Guide to Camping at and near Cradle Mountain
Camping at and Near Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
Cradle Mountain is one of Tasmania’s great wilderness destinations, but you don’t necessarily need to stay right beside the national park to explore it. Some excellent free, low-cost and commercial camping options can be found throughout the surrounding highlands and foothills, including Moina, Cethana, Gowrie Park, Sheffield and Waratah. Staying a little further from Cradle Mountain can actually add to the experience. You can camp beside a highland lake, beneath Mount Roland, in quiet forest country or within one of Tasmania’s historic mountain towns — and still be within comfortable driving distance of Cradle Mountain. Whether you are travelling with a tent, camper trailer, caravan, campervan or motorhome, here are some of the best places to consider when camping at and near Cradle Mountain.
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Camping at Cradle Mountain
There is no free vehicle-based camping within the main Cradle Mountain visitor precinct, so travellers wanting to stay immediately near the national park will generally need to use commercial accommodation or a caravan park. If keeping costs down is a priority, there are much cheaper alternatives within driving distance at Moina, Cethana, Gowrie Park, Sheffield and Waratah. Read our full guide to Camping at Cradle Mountain for more information about camping options in the area. Remember that Cradle Mountain is within Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, so a valid Tasmania Parks Pass is required for entry to the park.
Lake Gairdner Camping – Moina
One of the most attractive free camping alternatives near Cradle Mountain is Lake Gairdner, near Moina. This is a basic, picturesque camping area beside the lake, making it particularly appealing to self-sufficient travellers who would prefer a quiet highland campsite rather than a busy caravan park. There are no facilities, so campers need to bring their own drinking water, toilet arrangements and supplies and take all rubbish with them. The access road is unsealed and the site isn’t the best choice for very large caravans or motorhomes. Conditions around Moina can also change quickly, particularly during winter when frost, ice and occasionally snow are possible. Over the Christmas New Year Holiday Period it is always packed, with many campers simply having to turn around and leave. There are no costs, and no bookings. For independent campers outside of peak periods, however, Lake Gairdner can be a beautiful place to spend a night or two before exploring Cradle Mountain.
Cradle Mountain Fishery & Camping – Moina
Another option around Moina is Cradle Mountain Fishery & Camping. This is a useful alternative for travellers who want more facilities than a completely free bush camp but don’t necessarily want to pay the higher accommodation prices closer to Cradle Mountain. Powered and unpowered camping is available, and the property is particularly attractive to visitors interested in fishing. Moina is well positioned for exploring not only Cradle Mountain but also Lake Cethana, Lake Gairdner and the surrounding mountain country. This is a private, paid campground with bookings required in advance.
Cethana Campground
Another inexpensive option is Cethana Campground, situated in the heavily forested country between Sheffield and Moina. Cethana is a tiny settlement surrounded by some beautiful Tasmanian scenery. Lake Cethana, forested hills and the nearby mountains make this a particularly pleasant alternative for campers who prefer staying away from major tourist centres. You already have a dedicated Cethana Campground Sheffield listing in the Free Camping Tasmania campground directory, making this an ideal internal link from this article. Cethana is also a useful base if you want to combine a visit to Cradle Mountain with Sheffield, Gowrie Park and Mount Roland.
O’Neills Creek Campground – Gowrie Park
Gowrie Park is one of the best places to camp if you want to combine Cradle Mountain with some of the excellent bushwalking around Mount Roland.
O’Neill’s Creek Campground sits beneath the Mount Roland Range and offers a very different experience from camping around the busy Cradle Mountain visitor area. The campground is suitable for tents, camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes and has basic facilities including toilets. Bushwalkers have the added advantage of being close to the O’Neill’s Creek Nature Trail and walking routes into the Mount Roland Regional Reserve. Gowrie Park is also only a short drive from Sheffield, so groceries, fuel, cafes and other supplies are reasonably close.
