Central Plateau Lakes Road — Miena to Pine Tier Lagoon via Great Lake Highlands
Buttongrass, dolerite, and trout water at altitude.
Drive out of Miena on the Central Plateau and the landscape drops its mask fast. The Great Lake — Australia’s largest natural freshwater lake at altitude — sits grey and vast to your east while the track pushes west through open moorland dotted with tarns and frost-hollowed dolerite tors. The route runs roughly 60 kilometres through the Central Plateau Conservation Area, connecting the Great Lake foreshore tracks to Pine Tier Lagoon via logging-era fire trails and pastoral access roads. The surface is a mix of wet clay, rock shelf and loose gravel — expect mud ruts in cold weather and washouts after rain. Pine Tier Lagoon is a genuine reward: mirror-flat trout water ringed by pencil pines in an otherwise treeless landscape.
This is a legitimate 4WD route — not a Sunday driver’s afternoon. Ground clearance matters, and you will hit soft boggy sections regardless of season. The plateau sits above 1,000 metres and weather turns without warning; snow is possible even in summer. No fuel north of Miena before the plateau, so plan accordingly. No permit required for vehicle access, but conditions change fast — check with the PWS before heading in. Dispersed camping is possible at designated sites around Pine Tier Lagoon. Cell service is effectively zero once you leave Miena.
Trail Specs
| Difficulty | Moderate |
|---|---|
| Trail Type | Backcountry, High Clearance, Overland Route |
| Surface | Dirt, Gravel, Mixed |
| Features | Camping, High Altitude, Remote, Scenic |
| Length (miles) | 37 mi / 60 km |
| Duration | 1-2 days |
| Max elevation (ft) | 3510 ft |
| Best season | November-April |
| Minimum vehicle | Stock 4WD high-clearance |
| Nearest town | Miena, Tasmania |
| Land manager | Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service |
| Permit required | No |
| Cell service | None |
| Water crossings | Yes |
| Dispersed camping | Yes |
| Official sources | parks.tas.gov.au |
| Start coordinates | |
| End coordinates | |
| Copy both for Google Maps directionsClick to copy the directions URL · or open it directly in a new tab | |
| Find on Google | Search on Google → |
Location
Trail Conditions
No recent condition reports. Be the first to post one.
Log in to post a condition report.
Frequently asked questions
Can a stock Land Cruiser or Patrol handle this route without a lift?
Yes. A stock 4WD with factory high clearance handles this route fine under normal dry conditions. What you need is low-range capability and decent all-terrain tyres — the track is rough gravel and dirt with embedded rock in sections, not extreme ledges or deep ruts.
When is the Central Plateau actually driveable and what happens if you go too early?
November through April is your window. Outside that, the plateau gets snow, ice, and prolonged wet that turns the buttongrass margins into bog traps. Going in September or October after a wet winter risks getting properly stuck with no one nearby to pull you out.
Do you need a permit to drive or camp out here?
You need a valid Tasmania Parks Pass to access the Central Plateau Conservation Area — a Parks Pass is required for all vehicles. Dispersed camping is permitted in most areas but check current conditions with Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service before you go, as some zones have restrictions.
What's the hardest section and what actually makes it difficult?
The roughest going is typically the exposed highland sections away from the sealed Great Lake Road, where the track narrows across open moorland and surface conditions change fast — soft shoulders, water-saturated ground after rain, and limited visibility on where the track firms up. It's not technically gnarly, but one bad line in wet conditions will have you digging.
Is water from the lagoons and creeks safe to drink, and how far is the nearest fuel from the trailhead?
Water from highland creeks and lagoons on the Central Plateau is generally considered clean but filter or treat it regardless — tannin-dark water from buttongrass catchments is normal and not a contamination indicator. Fuel is available in Miena at the start, but it's a small servo with limited hours, so fill up in Campbell Town or Bothwell before heading up if you're arriving late.
Trail track
No GPX track for this trail yet. If you've driven it and have a track, contribute below.
Log in to contribute a GPX track.