Eastern Arthur Range Traverse walker registration

This registration is for The Eastern Arthur Range Traverse including seven designated campsites: South Cracroft, Bechervaise Plateau, Hanging Lake, Goon Moor, Stuart Saddle, Pass Creek, Cracroft Crossing.

If you plan to walk the Farmhouse Creek Track and camp at Cutting Camp, please register here instead.

Registration

By registering your walk, you are helping the Parks and Wildlife Service to reduce long-term damage to fragile, remote bushwalking environments by limiting daily departures.

Registrations are free. Maximum departures for the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse are 6 people daily. You only need to register for your day of departure.

If your plans change and you are no longer going, please cancel your registration. This allows others to register for this walk. You will find instructions on how to cancel your registration in your confirmation email.

Important Safety Information

The Eastern Arthur Range Traverse is one of Australia's most challenging backcountry bushwalking tracks/routes, due to its remote location and terrain. There are many steep cliff sections up to 85 degrees where rock scrambling and pack hauling is required. There have been fatalities on this track.

This is a serious and difficult multi-day Grade 5 level wilderness track. Navigation skills using map and compass are required as the track may not be clearly marked in many places. Phones are not to be relied upon.

Only VERY experienced walkers should attempt this track.

The weather in Tasmania’s remote National Parks can be notoriously unpredictable and at times, dangerous. Ensure that you understand the weather forecast for the duration of your walk (Strathgordon and Geeveston are suggested towns to check forecast; depending on weather patterns at the time) and observe sunrise and sunset times.

Individuals are responsible for their own safety. You must ensure that you are experienced in remote bush walking, have a high level of fitness and are capable of undertaking such a walk. You need to be self-sufficient and ensure that you are carrying the clothing and equipment needed to protect you from exposure to cold, wet, wind and heat and that you are carrying enough food. For information about what to take go to -What to Pack.

Please read our Safety in Parks information and check for Alerts in the area before you go. In Tasmania, Search and Rescue operations are managed by Tasmania Police – phone 000. Noting that there may not be cellular service in this area.

Camping

There are no hut facilities anywhere along the Eastern Arthur Range Traverse. There are seven designated campsites, several of which have tent platforms. Some (but not all) have designated toilets. Refer to the Leave No Trace principles for toileting practices.

All walkers must carry quality tents (3-4 season rating with inner and outer layer) with enough capacity to sleep all members of your group. Other than for solo walkers, single person tents are discouraged due to limited campsite capacity.

The four subalpine campsites on the Eastern Arthur Range – Bechervaise Plateau, Hanging Lake, Goon Moor and Stuart Saddle – have tent platforms with capacity for only 3-4 tents. Therefore, walkers are urged to limit their stay at each site to a maximum of 2 nights, to ensure that overcrowding does not occur.

Trampling of the sensitive vegetation beside these sites, from overcrowding three decades ago, is only just showing signs of recovery.

Leave No Trace

Please respect the natural and cultural values that make this Track part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area: Leave No Trace | Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania.

Parks Pass

A valid national parks pass is required. This can be purchased in advance online: Welcome to Parks Passes.

Access

The EART is accessed by three trailheads: Huon Track, Port Davey Track (Scotts Peak Road) and Farmhouse Creek. You can choose which trailhead you start and finish at.

Note: West Picton Road (prior to Riveaux Creek) is closed due to the deterioration of three structures along the road. A vehicle turnaround and car parking bay have been provided at the West Picton Road closure. A 15-20 vehicle parking area has been created adjacent to the new closure.

Farmhouse Creek walking track requires an extra 7.2km (one-way) walk along West Picton Road from its closure prior to Picton River Tributary. Also, the pedestrian bridge over Farmhouse Creek has been closed, so walkers will need to ford Farmhouse Creek to continue their walk. Water levels fluctuate according to rainfall, so walkers need to make their own assessment of conditions before crossing.

Further information: https://sttas.com.au/access-permits/road-and-track-closures and Alerts - Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania

Track Works

There will be construction work on the Farmhouse Creek Track section of the traverse, in the vicinity of South Cracroft campsite and Cutting Creek campsite. Works will include completion of tent platforms, raised planking and installation of toilet pods at South Cracroft and Cutting Creek campsites. The work will occur between November 2023 and April 2024.

For your safety, please follow any directions by PWS personnel or track crew when in these areas and check our alerts page for updated information: Alerts - Parks & Wildlife Service Tasmania