Mt Field National Park is Tasmania’s most accessible national park (90 minutes’ drive west of Hobart on the Rivers Run route or B61) with a diverse glacial landscape showing the island’s geological links to Antarctica. The rocks you walk are at least 170 million years old and the plant life includes giant swamp gums, snow gums, myrtle, sassafras, King Billy pine and Australia’s only endemic deciduous tree the fagus or beech. If you are visiting in late April early May the forests that surround Tarn Shelf are a riot of gold red and orange.
Russell Falls, with its three-tiered drop, is the most visited spot in the Park. You can climb an easy path to the top of the Falls and then continue on to the Tall Trees Walk. Mt Field National Park is home to many of Tasmania’s unique animals such as platypus, echidna, spotted-tail and eastern quoll, Tasmanian devil, bandicoots, wombats, possums, bettong pademelon and much more. The last Tasmanian tiger, on show in the old Beaumaris Zoo in Hobart until 1936, was trapped in the nearby Florentine Valley in 1933.
The visitor centre features interpretation displays, shop and a bistro. Picnic and camping facilities are nearby. Access to the alpine area is via the Lake Dobson Road, which climbs for 16 km through a succession of forest types to reach Lake Dobson and its walking tracks.
Free day and nighttime activities guided by Park Rangers are available during Tasmanian summer school holidays.
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