Enjoy deep slumber in the middle of Australia’s deepest lake

Do you ever feel the need to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and relax in a place where no one will bother you? Peace and isolation takes on a new meaning at Lake St. Claire – Australia’s deepest lake. Located at Pumphouse Point in Tasmania, this getaway takes wilderness to a whole other level.

You’ve got a decision to make. You can get to Pumphouse Point the easy way or the hard way. Pumphouse is at the end of a famous bush trek, The Overland Track. It takes around six days to complete over 65k. But that’s the thing about wilderness retreats: sometimes you need to make the walk for it.

The accommodation on your trek is a little rough, but that’s another thing about retreating. You stop needing those creature comforts, you want things to be on the simple side. No distractions. All that matters, is where you are.

When you finally arrive at Lake Claire, leg weary but your mind a little clearer, you’re faced with more choices. You can walk that last little bit or catch a ferry over to your destination? Do you stay at The Pumphouse right out on the lake or at The Shorehouse?

We’d choose the 250-metre stroll down the pier to The Pumphouse, obviously. It’s actually the ground and middle floor rooms that we’re most taken with. Sure, you can choose the rooms at the top of the house if you want. But the lower rooms are level with the lake. It’ll feel like you’re lying on water and we’d love to wake up to that view.

Mealtimes at Pumphouse Point aren’t like your average hotel. Breakfast is included in your stay. But for the rest, there’s an honesty bar and a larder of local produce with no mark up prices. Just make a note of whatever you snack on and the cost is added to your bill. And there’s one heck of a whisky collection and wine list.

Evening meals are where everyone comes together. You can choose to fend for yourself but dinner is also served family style. What a perfect way for guests to meet one another and share stories and wine. It’s not exactly fine dining, but it feels perfect for the setting.

Pumphouse Point has that perfect mix of boutique hotel and unique experience. It plays up to its beautiful surroundings, the industrial buildings are as much a part of the experience as the history of the area. We’re itching to stay here and tell midnight ghost stories around a flickering fire looking out at that fabulous lake. Even wilderness can be better when it’s shared with the right people.