if you’re summiting Cradle Mountain or Barn Bluff). We decided to treat ourselves to a night of luxury at the Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village, staying in a Luxury Cottage with a spa bath ($280 per night). It was worth every penny! A romantic spa bath, a final shower, a comfortable bed and a beautiful restaurant with great food, a great idea before six days of roughing it! Plus, the location was perfect, just a short walk from the visitor centre.
Overland Track Briefing/Check-in: On arrival at Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, you will need to present your booking confirmation (digital or paper copy) and undertake a walker briefing session to receive your Overland Track Pass. As part of checking in, please give the PWS staff member a completed Overland Track Safety Checklist (they have them printed there), identification and any relevant concession cards. You must collect your pass by 1:30pm on the day of departure (or the day before departure after 3pm. TIP: To save you time, do the briefing the 3pm the day before your hike, this will allow for an earlier start on your first day with the first shuttle from the Info centre at 8.15am.
Gear & Packing List
Everyone prepares for the Overland Track differently, but these are the key pieces of gear that proved their worth and secured a permanent place in our packs.
Hiking Backpacks
Em female – Osprey Aura AG 50 1.88kg purchased from K2 Base Camp Brisbane
Corey male – Osprey Atmos AG 65 2.18kg purchased from Paddy Pelon – both had great support with its AntiGravity suspension mesh in the back and hips, delivering a weight-defying fit that doesn’t’ even feel like you’re carrying 20kg-22kg!
Sleeping Bag & Liner
Em female (warm sleeper) Sea to Summit Flame FMII long sleeping bag, comfort 2 degrees, 505g, teamed with a Sea to Summit Thermolite Reactor 265g – Adds up to 8 degrees C of warmth to a sleeping bag. So was very comfortable sleeping with these two on the track (sleeping in my thermals) and allowed for me to be able to use them also in QLD separately or in colder climates around Aus together.
Corey male (hot sleeper) Sea to Summit SparkII long sleeping bag, comfort 4 degrees 560g, teamed with a Sea to Summit Thermolite Extreme Reactor – 342g – gave a great thermal boost for Corey.
Sleeping Mat
Seat to Summit Self Inflating Large Mat – 907g, packed size 16.5 x 33cm, 3.5 season mat. We put this inside a waterproof sea to summit bag and then secured on the outside of our packs. LINK They weren’t noisy and were reasonbly comfortable!
Water Sack: Thorzt 3L 230g and Outrack 3L 142g
Small Day Pack: Sea to Summit Ultra Sil 20L Day Pack 72g, easy to attach the the outside of your bag for day trips LINK
Tent: Zorali Highlands 2 Person tent. Waterproof, durable, 2.8kg packed weight. Good tent, however a bit heavy for multi day hiking but we already had this tent. LINK
Clothes & Shoes: Approx 2.3kg
Clothing: We both brought one hiking set for the whole trip (you can wash the arms in streams or just suck it up haha – NoPong underarm was our savior on the trip). That included long hiking pants (that could zip off for swimming, I wore Zorali pants LINK and Corey wore Cedarberg), a thermal top as a base layer, long sleave breathable top, then a fleece layer. Our second set was a set of thermals for sleeping and lululemon tights as back up. Most people around camp just wear tights and a top, very casual. We both brought light wear waterproof thongs too for around camp. We brought 4 pairs of socks, 2 pairs of injini toe socks which were great to avoid blisters, then a merino wool set as a backup or second set if it was cold. Every day we had our merino inner gloves handy and waterproof gloves for when it rained, neck gaiter for blocking out the wind/rain and beanies were a must! We both had rain jackets and rain pants that we were every day due to it raining and there being a cold wind. It was a great blocker and protected us from getting cold. We had a mountain design waterproof jacket from anaconda, and a MacPac waterproof jacket. Our rain pants were from anaconda.
