Mt Murchison Is The Best Day Of The West In Tasmania

Nestled deep within Tassie’s rugged west coast, take on this winter expedition up Mt Murchison — just be sure to bring your beanie and gloves as you’ll likely get a cold reception.

Quick Overview

Mt Murchinson is a 6 km return trip, located on the west coast of Tasmania. The climb should take around 4-6 hours to complete.

Highlights

Begin walking through spectacular rainforest
Incredible views across the west coast and inland to Cradle Mountain
Tough, wild feel to the area, off the tourist track
Unpredictability

Climbing Mt Murchinson

After a long week, including Saturday work to interrupt the weekend, Sunday finally rolled around. The day was not for rest however, as a mate and I jumped into the ute and headed west.

Mt Murchison lies amongst mining towns of the West Coast and West Coast Range, both inhabited and abandoned. Turning off the highway just outside of Tullah, the start to the walk is marked by an aging wooden sign and “carpark” — a gravel strip on the opposite side of the road. A stark difference from the tourist hotspots.

The first section of the track leads you through rainforest (mind the tree roots, there are a few!), gaining elevation until it clears out onto rocky sheets and some specky views, complete with alpine lake. From here, the route is marked by cairns (rock pyramids) and involves a few tricky sections, including a scramble assisted by a rope (placed there by mother nature to help us adventurers, obviously).

Read: 12 Things To Do On Tassie’s West Coast

The Best of the West // Mt Murchison (TAS) Oliver Fryett snow mountain poncho shorts

Remember to dress for the weather!

On a good day, Mt Murchison promises panoramic views inland to Cradle and Barn Bluff, as well as over the towns and lakes of the West Coast. Be prepared for any weather though, as this particular trip up was brought to an early conclusion. While the weather at the base and lower altitudes was good (all things considered, it is Tasmania in August after all), higher up we faced rain, sleet and snow cover.

When it started actually snowing, we made the decision to turn around. Don’t ever be afraid to make this call. Call into the Tullah shop for a post-expedition snack and check out the 3D map of the area and some local history.

Essential Gear

Good walking shoes/boots
Raincoat
Warm gear (be prepared)
Snacks plus lunch and water
The Abels: Volume Two edited by Bill Wilkinson

How To Get There

South of Tullah (4 hrs from Hobart or 1.5 hrs from Burnie) turn right off the Murchison Highway onto Anthony Road (B28). The track head is approximately 3km along Anthony Road.

Activities

Bushwalking
Photography
Rock climbing — some online research uncovered spots on Mt Murchison used by climbers. Looks like a tough gig!

Skill Level

Intermediate — 2 hazardous sections and the possibility of inclement weather increase the difficulty. A pretty steep climb too, as the elevation shows!