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
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
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aaron-Tas hiking adventures youtube
June 07, 2024
It’s a awesome place isn’t it? I pulled my kayak from the campsite up to lake Ina in search of the log cabin, made the mountain huts preservation annual calander selection to in this year’s picture in June 2024….love the place love all the tlc staff who let me go in aswell it’s a very special place for me esp getting away from the rat race….check my video out on Tas hiking adventures on YouTube cheers