Hiking Shoes: We both wore leather scarpa boots and couldn’t recommend them enough, money well spent! We waterproofed them again before the trip and they lasted until day 5 with no wet socks even after being dredged through mud for 4 days! LINK
Camera and spare battery: 600g – I couldn’t do the trip without my little Canon M5 (my trusty faithful mirrorless that’s been all over the world with me). I had it secured to my bags arm strap with a peak design clip, making it easy to grab off to take a shot when I wanted. When it rained I hid it in my rain jacket!
Food:
Prior to commencing the track, I sorted all the food out on the kitchen bench into daily sections and then breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. I then entered all the meals into MyfitnessPal to check calories and macronutrients to ensure we were getting enough calories each day.
Breakfast: Oats, protein powder, LSA mix, dried fruit, coffee sachets and hot chocolates. If we were on the track early, we had a high calorie oat bar.
Lunch: In the first 2 days we had wraps with either salami, tuna/salmon (packets from coles/woolies) with cheese, avocado and sometimes for some extra flavour, put crushed Doritos on for some extra cheesy taste.
Dinner: Dehydrated meals, salmon/tuna/salami with noodles or cous cous, soup mixes, we also packed dehydrated vegetables to put in each meal for extra nutrition
Snacks: Freeze dried strawberries, nut mixes, oat bars, homemade beef jerky, crushed Doritos, real fruit sticks, soy crisps
Tips & Recommendations:
Join the Overland Track Facebook Group – this was a game changer and where I sourced most of my information over the 6 months in prep for the hike. The group are very helpful with questions and a great space to see what others have done.
Training: In preparation for the track, I strength trained at the gym 4 days a week and also practiced with a weight back on my back on the treadmill. This allowed my body practice of holding a significant amount of weight. One of the biggest regrets of hikers is not being ready for the weight of the bag. Getting a few longer hikes under your belt is a must in the lead up to this!
Navigation: We downloaded the full offline map of the track from Garmin Explore. This allowed us to view the entire trail offline and set start/stop points each day with navigation!
Weather Preparedness: We packed for all seasons and had them handy in case the weather changed quickly. In a period of 10 mins we had sun, strong wind, sideways rain and hail!
Fuel Up: Oats + protein powder (add protein after cooking!), LSA, milk powder, dates, peanut butter, or high-calorie bar for quick breakfasts. Wraps with salmon/tuna/salami & cheese (avo for first 2 days) make easy lunches. Save gas burner meals for dinner. Snack smart: nuts, trail mix, fruit sticks, soy chips, jerky, dried fruit.
Bird-Proof: Small lightweight locks or S-Biner carabiners (Bunnings) keep scavengers out of your bags!
Pack Liners: Heavy-duty black bin bags (Coles/Woolies) work great! Bring duct tape for repairs + a spare bag.
External Storage: Wrap sleeping mat in a waterproof bag and secure it outside your pack to save internal space.
Waterproof Boots: Treat leather boots (Scarpa recommended) with leather boot wax twice before the trek for maximum water resistance.
Anti-Chafe: Men - knee-length skins prevent chafing and odour.
Day-by-Day Account:
Day 1 on the Overland Track 25/12/24 : Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley, 17.3km with Cradle Mountain Summit, 7hrs 15 mins with breaks, 897m elevation 🥾⛰️🌧️ ❄️☀️
Departing for the Overland Track on #ChristmasDay was something special! We checked in at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre the afternoon before for the 3pm briefing and collected our Overland Track pass (we suggest doing this to save time). We had our last snuggle in our comfy bed, staying at the Wilderness Village (walking distance to the info center) before setting off for Day 1 on the track, getting the shuttle from the info center to Ronny Creek stop (15 mins).
The ascent to Crater Lake is gradual, followed by a very steep, short ascent to Marions Lookout with a chain to assist you up, this was necessary with a 20kg pack on your back hahah. Most of the day is exposed alpine plateau walking, unreal views to Cradle Mountain and Barn Bluff. We summited the incredible Cradle Mountain (1545 m) in 2 hours return with it’s incredible views across the alpine plains and some fun boulder scrambling.
