Dove Lake is one of the most well-known natural attractions in Tasmania, Australia, luring tourists from all over the world with its magnificent landscape. Dove Lake Circuit is the best nature walk in Tasmania that you should not miss.
1. Dove Lake: One of the top attractions in Tasmania, Australia
Dove Lake is a corrie lake located close to Cradle Mountain in Tasmania, Australia’s central highlands. It is located in the National Park of Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair. A lot of people visit the lake, which is surrounded by well-kept walking pathways that go up to Cradle Mountain. Gustav Weindorfer, a well-known local, gave it that name in honor of a Van Diemen’s Land Company officer.
Lake Dove was created by glacial, the same as many other lakes in the area. The Tasmanian deciduous beech (Nothofagus gunnii), tussock grasses, snow gums, and pencil pines make up the distinctive environment. Numerous wombats, echidnas, pademelons, and tiger snakes are among the creatures that roam the lake’s banks.
2. Getting there
The track begins in the northernmost section of Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park at the Dove Lake parking on Road C132. The journey from Devonport, where the Spirit of Tasmania boat departs from, covers 87 kilometers in just one hour and 32 minutes.
One hundred fifty kilometers to the east is Launceston, and it takes a little under two hours to get there. The 328-kilometer journey begins in Hobart and goes first north, then west. It takes a little over four hours to make that drive.
3. Dove Lake circuit walk
This short, level hike is in Cradle Mountain’s shadow. When it’s terrible outside, the centerpiece of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park can appear very menacing. However, its twin dolerite spires are magnificent, strong, and enticing when the weather is good.
The walking path traverses a remarkable variety of terrains. On this circle walk, scrubby buttongrass gives way to sandy lakeshores, gushing waterfalls, and deep rainforests. Dove Lake itself is a stunning sight, especially when the wind isn’t too strong. Its deep blue hue is a result of buttongrass and tea tree roots evaporating into the water and creating a highly reflecting surface.
If you can capture the lake and the surrounding snow-capped peaks from the appropriate angle, you can.
4. Nearly attractions you can visit
Three locations on this flat walk stand out: Glacier Rock, Ballroom Forest, and the Boatshed.
Glacier Rock
You can learn about glacier movements by looking at this enormous rock on the east side of Dove Lake. If you look closely, you can see striations on the rock that parallel the lake’s length.
As these enormous glaciers cut out the basin for the lake, rocky debris captured in them scraped across the rock. It’s amazing that Glacier Rock’s tough quartzite sustained such pressure.
Ballroom Forest
This ancient, moss-covered Myrtle-Beech woodland is a mild, temperate rainforest. Moss covers the jungle floor as well, giving the entire area a beautiful cathedral appearance. Because these fire-sensitive plants are typically destroyed when bushfires spread throughout the region, this rainforest is relatively rare.
However, this extraordinarily stunning area of the jungle has managed to survive and is now just waiting for you to find it. It’s simple to imagine fantastic creatures stumbling through this enchanted environment while you sit here for a moment.
Boatshed
On the northwest banks of Lake Dove, you may locate this shed, which dates back to 1940. The hut was created primarily by King Billy Pine and was built by the first Ranger in the region, Lionell Connell. The shed is substantially original, while some repair work was done in 1983. Until the 1960s, the now-vacant building was often utilized.
The magnificent Huon Pine boats that once transported people across the lake in the 1930s come to mind. The reference point for a picture of the breathtaking natural surroundings is the boatshed.
5. Is there a fee to visit Dove Lake?
Entry fees to the national park, which includes Cradle Mountain and Lake St. Clair, are required to access the lake.
6. Best tips for visiting
- On this hike, be sure to bring plenty of water and a snack.
- The parking lot at the beginning of the trek has the closest drinking water and restrooms.
- Since there are mosquitoes along the water’s edge, remember to wear insect repellent.
- It can get warm throughout the walk; layer your clothing to regulate your body’s temperature.
- Protect your eyes from the sun’s rays by donning a hat and sunglasses.
- Even if it’s cloudy, always use sunscreen with at least 30SPF, and reapply throughout the day.
