A brand new viewing shelter at Dove Lake in Tasmania’s iconic Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park.
The shelter will be accessible to all, and will also provide all-weather protection for visitors when viewing Cradle Mountain.
The project is part of the Tasmanian Government’s $26.8 million investment towards the implementation of the Cradle Mountain Master Plan, and delivers on a commitment to provide visitor infrastructure for the long-term sustainable future of the park.
Premier and Tourism Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the new building was an exciting addition to the park.
A brand new covered viewing area has been built at Dove Lake. PIC: mailanmaik
“The viewing shelter acts as an arrival point for visitors to Dove Lake showcasing the unique cultural and natural values of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area,” he said. “Visitors will be able to enjoy the spectacular view from the undercover seating or through the floor-to-ceiling glass panels.”
The viewing shelter is accessible and provides all weather protection for visitors, with the site also including a new shuttle bus shelter, amenities, parking, bus turning circle and boardwalk connections, which will soon be complete, to the Dove Lake walking tracks and Glacier Rock viewing platform.
The new shelter sits within the area of the previous carpark footprint, and its wave like outer construction mimics the surrounding environment. The external concrete has a grooved finish to encourage the growth of organic material and plants on the surface.
The internal courtyard features local endemic plant species that have been propagated to further aid with interpretation of the alpine landscape.
The site also includes a new shuttle bus shelter, amenities, parking, bus turning circle and boardwalk connections.
The Dove Lake viewing shelter also has new interpretative signage to help improve the visitor experience.
Dove Lake is a key destination within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, which is one of Tasmania’s most visited parks. It welcomed approximately 186,000 visitors in the 2021-22 financial year, and more than 280,000 annually before the Covid pandemic.
The construction of the viewing shelter is of a broader Cradle Mountain Master Plan. Back in 2020, the visitor centre at the park’s entrance was revamped. The next improvements are expected to be further development of the village precinct on the decommissioned airstrip just outside of the national park, with accommodation and visitor experiences planned.
Also still reportedly on the horizon is the construction of a proposed cable car to take visitors to Dove Lake from the visitor centre, a $60 million project which has faced criticism.
Are you a Grey Nomad member yet? Click here to find out about the discounts, competitions and other benefits on offer.
Please don’t build a chairlift in this wilderness.
The only way to truly appreciate that location is to walk the whole of the track around the lake.
Looks like Tourism Minister Jeremy Rotclif is on a path to reduce tourism numbers to Tassy. Any fee increases and other restrictions such as disallowing self drives to scenic spots will put a huge dent in overall tourism for Tassy.