Waterfall Valley Hut was beautiful, situated under Barn Bluff creating an unreal silhouette of the mountain! Keep an eye out at the old Waterfall Valley Hut for the local wombats, we saw a mother and her baby near the stream! The hut is well designed with the rooms having 8 timber beds in each room and separate from the kitchen where you setup your sleeping mat on one of them and leave your bags out on the hangers (all inside the building). The tent platforms here are amazing, but they were all taken when we arrived, so we camped inside the hut. The sunset on the front deck of Waterfall Valley Hut is a site to see! Some of our group hiked on the extra 7.8km to Lake Windermere as they had a different route planned out for their hike – easily possible on your first day but we were exhausted from the Summit climb.
Reflecting on this day, it was the best day of the trip, the sun was out, it was beautiful temperature with a top of 20, the landscapes were beautiful and open and made for stunning photographs….. the rest of the trip was overcast and raining haha but made for a fun all-weather Overland experience.
Day 2 on the Overland Track 26/12/24: Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere, 11.8km with side trip Lake Will, 4hrs with breaks, Elevation change 286m 🥾⛰️🌧️ ❄️☀️
A relatively easy day and great recovery after a big day 1 and the weight of the bag on your hips/feet. From Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere is a less strenuous stretch over alpine heathlands, lakes and tarns. This section is exposed and above 1000 meters in elevation. We did the side trip of Lake Will, 3km return, leaving our bags at the junction covered with the waterproof cover and small carabiners locking up our zips to stop the currawongs getting in (yes, they can undo zips, they are smart and want your food!). There is a gorgeous little beach area that you can sit at and have a swim at too!
Camping is not permitted around Lake Windemere however, the overnight sites are just 500 meters from its shore. Once we arrived at Windermere Hut, we gathered some of our group together and went down to the lake to have a swim. There’s a little area next to the shore with rocks and stairs into the water, it was cold, but refreshing and made you feel clean! This hut was new and very modern with a nice seating area at the front looking out to the lake.
Day 3 on the Overland Track 27/12/24: Lake Windermere to NEW Pelion, 20.46km, 7hrs with breaks, 517 elevation gain with side trips of Old Pelion Hut 🥾⛰️🌧️ ❄️☀️
Woke to the sound of wind and rain today, the rain has set in for the next 3 days and the thermals, layers and waterproof jacket and pants and gaiters are going on!
Today was a long walking day, encircled by distant mountains; Pelion East, Ossa, Thetis, Achilles and Pelion West and the Du Cane Range. Setting off in the rain was glorious, rain in the face, beautiful views, cool breeze, stone pathways with waterfalls, lots of mud puddles, challenging but rewarding. As we hit the open buttongrass plains we were hit with a storm and it even HAILED! We were blown away (quiet literally, the wind was brutal), it was the most invigorating experience with all the elements, hiding under our jackets lol
We then adventured through myrtle-beech rainforest (Lord of the Rings scenes – a few too many goblin jokes were made) and eucalypt forest (very similar to Gold Coast Hinterland). We descended into Frog Flats coming closer to the end of the day. By the end we were exhausted from navigating stepping stones, avoiding deep mud pools and walking on roots, but it was all part of the fun. We did the side trip just before the hut to Old Pelion Hut – 1 km, 0.5 hour return from track junction. Pelion Hut is a charming 1917 historic hut, once built for miners and now a day-use area.
The Pelion hut was an older style hut, very big, with a big deck overlooking the plains and mountains. It was a very busy hut due to this linking up to other hikes from Walls of Jerusalem and side trips. So bring your ear plugs, we had people turning up at 10pm!
Day 4 on the Overland Track 28/12/24: Pelion to Kia Ora , 13.82km, 4.5 hours, elevation 540m
Day four we woke to a downpour which was a little disappointing as today was Mt Ossa summit day…. Mount Ossa (1617m) is Tasmania’s highest peak, and the walk is steep and exposed at 5.2 km and 4-5 hours return from track junction. We were excited about summiting this mountain but you can’t control the weather. We secured our packs at the track junction (the Currawongs had already been into a couple of people’s bags, ripping out rubbish!) and set off hoping for the best. We kept our fingers crossed that the rain may pass, however hiking up the many stairs to the mid point was a view in itself!
