High in the Tasmanian Highlands the Tasmanian Land Conservancy manages a 1600 hectare area of land within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area called Skullbone Plains. It lies just a few kilometres west of Lake St Clair and sits at around 1,000m altitude. It is a remote area to access, involving a 32km drive NW from the small village of Bronte Park, entering through a total of 6 locked gates.
The Tasmanian Land Conservancy buys and manages private land in Tasmania in order to protect irreplaceable sites and rare ecosystems.
I organised visiting Skullbone Plains last week and spent 3 days exploring the area which consists of old growth forest, and open grassland valleys interspersed with a few small tarns and lakes.
TLC has installed a camping area in the heart of the region with tent platforms, a fire pit and a superb loo with a glorious outlook.
Access is by request only so it’s never going to be overcrowded and I had the place to myself for the full 3 days.
I first visited Skullbone Plains in around 1972 on a 4WD trip to nearby Lake Ina. All 4WD tracks in the region are now closed. I then revisited Lake Ina in 1985 as part of a Hobart Walking Club group crossing the Central Plateau. On that trip we called in to a quaint wilderness hut situated at the northern end of the lake.
Once camp was set up, I lit the fire (only possible in suitable conditions) and settled in for a quiet evening with my book of choice, Touching the Void by Joe Simpson.
The night air cooled to -1°C before clearing to a very pleasant morning bathed in sunshine. I planned to walk to Lake Ina which lies just outside the Skullbone Plains reserve but still within the Walls of Jerusalem National Park. The track mostly crossed open plains and I was soon standing on the shores of the lake, soaking in the views across to the mountains of Lake St Clair National Park. I really was in the middle of Tasmania’s parks here.
I then continued around the lake, hoping to find the hut that I had previously visited 37 years ago. Eventually, after battling my way through a final tangle of Deciduous Beech I reached the hut sitting peacefully in a small patch of Myrtle rainforest, surrounded by Deciduous Beech bushes just beginning to turn with their golden autumn colours.
I couldn’t have been further from the troubles of the outside world with the atmosphere at the hut feeling remote and serene.
After exploring the hut and its surroundings I returned to camp with the clear skies promising a cool night.
The temperature dropped to -3°C before clearing to a frosty morning with distant mist covering the hills. I wandered through the landscape, trying to capture the essence of what lay before me. The overriding impression was that of a timeless landscape.
After exploring some other tracks I returned to camp and packed my gear into the car ready for the trip home.
This was an excellent exploration of a seldom visited area and a perfect way to escape to the bush for a couple of days.
Gear used:
Geoff Murray
Mont Ambassador
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Fromm George
December 30, 2022
I have heard so much about this place. And really am Looking forward to seeing it in person. Who do I contact for access to Skull bones Plains.
0438832123