John and Monica Chapman have been producing guidebooks to the more remote parts of Tasmania since the late 1970’s. In addition to five editions of Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair… written with John Siseman, John Chapman has also written and published four editions of South West Tasmania. More recently they have written a couple of excellent guides to Victorian day walks, a guide to Tasmanian day walks and a book covering a selection of the best extended walks in Australia.

The new edition of Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair… is a stunning contrast to the rather basic and monochromatic book design of previous editions. Not only has the title been thoroughly revised and its coverage extended, but it now features colour on every page with gradient profiles, photos, good clear maps and diagrams of seasonal weather conditions. The book essentially covers the mountains north of the Lyell Highway. It includes the Overland Track and other routes between The Cradle and St Clair. In addition it covers the Penguin - Cradle Trail from the north coast, the Walls of Jerusalem area and alternative access routes, including a couple from the Central Plateau near Great Lake. The walk descriptions are clear, complete and unambiguous.

In the past I’ve written some rather scathing reviews of guidebooks, but this is one book that is hard to fault. If pressed, I’d offer that it might have covered a little more of Tasmania’s Central Plateau and there could be a few more suggestions for camp sites. --© David Sisson