We were joined by our new friends Bre and Ishan at the ‘Japanese Garden’ walking through this breathtaking alpine garden, beautifully placed stone path designs, colourful shrubs and lots of rock formations. It was one of the highlights of our trip! As we got past the garden to the opening between the mountains we were hit with some serious winds and it started to SNOW! Surreal. At this point we turned around as it was getting unsafe and barely could stay standing. We took in the views and the moment and continued our decent.
We then continued the journey, this leg of the track is full of rainforests and mountain summits. Alongside Douglas Creek, we descended to Pelion Gap, the valley between Mount Ossa and Pelion East. There is a gradual descent across buttongrass plains and eucalypt forest to Kia Ora. The Kia Ora hut was gorgeous and beautifully designed. We wrote in the memory book there, had a nice big dinner and prepped for a big day 5 with our clothes, snacks and packs (an early start).
Day 5 on the Overland Track 29/12/24: Kia Ora to Pine Valley (Skipping Windy Ridge/Bert Nichols Hut), 28.5km, 8.5 hours with side trips, 737 elevation ⛰️🌧️ ❄️☀️
This was our biggest day on the track and some of the highlights of the trip, rising early to be on the track for 7am. Our new friend Isham joined us today, starting our day in some light rain to keep us cool and refreshed. From Kia Ora Creek, the track continues through rainforest to the historic Du Cane Hut. We walked through the glorious King Billy pine, sassafras and myrtle forests, before reaching the junction and our first side trip to D'Alton and Fergusson Falls (1 km, 1 hour return). There was a small decent down some stairs to the falls (leave your pack at the top) to some beautiful views. 20 minutes further down the track we reached the Harnett Falls side trip (1.5 km, 1 hour return.) this was absolutely one of our highlights of the trip. We secured our bags at the junction, packed some lunch and snacks and adventured down to the falls. The path and stairs down to the Harnett Falls was something out of Lord of the Rings…. The beautiful forests, stepping stones through water, little boardwalks through the water stream to the bottom of the waterfall. There was a rocky/tree vine climbing around some of the edges to get to the bottom of the falls, but it was glorious!
We continued the journey through wet sclerophyll forest, which continued to be one of our wettest and muddiest days! Our scarpa boots and ingini socks finally gave into the mud and wet and one big stack ended in the legs being drenched lol we did well to last to day 6. We reached Bert Nichols Hut, had a quick break then ventured on as we still had a fair distance to go to arrive at Pine River. The views as we continued were gorgeous, with the Du Cane Range surrounding us.
The Pine River section of the track was one of the most spectacular. We turned off the Overland Track to the right towards the valley and began our very wet and muddy hike through vines, rocks, water and suspension bridges. We were exhausted, our legs hurt, backs, feet, this part of the track was a hard slog... When we were close to the hut, there was a stunning river stream along the path and then we could smell a fire…we were nearly running at that stage. We reached at 4.45pm, what a day! Unpacked all our muddy gear and enjoyed the coal fire warmth of the older hut. We slept inside tonight, they had big bunk where 3 people shared the top and bottom. A must do side trip! We wished we had of had another day here to do the Acropolis (1481 m) and explore a little more.
Day 6 on the Overland Track 30/12/24: Our Last Day! Pine Valley to Narcissus Hut/River to the Ferry, 10.36km, 2 hours 30 mins, 104 ascent
A surreal moment being the last day on the track! It was a 4am start for us today, due to having to be at the ferry terminal by 9.30am (tried to get a later ferry but they never had availability months in advance). We popped the head torches on and packed up our things and hit the track before sunrise, it was beautiful.
