Derwent Bridge: Culture, Trails and Lake St Clair
Accommodation in Derwent Bridge
Derwent Bridge is the southern gateway to the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park World Heritage Area. At Derwent Bridge, travellers turn onto Lake St Clair Road (C193) to reach the visitor centre at Cynthia Bay. The shore of Lake St Clair is five kilometres from Derwent Bridge; the lake is Australia’s deepest freshwater lake. For your journey, these are two different points of reference: the distance to the lakeshore and the turn-off to Cynthia Bay.
Nature and culture at Lake St Clair
The native wildlife around Lake St Clair includes Bennett’s wallabies, pademelons, wombats, echidnas, quolls and platypuses. The Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Walk also begins at the lake. Here, a cultural perspective and the wildlife of the lake offer distinct interests that you can consider separately or together when planning your visit.
Regional history in Derwent Bridge
On the outskirts of Derwent Bridge is The Wall in the Wilderness, a 100-metre-long wood carving depicting the region’s history. The work pays tribute to the hard work, spirit and endurance of the people of the Central Highlands, as well as those who settled in and protected the region. Its regional perspective connects the craft with the history of the people. Together with the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Walk, which begins at Lake St Clair, it offers two cultural points of interest in different locations: the wood carving on the outskirts of town and the walk by the lake.
Walks at different scales
The walk to Echo Point is eleven kilometres long one way, runs close to the shore of Lake St Clair and passes mostly through rainforest. The Overland Track is on a different scale: it is a 65-kilometre, six-day alpine walk through Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. For Echo Point, the focus is on the one-way distance and the surroundings along the walk; for the Overland Track, it is on the multi-day alpine route, its total distance and duration. This makes it easy to distinguish a walk along the lakeshore from a multi-day hike. Check the latest park notices for the walk to Echo Point before setting out.
Ferry service and views
The passenger ferry from Cynthia Bay to Narcissus Bay at the northern end of the lake is billed as Australia’s highest-altitude ferry service. If you plan to take the ferry, check bookings and operations before your trip.
King William Saddle Overlook is on the Lyell Highway, ten minutes west of Derwent Bridge. From the roadside parking area, you can enjoy views of 1,000-metre-high dolerite peaks and button-grass plains. Check road conditions and local facilities.
Discover more destinations: Ulverstone, Austins Ferry, Sheffield, National Park, Bream Creek, Triabunna, Smithton, Chudleigh.
For the main travel overview: Tasmania.
