When will bookings open for the 2025-2026 Season?
Bookings will open at 9:00am on Tuesday the 8th of July 2025 for the 2025-2026 walking season.
This year, PWS are offering a pre-sale for bookings that were cancelled due to the bushfire related track closure in February 2025. Limited places will be available across the season. Pre-sale bookings will be available by invitation only between 11:00am and 2:00pm on Monday the 7th of July 2025.
How can I book?
You can only book online via our website: www.overlandtrack.com.au. Payment can be made using a Visa or Mastercard. We are unable to take phone bookings.
How does the booking system work?
Pre-sale Bookings
Pre-sale invitees will receive an email with a one-time-use link to access the booking site on Monday the 7th of July. For more information about the pre-sale, please see What do I need to know about the pre-sale? FAQ below.
General Bookings
The general bookings queue will open at 9:00am on Tuesday the 8th of July.
If you are in the wait room prior to 9:00am you will be placed in the queue in randomised order. Your place in the queue will update as others leave the booking site.
You can wait in the queue or leave your email address or mobile number and be contacted when it's your time to book.
Please keep in mind that emails may be delayed, moved to your spam folder, or lost due to reasons beyond our control.
Once you are in the booking site you will have 15 minutes to complete your booking. You will need to have all of your group members full names and date of birth ready.
What do I need to know about the pre-sale?
- Pre-sale bookings will be open on Monday the 7th of July between 11:00am and 2:00pm only and are strictly subject to availability.
- The pre-sale invitation link will be emailed to the booking holder of the original cancelled February 2025 booking. Please coordinate with other members of your affected booking.
- The pre-sale invitation link is single use only. Once you click the link, you will be directed to verify your email address, a verification code will be sent to the invitee's email address. Enter this code to be taken to the wait room/queue.
- Limited places are available across the season, so please keep alternate dates in mind. See What if the date I want to depart is full? FAQ below for information on how to change the date during the booking process.
- Bookings made during the pre-sale are not able to be altered until after the general sale opening concludes on Tuesday the 8th of July.
- If you are unsuccessful in placing your booking during the pre-sale period, you can still join the queue for the general sales opening on Tuesday the 8th of July.
If I was a member of a booking cancelled during the fire closure can I rebook?
If you are a walker that was part of a booking that was cancelled due to the fire closure, please contact the person who placed the original booking on your behalf, as we will only be corresponding with them regarding the pre-sale.
I had to cancel my booking during the year can I be included in the pre-sale?
Only those bookings that were cancelled by PWS due to the fire related track closure are eligible to access the pre-sale.
How many people can depart on track?
Up to 34 independent walkers can depart (walking North to South only) on any departure date during the booking season (1 October – 31 May).
What details will I need to complete my booking?
You can book for up to 8 walkers in a booking. Please have the first and last name, date of birth, state and nationality for each walker.
Please ensure that the name of the person who is paying for the booking is listed on the Billing Contact screen. They will need to provide their email address, mobile phone number and postcode. They will become the contact point for any changes or refund requests for the booking.
If you are intending to purchase an information pack as part of your booking, please provide a valid postal address.
Does there need to be availability for all the days I want to be on the Track to be able to book?
There only needs to be availability on the date you would like to depart. You are then booked for the entire Overland Track walk. See the walk notes here.
What if the date I want to depart is full?
Please consider a range of departure dates in case your preferred date is full.
If you need to change your departure date during booking, please press the ‘Edit’ button to choose another date. Do not use the back arrow on your browser.
Can I join a waitlist if my preferred date is fully booked?
We do not run a waitlist. Should there be a cancellation, the booking system updates in real time. Please regularly check your preferred departure date for availability or consider other departure dates.
How do I receive my Overland Track pass?
On arrival at Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, you will need to present your booking confirmation (digital or paper copy) and undertake a walker briefing session to receive your Overland Track Pass.
Please have a completed Walker Safety Checklist, identification, and any relevant concession cards with you to present to PWS staff. You must collect your pass by 1:30pm on the day of departure (or the day before departure after 3pm). During the months of April and May, passes must be collected by 12:30pm.
Please remember your concession card - you will need to show all cards at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre when your group checks in to collect their passes.
If you are unable to check in during these times, please contact the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre.
When are the walker briefings?
