Mole Creek

Mole Creek - Gateway to the Great Western Tiers.

Within a radius of an easy 30-minute drive sit some of Tasmania's most spectacular natural wonders: caves to explore, tracks to walk, streams to fish, bird life to watch, vistas to behold, history to ponder. Perhaps best known is the magnificent cave country, exemplified by the world-class King Solomons and Marakoopa caves.

But underground is only part of the story. Up top, the mountains, highland plateau country, rainforests, streams, lakes, gorges and waterfalls form the stunning heartland of Mole Creek. Much of this land is protected in world heritage area, forest reserves, and national parks.

The landscape in the Mole Creek area is more than just a passive object for viewing. It has a story to tell. An Aboriginal presence has marked the land for millenia. The Great Western Tiers, "Mountains of the Spirits" and the Mole Creek area hold places sacred to local aboriginal heritage. 

Superimposed, in more recent times, on that heritage is the history of the white settlers who came to till the soil, trap fur-bearing animals and fell the trees. Their settlement spawned a rich folklore of life in the high country - the snarers, the mountain cattlemen, and the loggers who shared their own intimacy with the land. The mountain huts built by some of these proud, independent men are among the most original in the world, and many have been restored.

The landscape is also a story about plant and animal life. The Tasmanian Tiger once roamed here, and its extinction is still a matter of some debate among the locals over a beer in the Tiger Bar of the local hotel. The Great Western Tiers still hosts a rich diversity of animal and birds life, ranging from minute cave creatures to the world's largest barn owl and one of the world's largest eagles, and of course still remains the play ground of the Tasmanian Devil. The Great Western Tiers also hosts a similar diversity of plant life, from small mosses to the world's largest acacia. 

Visitors place an increasing premium on unspoiled beauty, Mole Creek offers wide and varied access to a diversity of pristine attractions. The famed Marakoopa and King Solomons caves and the Trowunna Wildlife Park attract tens of thousands of visitors every year. For the more adventurous a natural cave tour, a guided trout fishing adventure, offer visitors the chance to experience nature off the beaten track. The newest addition to Mole Creek is Cradle Wilderness on the Edge four-wheel drive tours. Spectacular views from Devils Gullet or the Alum Cliff's Look-outs are a must see for any visitor. Just 90 minutes away is the unforgetable Cradle Mountain and Dove lake. 

Facilities in Mole Creek include a general store, takeaway food, public toilets, post office, restaurant, hotel, petrol and motor repair station, online access centre, visitor centre, picnic and barbecue facilities and a swimming pool, as well as a range of accommodation to suit all tastes.

More local information is available at www.molecreek.info