Gowrie Park Wilderness Village
Travellers wanting more facilities can consider Gowrie Park Wilderness Village. Powered and unpowered camping is available, together with facilities including bathrooms, a camp kitchen, laundry and dump point. Its location makes it particularly useful if you are spending several days exploring the region. You can visit Cradle Mountain one day, Mount Roland the next and Sheffield without continually moving your caravan or motorhome.
Camping at Sheffield
Sheffield makes an excellent base for exploring the wider Cradle Mountain region, particularly for travellers who like having shops, fuel, cafes and other services nearby. Your Free Camping Tasmania directory includes several options around Sheffield, including Sheffield RV Overnight, Sheffield Hotel and private camping in the surrounding district. The famous “Town of Murals” is worth exploring in its own right, while nearby attractions include Mount Roland, Lake Barrington, Gowrie Park and Cethana. Sheffield is further from Cradle Mountain than Moina, but for caravan and motorhome travellers the convenience of staying in town can more than compensate for the additional driving. You can browse these and other sites through our Tasmania Campsites Directory.
Waratah Campground
For travellers approaching Cradle Mountain from Tasmania’s north-west or continuing towards the West Coast, Waratah Campground is one of our favourite alternatives. The campground sits beside a beautiful lake in the historic mining town of Waratah and offers both powered and unpowered camping. One of its special attractions is the possibility of spotting a platypus in the lake, particularly around dawn and dusk. Facilities include toilets, showers and laundry facilities, while Waratah Falls, the town centre, hotel and other attractions are within easy reach. Cradle Mountain is around a 50-minute drive away, making Waratah a practical base if you are also exploring the Tarkine, Hellyer Gorge and Tasmania’s West Coast.
More Camping Around Cradle Mountain
There are plenty of other camping possibilities scattered throughout the wider region. Your choice really depends on the type of camping experience you want. For free and basic camping, look towards Lake Gairdner and some of the smaller camps around the highlands. For low-cost camping, Cethana and Gowrie Park are worth investigating. For RV travellers wanting shops and services, Sheffield is particularly convenient. For powered sites and additional facilities, consider the commercial camping options around Moina, Gowrie Park and Cradle Mountain. And for a beautiful small-town campground that can also form part of a West Coast journey, Waratah Campground is difficult to beat.
Make It a Cradle Mountain Camping Road Trip
Rather than treating Cradle Mountain as a single overnight destination, turn the surrounding area into a road trip.
A great route is:
Sheffield → Gowrie Park → Cethana → Moina → Cradle Mountain → Waratah
Starting in Sheffield, you can explore the murals and Mount Roland before travelling through Gowrie Park and the forested country around Cethana. Continue through Moina towards Cradle Mountain and spend a day or two exploring the national park before heading north-west to Waratah. From Waratah, you can continue towards Hellyer Gorge, Wynyard and Burnie or turn south towards the spectacular Tarkine and West Coast.
Exploring Cradle Mountain
Of course, the centrepiece of the trip is Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park. There are walks for almost every level of fitness, ranging from short rainforest walks to challenging alpine routes. Popular options include the Dove Lake Circuit, Enchanted Walk, Weindorfers Forest Walk, Crater Lake and Marion’s Lookout. Experienced and properly equipped walkers can tackle longer alpine routes, while the famous Overland Track begins at Cradle Mountain and heads south through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area towards Lake St Clair. Weather at Cradle Mountain can change exceptionally quickly. Warm sunshine can be followed by rain, strong winds, sleet or snow, even outside winter. Always carry suitable warm and waterproof clothing when heading onto the walking tracks.
Find More Cradle Mountain Camping
The best part about camping around Cradle Mountain is the variety. You can wake beside a quiet lake at Moina, camp beneath Mount Roland at Gowrie Park, stay among the forests around Cethana, use Sheffield as a convenient town base or watch for platypus beside your campsite at Waratah.
Explore more places to stay in our Free Camping Tasmania campground directory or read our dedicated Camping Cradle Mountain guide.
With a little planning, there’s no need to restrict your Cradle Mountain visit to a single day. Spend a few nights exploring the surrounding region and you’ll discover that some of Tasmania’s most enjoyable camping country begins well before you reach the national park.