Walker briefings are held at the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre during the walking season (1 October – 31 May) and run for approximately 30 minutes.
They commence at 8:30am each morning and continue each half hour until all walkers have departed. The last walker briefing for the day is 1:30pm as you must be on track by 2:00pm on your booked departure date. During the months of April and May, the last walker briefing for the day is 12:00pm.
You can check-in and complete the walker briefing the day before your booked departure date at either 3:00pm or 3:30pm.
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs)
Many walkers appreciate the security of carrying a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) to activate in the event of a life-threatening emergency. PLBs can be hired from Service Tasmania shops (Mon-Fri only) in Hobart, Launceston, Burnie and Devonport. Phone 1300 135 513 for further information.
PLBs are also available from the Cradle Mountain, Lake St Clair and Mount Field visitor centres, though numbers are limited and they cannot be reserved.
There are also independent hire companies that you can search via the internet.
What transport arrangements do I need to make?
Transport to Cradle Mountain and from Lake St Clair is not included in the Overland Track booking fee. Transport is available all year (with limited services in winter and more frequent services in summer), from Hobart, Launceston and Devonport. Please see the Overland Track – plan your trip page for a list of transport operators.
The ferry from Narcissus to Cynthia Bay also needs to be booked separately prior to departure. Please see the Lake St Clair Lodge website to make a booking.
Do I need a Parks Pass or Cradle Mt Shuttle Bus ticket to walk the Overland Track?
During the booking season (1 October – 31 May), the booking fee covers the park entry fee for the duration of your walk, and shuttle access from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre to the start of the track.
You will need a valid Tasmanian national parks pass and shuttle ticket (if using the shuttle service) if you:
- walk the track outside the booking season
- are intending to walk within the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair national park before you start, or at the end of your Overland Track walk, or
- intend to visit any other national parks in Tasmania.
Please see park entry fee information on our website: Entry fees | Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania.
For more information about the Cradle Mountain shuttle bus please visit: Cradle Mountain Shuttle Bus Information | Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania
Do I need to book the huts, and what facilities do they provide?
Huts on the Overland Track cannot be booked. They're available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Each hut has basic facilities, including bunk beds (without mattresses), composting toilets, freshwater tanks and communal areas for cooking. However, there are no showers, hot water or cooking equipment, so you'll need to bring your own fuel stove, utensils, and other essentials.
Hut capacities vary, typically accommodating between 16 to 34 people. You have the choice of staying in the huts or camping on the independent walker tent platforms – or a mix of both. Either way, you must still carry a tent in case you don’t reach the next hut or the huts are fully occupied.
See the Overland Track - plan your trip page for more information about what to bring with you on track.
When will I receive my information pack?
Information packs are sent out once a week and may take up to 4 weeks to arrive. If booking at short notice (within 3 weeks of departure), it is recommended that you purchase an information pack from the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre when checking in. Refunds are not applicable if the information pack does not arrive in time.
What if I get my contact details wrong on my booking?
Please check that your email address (and postal address if purchasing an information pack) is correct before completing your booking. Please also check your booking confirmation once you have received it.
If you find any incorrect information e.g., walker names spelled incorrectly, incorrect departure date, etc. please contact overlandtrack@parks.tas.gov.au as soon as possible with your booking reference and the correct information.
What if I don’t receive my booking confirmation?
If you have not received your booking confirmation within 24 hours of booking, please email overlandtrack@parks.tas.gov.au with your first and last name and and booking departure date.
Can I move my booking?
Yes, dependent upon availability. The person who placed the original booking can change departure dates, but only within the current walking season (1 October 2024 – 31 May 2025).
You can check availability on the Overland Track booking page and then contact us on 1300 827 727 or overlandtrack@parks.tas.gov.au to move your booking.
How can I cancel my booking?
The person who placed the original booking can apply to cancel their booking by emailing overlandtrack@parks.tas.gov.au. Refunds are processed back to the credit card used at time of booking.
Please note that cancellation fees apply. Please refer to the Terms and Conditions 4. Cancellations for further information.
Members of my party can no longer come, can another walker take their place?
If a member of your party can no longer come, we can substitute them for another walker. We cannot transfer whole bookings. The person who made the original booking can apply to substitute a walker by emailing overlandtrack@parks.tas.gov.au.