We gunned it from Pine Valley back to the track junction in record time and then continued on towards Narcissus. This las leg we walked through eucalypt forest and across buttongrass plains. Narcissus Hut is on the banks of the Narcissus River at the head of Lake St Clair. We finished the day crossing the river via a suspension bridge before reaching the Narcissus Hut.
If you are ferrying out, once we arrived at the Hut, you need to go into the hut and use the radio to call into the ferry to reconfirm your arrival. That moment of taking off the bag and sitting at the ferry terminal looking across Lake St. Clair was incredible. Taking the bag off knowing it was the end lol that feeling was priceless. The ferry was about 30 mins over to Cynthia Bay and the end of the track. We went into the Lake St. Clair visitor Centre and had our park passes stamped and of course, went for a beer and a burger to celebrate with our new friends. A photo at the Overland Track sign was a must! We waited then for the 2pm transport to take us back to Launceston to continue our trip. The perfect end to the trip going back to Launceston to celebrate New Years at their beer festival.
Overland Track Important Information:
Overland Track - plan your trip: The Overland Track is a walk to remember, but it also a serious undertaking that requires careful planning. Read through our planning material to make sure you have all the bases covered.
Overland Track - walk options: There are many options available for walkers on the Overland Track. Find out more about individual, group, tour experiences, walking with children, educational groups and winter walking.
Overland Track - walk notes: Wondering what to expect on your Overland Track experience? Take the time to look over our walk notes to plan out your itinerary.
Book Online: All bookings are made online at www.overlandtrack.com.au using Visa or Mastercard. No phone bookings.
Availability: Book your departure date only. The entire trek is then secured. Check availability for your starting date, not the whole trek.
Booking Details: Have full names, DOB, state, and nationality for each walker (up to 8 per booking). The paying person's details are crucial for contact and refunds.
Information Pack: Order online (allow 4 weeks) or buy at Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre. No refunds if it doesn't arrive in time.
Full Dates: If your ideal start date is booked, have backup dates ready. No waitlist exists, so check the website for cancellations.
Transport: Book transport to/from Cradle Mountain & Lake St Clair separately. Ferry from Narcissus to Cynthia Bay MUST be pre-booked (Lake St Clair Lodge website).
Pass Collection: Collect your pass at Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre before your trek (with booking confirmation, ID, Walker Safety Checklist, and concession cards). Check-in times vary; contact the center if you can't make it in time.
Briefings: Attend a mandatory 30-min briefing at Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre on your departure day (or the day before 3pm).
PLBs: Hire PLBs from Service Tasmania, visitor centres (limited), or private companies
Parks Pass/Shuttle: Your booking fee covers park entry and Cradle Mountain shuttle during your trek (Oct 1-May 31). You'll need a separate pass/ticket for pre/post-trek park visits or treks outside the booking season.
Contact: Overland Track Booking Team: 1300 827 727 or OverlandTrack@parks.tas.gov.au
Cost Breakdown
FLIGHTS & INSURANCE: $939
FLIGHT: BNE to Launceston direct $347 each = $694
FLIGHT: Launceston to Brisbane direct Flights $169 each = $245
TAS Park Passes: $590
Tasmania Park Pass total $295pp = $590 total this includes your shuttle
ACCOMMODATION: $280
Overnight at Cradle Mountain before starting the trail. Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village - Luxury Cottage with Spa Bath $280/night
OVERLAND TRANSPORT: $180
Launceston to Cradle Mt 12:00pm (11.45am CBD pickup) $90.00ea = $180
Arrive for 3:30pm check-in at Visitor Centre. FREE luggage storage
Fuel and PLB’s available. Lunch stop on the way.
OVERLAND TRACK TRANSPORT RETURN: $170
Lake St Clair to Launceston 2:00pm $85.00 = $170 total
Free transfer of ticket date if finish early or late (subject to availability). CBD Drop-off from 5:00pm
FOOD $300
Meals for 2 x people for 6 days, homemade jerky, approx. $150pp
TOTAL $2459
If there’s any information you would like about the trip or wanting to purchase printed artwork from the images taken, please contact us.
