Hartz Mountains National Park

• Introduction
• Fact file


Hartz Mountains National Park, JP & ES Baker / Tourism Tasmania

Introduction

At Hartz Mountains National Park icy waterfalls cascade over dolerite, panoramic views are incredible and glacial lakes are breathtaking. The Melukerdee people from the South East Nation collected food from a wide area, including the lower slopes of the mountains. The fi rst Europeans were hardy timber workers searching for the prized Huon pine. The Geeves family settled here in the 1840s and cut the fi rst walking track into the mountains, which became popular with early bushwalkers. The park namesake, Hartz Peak (1255 metres), the dominant point of the dolerite range, was uplifted through the Earth’s crust 165 million years ago and is surrounded by classic U-shaped valleys, small lakes and jagged crags – all carved by glaciers. Park fauna includes the platypus, short-beaked echidna, Tasmanian pademelon, Bennett’s wallaby and brushtail possum, along with the forest raven, eastern spinebill, green rosella, numerous honeyeaters and various frogs, including the recently discovered moss froglet. With an increase in altitude, fl ora changes from wet eucalypt forest to stringybark, rainforest with myrtle, sassafras, leatherwood and native laurel then alpine vegetation with snow gum, varnished gum, yellow gum and alpine heath. There are short walking trails to Waratah Lookout (5 minutes return), Arve Falls (20 minutes return) and Lake Osbourne (40 minutes return); and longer walks over steep, wet and rough terrain to Lake Esperance (2 hours return), Hartz Pass (3½ hours return) and the challenging Hartz Peak (5 hours return), with breathtaking views south-west to untracked wilderness. Walkers must be well equipped and carry a good map as extreme weather can occur suddenly at any time of year.

Fact file

Camping

Bush camping only, 500 metres from any road; fuel stove only

Location and access

84 km south-west of Hobart via A6 to Geeveston then Arve Rd (C632); 23 km south-west of Geeveston; road closures possible due to snow

Park Information

PWS Huonville (03) 6264 8460

Size

7140 ha

Where to Stay

Geeveston (03) 6297 1836


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• Campsites

Campsites

Walk-in camping

Walk-in bush camping is allowed almost anywhere in the park, except close to roads, day-use areas or around Osborne and Esperance lakes and Ladies Tarn. You will need to be self-sufficient and bring your own drinking... Find out more

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