10 November 2012

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An added bonus of our stay at Peppers was the buffet breakfast and that proved good preparation for the walks we had planned for the day. After checking out we walked the King Billy track near the lodge that took us up through dense rainforest. Most of the terrain was covered in moss as it is so damp and cold throughout much of the year that it rarely dries out.

We then drove down to the Cradle Mountain Visitor’s Centre where we purchased passes for the National Park. The cost included transport around the Park and we hopped onto a shuttle bus up to Dove Lake. The next walk was far more strenuous than the first. The 6km loop around the Lake is marked as easy but it has more than a few obstacles to test your fitness levels.

In the end the trek took us just over 90 minutes and the views of Cradle Mountain and the Lake were breathtaking. There was still a bit of snow up near the peak and the cool air kept us refreshed even as we started to tire.

With no plan where to stay tonight we headed southwest towards the coast and the drive was as stunning as ever. Strahan would be today's final destination. Situated on Tasmania's west coast this former port is a not-so-well-kept secret that provides a relaxed atmosphere and is a perfect getaway destination for a few days.

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