Walls of Jerusalem National Park

The Walls of Jerusalem National Park covers 518 square kilometres of alpine plateau in the Central Highlands of Tasmania, roughly 130 kilometres from both Hobart and Launceston. The park sits entirely within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and is named for the ring of dolerite columns, named by early European visitors after features in the old city of Jerusalem, that encircle the central plateau like a natural amphitheatre.

The standard approach to the park is from the Lake Rowallan trailhead, which requires a 3 to 4 hour walk through sub-alpine forest before reaching the open plateau. There is no road access to the interior, which keeps visitor numbers low and preserves the sense of wilderness. Most visitors stay at least two nights, camping at Wild Dog Creek or on the plateau itself, to allow time to explore the tarns and peaks.

The central plateau is a landscape of glacial lakes (locally called tarns), dolerite cliffs and some of the most significant stands of pencil pine in Tasmania. Pencil pines are a species of ancient conifer found only in Tasmania, growing extremely slowly and capable of living for over 1,000 years. The groves around Lake Ball and Lake Salome are among the finest anywhere. The alpine flora also includes cushion plants, scoparia, alpine coral fern and the iconic deciduous beech, which turns gold and copper in autumn (April to May) and is the only cold-deciduous native plant in Australia.

The walks within the park range from the overnight return trip to the Herods Gate viewpoint (the standard introduction) to more ambitious multi-day circuits that take in Mount Jerusalem, the Temple, Solomons Jewels (a chain of emerald-coloured tarns) and connections to the Overland Track at Cradle Mountain. The terrain is exposed and weather can change rapidly even in summer, so walkers need to be self-sufficient and prepared for cold, wet conditions at any time of year.

The park is best visited from December to March when the alpine wildflowers are in bloom and the weather is most stable. Snow can fall in any month. There are no huts or built shelters on the plateau, so all walkers must carry tents. A Parks Pass is required and a voluntary registration system operates at the trailhead for safety purposes.