Launceston to Cradle Mountain by car
From Launceston, allow about two hours for the 141 km drive to Cradle Mountain; Devonport is closer at 79 km and about one hour 20 minutes via Sheffield. Your normal car destination is the visitor centre, where you park, validate a parks pass and collect a shuttle ticket for Dove Lake. Private cars cannot use Dove Lake Road while the shuttle operates.
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Key facts
- Launceston to Cradle
- 141 km and about 2 hours
- Devonport to Cradle
- 79 km and about 1 hour 20 minutes via Sheffield
- Visitor parking
- Visitors should park at the visitor centre and validate a parks pass
- Dove Lake restriction
- Private vehicles are barred during shuttle bus operating times
- Shuttle stops
- Visitor Centre, Interpretation Centre, Snake Hill, Ronny Creek and Dove Lake
- Larger vehicles
- Campervans, motorhomes, caravans and trailers are never permitted on Dove Lake Road
- Hire-car parks pass
- Select HIRE when the vehicle registration is not yet known
- Shuttle ride
- About 20 minutes from visitor centre to Dove Lake
- Road updates
- Check Tasmania Police Community Alerts for closures; the visitor centre gives condition advice
How do you drive from Launceston or Devonport?
Launceston to Cradle Mountain is 141 km and about two hours. Devonport via Sheffield is 79 km and about one hour 20 minutes. These are driving estimates, not an arrival time at Dove Lake: allow for a stop, parking and the shuttle after reaching the visitor centre.
Sheffield is 25 km and a 25-minute drive south of Devonport, and it is a gateway to Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, which makes it a natural break if you are coming from Devonport.
Which car pickup makes the trip simpler?
Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Redspot and Sixt have desks in the Launceston Airport Arrivals Hall, so you can collect there before heading west. Operators at the airport do not accept bookings for pick-up after 9pm. A Devonport pickup gives the shorter drive to the park, 79 km against 141 km. Check branch hours against your flight or sailing, then compare the full rental period if you plan to finish in another city.
For a park-only visit, return to your northern pickup. If your itinerary continues south, price a one-way return at the actual drop-off location rather than assuming an airport-to-airport booking can be changed later.
Where do you park at Cradle Mountain?
All visitors should park at the visitor centre, validate their parks pass and organise a shuttle ticket. The visitor centre also gives road condition advice on 03 6492 1110. Do not drive on toward Dove Lake expecting routine visitor parking during shuttle hours.
The shuttle stops at the Visitor Centre, the Interpretation Centre and Ranger Station, Snake Hill, Ronny Creek and Dove Lake. The ride from the visitor centre to Dove Lake is approximately 20 minutes one way, so include the return shuttle as well as any walk in your day plan.
Can you drive a hire car to Dove Lake?
Private vehicles cannot enter during shuttle operating times. Outside those hours, access is limited: Dove Lake has nine private vehicle parking spaces and one disability space. If the car park is full, return to the visitor centre. The road from the visitor centre to the Dove Lake car park is a winding, narrow bitumen road, but the sealed surface does not override shuttle-hour restrictions or your hire agreement.
Campervans, motorhomes, caravans, trailers and similar vehicles are not permitted on Dove Lake Road at any time. The practical hire-car plan is therefore to use the visitor centre regardless of whether your ordinary car might qualify for limited after-hours access.
What passes and tickets do you need?
A valid national parks pass and a shuttle ticket are separate decisions. The shuttle is included in the Cradle Mountain Day Icon pass and in the Overland Track booking fee; otherwise a shuttle fee applies, so check the pass combination before buying. A shuttle ticket gives access to the shuttle for 72 hours from purchase. If you do not know the registration of your hire car when buying the parks pass, select HIRE in the registration section.
Buy or validate the pass before boarding the shuttle. A rental booking does not include park entry simply because the vehicle has been paid for.
What if weather changes the drive?
For closures, check Tasmania Police Community Alerts, and ask at the visitor centre for road condition advice. Check these before leaving Launceston or Devonport, especially in winter.
There is no direct road through Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park joining its two ends. If you are continuing to Lake St Clair, plan the separate road connection rather than following a map line through the park.
Compare cars at Launceston Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
Preparing live car hire search
Questions people ask
How long is Launceston to Cradle Mountain?
About two hours for 141 km to the Cradle Mountain area, before parking and the shuttle.
Is Devonport closer to Cradle Mountain?
Yes. Allow about one hour 20 minutes for the 79 km drive via Sheffield before parking and shuttle time.
Where do you park for Dove Lake?
Use the Cradle Mountain visitor centre car park and take the shuttle during operating hours.
Can I drive to Dove Lake before the shuttle starts?
Limited private vehicle access is available outside shuttle hours, but Dove Lake has only nine private vehicle spaces and one disability space. Check with park staff.
How long is the shuttle to Dove Lake?
Allow about 20 minutes one way from the visitor centre, plus any wait for the shuttle.
Do I need the hire car registration for a parks pass?
No. Select HIRE in the registration section when buying the parks pass; the hire vehicle’s registration is not required.
Is the road to Dove Lake sealed?
Yes, the park road is bitumen, but private cars cannot use it during shuttle hours; larger vehicles are barred at all times.