Family Friendly Activities at Cradle Mountain

School holidays provide the perfect opportunity to pack up the car and take the kids to explore the alpine wilderness of Cradle Mountain. Whether you’re travelling with nappy-bound toddlers or energetic teenagers, there’s so much to see and do. Here are our top picks for activities to add to your itinerary.

Devils@Cradle

Get up close and personal with the endangered Tasmanian devils, quolls and wombats at the Devils@Cradle sanctuary, located towards the entrance of the National Park. Explore the sanctuary with a guided Day Keeper Tour or After Dark Feeding Tour and learn about how the devils play, sleep, hunt for food and the ongoing conservation efforts being undertaken to support the species. It’s a fascinating experience for children of all ages.

Animal spotting

Cradle Mountain has an abundant wildlife community. In fact, it’s one of the best places in Tassie to see a wombat. A large number of the wombats here have forgotten that they are supposed to be nocturnal and can often be seen wandering around in the day time. However, their most active time is dusk. They can be spotted across the park, but they tend to like open grassed areas like Ronny Creek. Just remember to respect the animals by giving them distance (we're guests in their backyard), not feeding them (as our food can cause them to become very sick) and of course not forgetting that whilst they are cute, they are wild animals and they can behave unexpectedly.

Interpretation Centre

At the entrance to the park is the Ranger Station and Interpretation Centre (separate to the information centre). The centre has a number of displays that provide insight into the area from it’s glacial formation through to current times. It also has great information on local flora and fauna and of course, the mother and father of Cradle Mountain, Kate and Gustav Weindorfer. Their replica chalet is also another great spot to stop whilst on the mountain with kids. The chalet is a reproduction of what Kate and Gustav built when on the mountain. It was to be the first tourism venture on the mountain. When on the bus, get off at Ronny Creek, cross the road and walk up the hill.

Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery

Located on-site at Cradle Mountain Hotel, you’ll find Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery – a 12-room showcase of the unique life, stories and art of Tasmania. It has a little bit of something for people of all ages. Kids can learn and be entertained as they explore. The children’s rooms offer spaces for kids to draw, explore, play and investigate.

Walking Trails

At first glance, you might think that wandering the vast network of walking trails strewn across the park to be a bit daunting for families. However, there are options for everyone. Not all the trails resemble that of the challenging ascent to the Cradle Mountain summit. There is a collection of short walks, suitable for families that will be sure to take your breath away. The Dove Lake Circuit is probably one of the area’s most popular walks, boasting spectacular scenery, traversing gentle paths and board walks for a 2-3 hour circuit. Located at the Hotel, the Wilderness Boardwalk is a short 10-15 minute stroll through the alpine forest, which provides a great opportunity to spot some of the local wildlife at dawn or dusk. Stroll the Enchanted Walk to explore cool temperate rainforest along the edge of Pencil Pine Creek and let the kids stop and play in the interpretive tunnels.
 

This school holidays, make yourself at home, get out, and explore the beautiful alpine wilderness of Cradle Mountain. We’re happy to help with any questions about the area or our accommodation and restaurant. We’re also able to assist with larger group booking for multiple families. You can contact us here.