Moss cover boulders and river ferns with waterfall at Upper Liffey Falls
Upper Liffey Falls (photograph: Dan Broun)
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Great Western Tiers Conservation Area

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Alerts for Great Western Tiers Conservation Area

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Closed area: Restricted Access along Mersey Forest Road
Applies from 21/11/2022

Sustainable Timber Tasmania have installed a boom gate on Mersey Forest Road prior to Stretcher Creek which will remain closed until the below bridges have been replaced:

  • Stretcher Creek Bridge
  • Mersey Tributary Bridge 
  • Juno Creek Bridge

These restrictions are for vehicle access only, walkers are still permitted along the full length of Mersey Forest Road. 

For further enquiries please call: (03) 6701 2104.​​

Last reviewed 24/1/2023 09:20 AM


Track closure: Yeates Track, Great Western Tiers
Applies from 21/10/2022

​​​​​​​​​Yeates Track is closed due to a landslide on the access road leading to this section of the Great Western Tiers Conservation Area.  

Yeates Track will remain closed until further notice.  

​For further enquires please call (03) 6701 2104.

Last reviewed 3/4/2023 11:38 AM


Closed area: Aerial Shooting Operations - Walls of Jerusalem National Park and western section Central Plateau Conservation Area
Applies from 1/5/2023

​Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service is undertaking a wild fallow deer control project within the Walls of Jerusalem National Park and the western section of the Central Plateau Conservation Area.

The wild fallow deer control project is an aerial shooting program for the month of May 2023 and 2024. 

The control area will be closed to all users from Monday, 1 May to Sunday, 4 June 2023
​​​

Areas closed to public access

  • Walls of Jerusalem National Park
  • Central Plateau Conservation Area, west of Highland Lakes Road and north of Marlborough Rd and Lyell Highway
  • Tracks that start within the Meander Conservation Area and Great Western Tiers Conservation Area west of Highland Lakes Road

More detailed information is available in the FAQs or visit the TWWHA Deer Project page

For further enquiries please call: (03) 6701 2104​

Last reviewed 31/3/2023 05:20 PM


About

​​​​​At the most northern boundary of Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area, you'll find the imposing landscapes of the Great Western Tiers Conservation Area. Consisting of seven separate parts, the Conservation Area covers some 22,890 hectares.

Stretching from Western Bluff near Mole Creek, to Millers Bluff near Campbell Town, the spectacular dolerite columns, deep gorges and forested escarpments mark the edge of the Central Plateau – the mountain range that forms the backbone of the state – and they're visible for many miles around. 

Between Western and Millers Bluff you'll find Ironstone Mountain, which at 1443 metres is the highest mountain of the tiers, along with numerous other bluffs and small mountains.

The area is a walker's paradise, with countless opportunities to explore the expanses of temperate rainforest and subalpine woodland, sandstone and dolerite cliffs, and abundant lakes and waterfalls. Many of the tracks up the face of the Great Western Tiers have been forged by hunters, trappers and loggers in years gone by, and several of them extend south into the Central Plateau Conservation Area.

Most of the track heads start off Westrope Road, where you'll find a number of rough gravel car parking areas.

For a rewarding day walk, Higgs Track is a great option. Originally cut in the 1870s as a route for grazing cattle, it includes some steeper sections but is well maintained. On the lower sections of the escarpment, the track is lined with myrtle, sassafras and ferns, then as you pass the tree line you'll be treated to spectacular views of the Alpine plateau. Lady Lake Hut is a wonderful spot to stop for lunch and enjoy the tranquillity before you make the return journey.

Another good option for a day walk is Western Creek Track, which includes access to Whiteley Hut and Lake Ironstone. This is a well-established track, although the first kilometre​ is quite rough and full of boulders

Two slightly shorter options which still offer exceptional opportunities to enjoy the distinctive landscape of the Great Western Tiers are Syds Track (1.5 hours) and Mother Cummins Track (2 hours).