Gallery: Central Highlands & Midlands

The Central Highlands encompasses Australia's highest altitude communities and largest freshwater lakes, where historic hydro towns dot a landscape of alpine plateaus and glacial tarns. At its heart lies Great Lake, Tasmania's largest inland water body, surrounded by fishing shacks and the townships of Miena and Liaweenee. This harsh yet beautiful environment supports unique alpine vegetation, including rare cushion plants and ancient pencil pine forests that have survived since the last ice age.

The plateau is punctuated by countless lakes and lagoons, from the trout-fishing mecca of Arthurs Lake to the pristine waters of Little Pine Lagoon, while historic cattle huts and shepherds' quarters tell stories of highland grazing. Snow gums and highland marshes create a distinct ecosystem that changes dramatically from summer wildflowers to winter snowfields.

The Midlands forms a broad valley between Tasmania's eastern and western tiers, where Australia's finest Georgian villages stand proud among historic pastoral estates. The towns of Ross, Oatlands, and Bothwell showcase remarkably intact colonial architecture.