Hartz Mountains National Park

Discover the stunning Hartz Mountains National Park, located in the southern region of Tasmania, Australia.

This picturesque natural wonder is one of the 19 Tasmanian National Parks, recognised in 1989 as a part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, owing to its natural and cultural significance. The park is named after the Harz mountain range in Germany.

The park spans over 600 metres above sea level, housing diverse altitudes ranging from 160 m at the Picton River to 1,255 m at Hartz Peak. The towering mountains consist of dolerite rock formations, contrasting with the lower southern regions of sedimentary rocks that date back between 355 and 180 million years ago; a result of marine, glacial and freshwater deposition. The landscape in the park has been shaped throughout time by several ice ages, forming various captivating features such as cirques, horn peaks, aretes and glacial troughs.

Hartz Mountains National Park harbours varied vegetation, including wet eucalypt forests, mixed forests showcasing eucalyptus obliqua, rainforests, sub-alpine and alpine forests. The rainforest communities are dominated by myrtle, sassafras, leatherwood and native laurel. The sub-alpine forests are home to three primary eucalypt types: snow gum, varnished gum and yellow gum. The understorey thrives with lush heath plants, such as the Tasmanian waratah. The park accommodates nocturnal mammals, including Bennett's wallabies, Tasmanian pademelons, brushtail possums, echidnas and platypus. The highlights of amphibians in the park are