National Parks Tasmania

From Cradle to Rocky Cape, from Freycinet to the Gordon, you’re never far from a park or reserve. Forty per cent of Tasmania is protected in national parks and reserves. This includes the Southwest, Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers, Walls of Jerusalem, Mole Creek Karst and Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair national parks, which together make up the world’s last temperate wilderness, the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

As well as managing Tasmania’s national parks and World Heritage Areas, the State’s Parks and Wildlife Service is responsible for many reserves. Many other areas of great natural appeal are managed by Forestry Tasmania as forestry reserves, where you can ride a bike, bushwalk, camp, or even walk the dog. We also have marine reserves, where Tasmania’s delicate and beautiful underwater environment is preserved for the future.

Tasmania has more than 2,000 kilometres of world-class walking tracks, thousands of highland lakes and tarns, hundreds of clean ocean beaches, extensive underground caverns, more than 300 large and small islands both remote and accessible, and enough peaks and crags to keep the keenest walkers and climbers busy for a lifetime. You will be astounded at the beauty and diversity of the landscapes and habitats Tasmania’s national parks protect.

There are 19 national parks, 17 of which are accessible. Parks Passes are required to visit Tasmania’s national parks, with the money raised contributing directly to the protection and management of the parks themselves. Many parks have contemporary visitor centres where you can find out more about each park’s wildlife, history and geology, buy Parks Passes, books, maps and refreshments, and pick up details of activities for adults and children.