Mount Field: Southern Tasmania’s Most Enchanting National Park
BY KATE BOWN
With dazzling waterfalls, towering trees and glittering alpine lakes, Mount Field National Park is a wilderness wonderland. Just one hour north-west of Nipaluna/Hobart, discover an impressive range of family-friendly nature experiences.
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Tarn Shelf, Mount Field National Park (image: Elise Weaver)
An easy 64-kilometre drive from Lutruwita/Tasmania’s capital, Mount Field National Park is home to wheelchair-friendly walks, picnic facilities, a playground, and an extensive network of alpine trails. Whether you’re planning a day trip or a weekend getaway, here’s our Mount Field hit list.
RUSSELL FALLS WALK
The magnificent three-tiered Russell Falls is our favourite experience at Mount Field National Park, and it’s a wonderful adventure for families. Begin at the Visitor Centre and follow the sealed 1.4-kilometre return track. It’s an easy 20-minute stroll, and is suitable for prams and wheelchairs.
Wander through lush rainforest and let the sound of falling water soothe you. The kids will love hiding in tree hollows and watching the water explode into a riot of bubbles at the bottom of the falls.
If you have more time, climb the stairs to the beautiful Horseshoe Falls, and then onto Lady Barron Falls on the 6-kilometre Three Falls Circuit.
Russell Falls (image: Stu Gibson)
TALL TREES LOOP
Mount Field is home to the tallest flowering plants on earth. Take a stroll along the 1-kilometre Tall Trees Loop and marvel at the colossal size of the Eucalyptus regnans, known in Lutruwita as the swamp gum. The tallest can grow to more than 100 metres in height and live for up to 400 years. Wandering beneath these gentle giants will feel like a wild tonic.
As you walk, look up. You might see a green rosella, a yellow-tailed black cockatoo, or a brushtail possum - swamp gums are like high-rise apartments for Tasmanian wildlife.
Get the kids to spot fungi and tiny saplings in the decaying trees on the forest floor, and use the clinometer to calculate the height of the tallest tree on the track. Make sure you join hands for a family tree hug. Can you stretch all the way around?
TYENNA RIVER PICNIC
A riverside picnic is a wonderful way to relax after exploring Mount Field’s network of trails. Located at the entrance to the Park, the tannin-stained water of the Tyenna River flows gently through picturesque eucalyptus forest. Dotted along its banks are covered barbeque facilities, picnic tables, toilets, and a playground. Ample car parking is available nearby.
Read a book in the shade, play a game of cricket, take a dip, or race leaf boats down the river. And keep your eyes peeled - if you’re lucky, you might spot a platypus.
PANDANI GROVE CIRCUIT
Further inside the Park is Mount Field’s spectacular high country: a glaciated landscape of craggy dolerite peaks, twinkling lakes, and unusual alpine flora.
Follow the unsealed Lake Dobson Road for 30 minutes until you reach a carpark beside a gorgeous alpine lake of the same name, with a day shelter and toilets.
Wander beside the lake on the 1.5-kilometre Pandani Grove Circuit, and enjoy the remarkable display of native plants. You’ll spot alpine gums, tree ferns, pencil pines, and the striking pandani with its distinctive crown of long serrated leaves. The tallest heath plant in the world, Lutruwita is the only place where it grows.
In winter, Lake Dobson is a snow-play paradise - bring gloves and toboggans for the kids.
TARN SHELF
From Lake Dobson, an extensive network of alpine trails can be accessed. Our pick is a 3.5-hour return hike to Tarn Shelf, a breathtaking glacial landscape dotted with a chain of small alpine lakes. On the way, you’ll pass strands of striking snow gums, and be rewarded with spectacular views of distant peaks and glacial-caved lakes.
If you’re visiting in Autumn, Tarn Shelf is a much-loved spot for viewing the ‘turning of the Fagus’, when the crinkle-cut leaves of Tasmania’s only deciduous tree put on a fiery show. It’s an annual pilgrimage here at the bottom of the world.
In winter, the landscape is transformed into a white wonderland. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can hike uphill with your skis to Mount Mawson, Australia’s most southerly ski field.
If you have a full day, continue on the Lake Newdegate Track to complete the 12-kilometre Tarn Shelf Circuit.
Fagus (image: Tourism Tasmania & Geoff Murray)
GETTING THERE
From Nipaluna/Hobart, follow the Brooker Highway to New Norfolk, a picturesque town with historic buildings. Break up the drive with a wander through the antique shops, and grab a coffee at local favourite, the Black Swan Bookshop. Continue towards Westerway and then onto Mount Field National Park.
GOOD TO KNOW
You’ll need a Parks Pass to visit Mount Field. A range of accommodation is available, including a campground at the entrance to the Park, rustic Government Huts, and hotel and self-contained options in nearby towns.
We love to stop at the Westerway Raspberry Farm on the way home for an ice cream and pick-your-own berries in summer. It’s a wonderful way to finish a trip to Mount Field National Park.
