Tiny Derwent Bridge is the southern gateway to World Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
Named after its crossing near the headwaters of the mighty River Derwent, the town is just 5km from the shores of Lake St Clair, Australia's deepest freshwater lake at the southern edge of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, and the finish of the famed Overland Track. Shorter walking trails extend along the lakeshore and out to nearby lakes and mountains, while a trip on the lake’s ferry brings spectacular views of the surrounding peaks. The Ida Clair ferry operates daily during summer and by advance booking at other times.
At the edge of town is The Wall in the Wilderness, a 100m-long timber carving depicting the area's history.
Where
Derwent Bridge is a 2hr 30min drive (175km) north-west from Hobart and a 2hr 15min drive (167km) south-west from Launceston.
Insider tips
- Ferry across Lake St Clair to Echo Point or Narcissus Bay and walk back through deep rainforest along the final leg of the Overland Track.
- Warm up beside the enormous fireplace inside the Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel after a walk in the wilderness.