Windermere Hut
Windermere Hut is the backcountry hut stop on the Overland Track in Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, used by walkers moving along the track between Waterfall Valley and Lake Windermere. It’s part of the hut-and-tent-platform system where hut access isn’t something you reserve in advance; you rely on first-come, first-served availability and should be prepared to camp on the nearby tent platforms if you arrive to a full hut.
The Overland Track booking system applies to walking during the main permit season (1 October–31 May), with up-front permits required to start that season’s north-to-south itinerary. During the permit season, the hut booking model still doesn’t guarantee a sleeping spot inside the hut, and you need to carry your own tent as backup. Hut facilities include bunk beds (without mattresses), composting toilets, freshwater tanks, and communal cooking areas, but you’ll need to bring your own stove fuel and utensils (there are no cooking facilities provided).