Part I – Discovering a Tasman Jewel: Cradle Mountain

In February 2016, I toured Tasmania in a van for 2 weeks, driving around the island. With stunning locations around every corner, each part of the trip was exhilarating.

However to me there was one part which really stood out, and it is Cradle Mountain, located in Lake St. Clair National Park.

This is the second article of the Tasmania Series. Check out the trip overview here if you haven’t yet.

From Living in Paris to Touring Tasmania in a Van

Cradle Mountain is the fifth highest mountain in Tasmania, standing at 1,545 meters (5,069 feet), but definitely one of the main touristic areas.

You can do the Overland Track, which takes about 6 days to complete, or if it’s just one stop in your roadtrip, you can choose among various day hikes (here’s the one I did plus the climb to the top on Cradle Mountain Summit Track).

I started the hike from Dove Lake, and it took me 8 hours to go to the top of the mountain and come back. As soon as I reached the lake, I was taken aback by the sheer natural beauty.

After walking around the lake, you start to go up. It begins with a rather steep incline, but there’s a well-defined path that you can follow. After a while though, the path narrows, and then almost disappears; you’re left climbing on roots, struggling to get a sure footing on the muddy trail, and afraid to slip at every step.

Make sure you have appropriate shoes before starting long hikes, like these one. When you finally reach the first plateau, you’re relieved, to say the least. And amazed. Amazed by your surroundings, as you’re now on the side of Lake Hanson which you can see from above, with Dove Lake on the other side.

As you keep walking, you get to The Twisted Lakes, and then to yet another lake, Lake Milks. Remember to look back along your climb, as you have a unique vantage point of all the lakes from above. Truly mesmerizing.

Facing the immensity of nature, you’re experiencing what it’s like to be “in the moment”.

There’s you, and there’s nature.

That’s it. No worrying about the past, no wondering what the future may bring.

You are there, now, and you’re living the instant to its fullest.

When you finally reach the Summit Track, you slowly realize what you’re in for. No more walking, let’s start climbing! At the start of the track, there’s a metal chain on the side to which you hold on to help prop yourself up on the huge rocks that make up the “track”. After a while the chain disappears, and you’re left in a huge open area, where fallen rocks laid atop one another lead to the top of the mountain. Guides recommend not to climb that part when it has rained or snowed, when the rocks are just too slippery to climb on.

And then…

You finally make it to the top. And all the soreness, all the tiredness, all the hassle you’ve been through to get where you are, they all vanish when you gaze upon the grand landscape laid out before your eyes. You get a rush of adrenaline, and you feel truly alive.
I spent maybe an hour just sitting on a ledge, watching the valley and the open space. Smiling. Happy. Alive.

Ok I also ran like a madman, jumping from one rock to another… Guilty!

After a while spent up there enjoying the view, it was time for me to head back down, as it would take me another 4 hours to reach the carpark with my van waiting, then drive back to the camp site. Remember to pack enough water for your trip, you don’t want to become dehydrated! You can use a camelbag.

Going back down is another experience all together; when you go up, you’re too focused on your goal, on reaching the top of the mountain, so you seldom take the time to look behind. On the way back, you get to discover a whole new view.

Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park is also one of the best places if you want to see wild wombats (did you know that wombats poop CUBES?!)

After a full, exciting and exhausting day, I definitely want to go back there and spend a week hiking the Overland Track. But as a stop in our 2 weeks roadtrip, this adventure fitted perfectly in the schedule and was one of my best moments spent on the island.

Crafting the Mood – Editing

When shooting on location, I’m shooting RAW. This means the file has more data, allowing you to edit the picture afterward with much more depth. However, it also means the pictures don’t look that good straight out of the camera.
To me, the edit is as important as taking the shot. That’s when I’m really creating the mood for my images, and deciding what emotions I want to create for the viewers.

You can see below the before/after of the pictures (tap on the pictures to see the before/after):

Let me know if you liked, loved, or even hated the article by leaving me a comment below. You can also say hi, it’s always nice to hear from you guys.

P.S. I take time to read and reply to every comment.