Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

THE WEST COAST 629
trees, moss forests, mountain ridges, limpid pools and lakes, and hoards of scampering
marsupials. The cabins are comfortable, the food excellent, the staff
friendly, and the open fireplaces well worth cuddling up in front of for a couple
of days. Each modern wood cabin has a pot-bellied stove as well as an electric
heater for chilly evenings, a shower, and a small kitchen. There are no telephones
or TV in the rooms—but who needs them? Spa cabins come with carpets, a spa
tub, and a balcony offering a variety of views. Some have a separate bedroom.
Two cabins have limited facilities for travelers with disabilities. Guests have the
use of the casual, comfortable main lodge where almost every room has a log fire.
G.P.O. Box 478, Sydney, NSW 2001. & 13 24 69 in Australia, 800/225-9849 in the U.S., 0171/805 3875 in
the U.K., or 03/6492 1303. Fax 02/9299 2477. www.poresorts.com.au. 96 units. A$230 (US$150) Pencil Pine
cabin; A$290 (US$188) spa cabin; A$360 (US$234) spa suite. Extra person A$58 (US$38). Children under 3
stay free in parent’s room. Ask about special winter packages. AE, DC, MC, V. Free parking. Amenities: Cafe;
2 bars; laundry facilities. In room: Kitchenette.
Waldheim Cabins If you want a real wilderness experience, then head for these
cabins run by the Parks and Wildlife Service and located 5km (3 miles) from Cradle
Mountain Lodge. Nestled between button grass plains and temperate rainforest,
they are simple and affordable and offer good access to plenty of walking
tracks. Each cabin is equipped with heating, single bunk beds, basic cooking utensils,
crockery, cutlery, and a gas stove. They are serviced by two composting toilets
and showers. Generated power is provided for lighting between 6 and 11pm only.
Stores and fuel can be bought at Cradle Mountain Lodge. Bring your own bed
linen and toiletries.
Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, P.O. Box 20, Sheffield, TAS 7306. & 03/6492 1110. Fax 03/6492 1120.
Cradle@dpiwe.tas.gov.au. Minimum cabin charge A$70 (US$46) for 2 adults. Extra adult A$25 (US$16); extra
child 6–16 A$9.90(US$6.45). Children under 6 stay free. Linen is provided for A$5.50 (US$3.60) per person. MC,
V. Collect cabin keys from the National Park Visitor Centre, just inside the boundary of the national park, between
8am–5:30pm daily.
LAKE ST. CLAIR
Australia’s deepest natural freshwater lake is a narrow, 15km (9 1 ⁄3-mile) long waterway,
enclosed within the Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park. On the
lake’s southern edge is Cynthia Bay, site of an informative ranger station where
you must register if you’re attempting the Overland Track from this end, as well as
a restaurant, cabin accommodations, and a backpackers’ hostel (the latter operated
by Lakeside St. Clair Wilderness Holidays, Cynthia Bay & 03/6289 1137;
www.tasadventures.com/lakeside). Campsites here cost A$12 (US$7.80); dorm
beds A$25 (US$16); cabins from A$60 to A$110 (US$39–US$72) November to
May; and exclusive Alpine Lodges from A$132 to $184 (US$86–US$120)
depending on season. National park rangers run several tours between Boxing Day
and the end of February, including spotlighting tours and guided walks around the
area. Call for details at & 03/6289 1172.
6 The West Coast
296km (184 miles) NW of Hobart; 245km (152 miles) SW of Devonport
Tasmania’s west coast is wild and mountainous with a scattering of mining and
logging towns and plenty of wilderness. The pristine Franklin and Gordon
rivers tumble through World Heritage areas once contested by loggers, politicians,
and environmentalists, whereas the bare, poisoned hills that make up the
eerily beautiful “moonscape” of Queenstown show the results of mining and
industrial activity. Strahan (pronounced “Strawn”), the only town of any