# Lake St Clair (Tasmania)

Lake St Clair or leeawuleena is a natural freshwater lake located in the Central Highlands area of Tasmania, Australia. The lake forms the southern end of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. It has an area of approximately 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi), and a maximum depth of 215 metres (705 ft), making it Australia's deepest lake.
The lake is fed by Narcissus River, Cuvier River, and Hamilton Creek and marks the start of the River Derwent.
The locality of Lake St Clair is in the local government areas of Central Highlands (24%), Meander Valley (12%), and West Coast (64%). The southern end of the lake is about 106 kilometres (66 mi) north-west of the town of Hamilton.

## Geology

Lake St Clair was formed through glacial erosion, along with the surrounding river valleys.

## History

Lake St Clair is located on the edge of the Big River Tasmanian Aboriginal nation, and there is evidence that they hunted on the surrounding button grass plains. Numerous small quarries and campgrounds are located nearby, with the closest dated site putting human occupation at 10,000 years ago.
The first European to discover Lake St Clare on Thursday 26 October 1826, was a team of three, led by convict Jorgen Jorgensen. The reason behind the expedition was to identify suitable farming land for the Van Diemen's Land Company.
Previously, in May 1824, The Van Diemen's Land Company syndicate was formed in London led by its secretary Edward Morrison Curr to promote the company. In April 1825 the Colonial office offered a grant of 250,000 acres of land in the North West of Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania). The company was formed, with a subscribed capital of 1,000,000 English pounds, and incorporated by Act of Parliament, with a Royal Charter.
Edward Curr, as the secretary and representative of the Van Diemen's Land Company - Wikipedia, and a member of the Legislative Council of Van Diemen's Land., selected Jorgensen to lead the expedition to identify land suitable for the newly formed company. Jorgensen was recommended by Police Superintendent Humphrey of Hobart.
Jorgensen was serving his second term as a convict, but as a former British naval officer, he could read maps, set a course by compass, fix map-positions and write a journal. Skills not found in the majority of convicts.
Jorgensen at forty-six years of age, set out on 2 September 1826 with two companions, Mark Logan a ticket of leave man (unsupervised convict), and Andy Colvert, a Tasmanian Aboriginal. Each carried a pack of 32 kg in weight, containing provisions for six weeks. Jorgensen was also issued with a sword, a compass and a map by a Mr Scott.
Reference: The Viking of Van Diemen's Land by Clune and Stephensen Page 341 to 350, Chapter "The Explorer". The Viking of Van Diemen's Land - Wikipedia
The next European explorer to see the lake was surveyor William Sharland in 1832, with George Frankland leading an expedition to it three years later. In 1840 James Calder cut a track from the lake to Macquarie Harbour, followed by another more practical track by Burgess. The Burgess track was maintained and re-cut by miners until 1883 when a new lower level route was discovered, which later became the Lyell Highway.
The area surrounding the lake was used by snarers and hunters from 1860 until the collapse of the fur trade in the 1950s, although it was illegal from 1927 onwards.
In 1937 the Derwent River was dammed just below the lake, and a pumping station installed - enabling Hydro Tasmania to drain the lake up to 6 metres and feed water to the Tarraleah Power Station. The fluctuating water levels have caused erosion and environmental degradation since. The pumphouse was decommissioned in the 1990s, and transformed into a hotel in 2015.
The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair area was declared a scenic reserve in 1922, a wildlife reserve in 1927, a national park in 1947 and a world heritage area from 1982.

## Geography

The locality has an area of 839.4 square kilometres (324.1 sq mi), of which the lake occupies about 45 square kilometres (17 sq mi) in the south-east corner. The Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park occupies all of the locality, plus the locality of Cradle Mountain to the north.

### Climate

Lake St Clair has a cold Oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb), bordering on a Subpolar oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfc), with cool to cold weather year-round. Over the period 1990 to 2004, there were on average 33.1 snowy days annually, which can occur in any month of the year. It is very cloudy, particularly in the cooler months, with an average of 75 and 78 sun hours in June and July. There are 19.4 clear days annually and 163.4 cloudy days.
Climate data for Lake St Clair (HEC, 1952–1989, rainfall 1937–1989); 735 m AMSL; 42.10° S, 146.22° E :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 33.0 (91.4) | 35.0 (95.0) | 30.5 (86.9) | 24.5 (76.1) | 20.5 (68.9) | 16.5 (61.7) | 13.5 (56.3) | 17.0 (62.6) | 22.2 (72.0) | 27.3 (81.1) | 27.8 (82.0) | 31.7 (89.1) | 35.0 (95.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 18.5 (65.3) | 18.8 (65.8) | 16.4 (61.5) | 13.0 (55.4) | 9.7 (49.5) | 7.6 (45.7) | 6.7 (44.1) | 7.8 (46.0) | 9.9 (49.8) | 12.1 (53.8) | 14.2 (57.6) | 16.2 (61.2) | 12.6 (54.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.2 (45.0) | 7.5 (45.5) | 6.1 (43.0) | 4.5 (40.1) | 2.8 (37.0) | 1.2 (34.2) | 0.3 (32.5) | 0.8 (33.4) | 1.6 (34.9) | 3.1 (37.6) | 4.5 (40.1) | 6.1 (43.0) | 3.8 (38.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.0 (28.4) | −1.1 (30.0) | −3.5 (25.7) | −4.4 (24.1) | −5.3 (22.5) | −11.5 (11.3) | −10.0 (14.0) | −8.5 (16.7) | −6.5 (20.3) | −4.7 (23.5) | −4.0 (24.8) | −2.2 (28.0) | −11.5 (11.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 80.8 (3.18) | 74.6 (2.94) | 84.5 (3.33) | 126.5 (4.98) | 138.0 (5.43) | 137.2 (5.40) | 163.6 (6.44) | 160.2 (6.31) | 159.0 (6.26) | 147.9 (5.82) | 123.8 (4.87) | 115.0 (4.53) | 1,511.1 (59.49) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 13.9 | 12.3 | 15.2 | 17.9 | 20.3 | 19.2 | 21.5 | 21.8 | 20.3 | 20.5 | 18.9 | 17.5 | 219.3 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 244.9 | 220.4 | 176.7 | 126.0 | 86.8 | 75.0 | 77.5 | 99.2 | 117.0 | 176.7 | 189.0 | 201.5 | 1,790.7 |
| Source: Bureau of Meteorology ||||||||||||||

## Road infrastructure

The C193 route (Lake St Clair Road) enters from the south-east and runs to the southern shore of the lake, where it ends.

## Tourism

In 1871, the Tasmanian Guidebook mentioned Lake St Clair as being "admired for its scenery by the few who visit". By 1900 there was a boatshed, accommodation, improved access and horse paddocks at Cynthia Bay, with the first tourists arriving by car in 1915.
From 1911 the beginnings of the Overland Track to Cradle Mountain began to form, with the route officially blazed by Bert Nichols in 1931.
A guesthouse was built at Cynthia Bay in 1930, followed by improved parking, camping and visitor facilities. The lake has been a popular tourist destination, with most tourists visiting to walk, photograph and learn about the history.
Following a decision by the Tasmanian Government to allow development in national parks and conservation areas an "in principle" permit was granted for the establishment of an "eco-friendly" resort at Pumphouse Point at Lake St Clair; completed in 2015.

## Gallery

* Lake St Clair sunset
* Lake St Clair from Echo Point
* Our ride down Lake St. Clair
* Lake St Clair NP Tas
* Swallow in the mist of dawn, Pumphouse Point, Lake St Clair
* Echo Point, Lake St Clair at dawn