Diamond in the Rugged | Gravel and MTB adventures await at Ben Lomond Resort in Tassie

Lutruwita (Tasmania) has long been a suspiciously underrated destination, even for those living a short plane journey from the Apple Isle’s glistening shores. It’s probably unsurprising, then, that the suggestion of an alpine resort on the island can be met with confused looks.

But standing rugged and resplendent at over 1,500 vertical metres above sea level, Ben Lomond National Park awaits to confound those in doubt, and it’s just an hour from Launceston.

That Fine Tassie Alpine

It’s a remarkable sight, and home to the highest road in Tassie; a state renowned for big mountains and stunning drives. Love a boulder field? You’ll find Australia’s largest here. Big fan of skiing lesser known gems? You’re in luck, Ben Lomond National Park is a singular snow destination combining Australian alpine backdrops with iconic rocky remoteness. Renting a toboggan and blasting down one of only two Tasmanian ski fields surrounded by alpine flora sounds diabolically fun to us, and it’s something we reckon you should strongly consider doing.

But we’re not here to talk about snow sliding, and the national park has more up its sleeve for the summer months, and Flow spoke with Charlotte Wright, Communications Manager at Ben Lomond Alpine Resort for the skinny on what you can expect.

“It’s the most underrated national park in Tasmania,” Wright says, with a strong opening gambit, particularly considering the dizzying list of unforgettable parks across Lutruwita. “There’s some spectacular scenery and wildlife at the top, where you’ll see wildflowers, wallabies and maybe even a wombat or two.”

It’s perhaps the road up to the ski fields on the high plateau that most captures the imagination of visitors to the area, though. With six hairpin turns, the access road snakes defiantly up the steep dolerite strewn mountainside, this could be a scene from the Himalayas. Affectionately known as Jacob’s Ladder, its surface pure gravel. Peak drama. It’s a remarkable rite of passage to the alpine above, and the scene of many iconic drives, rides and races for international visitors and locals alike.

For Those About to Race | King and Queen of the Mountain

2025 saw the most recent iteration of the now infamous King and Queen of the Mountain gravel race with nearly a hundred participants.

“It’s always been a bit of a bucket-list gravel ride, starting at the Ben Lomond Alpine Base (Cafe) building and finishing at the end of the road at the ski fields, 17.7kms later,” says Wright.

“It’s also thankfully quite common for it to snow up on the mountain, given it’s an alpine resort,” she says with a chuckle.

It even snowed for this year’s King and Queen race in mid-February, with racers finishing at the top amidst a stunning blanket of the white stuff.

Wright tells Flow that while the race organizers were rightly stressing about the implications of a snowy course, she couldn’t help but get wrapped up in how amazing it all looked.

And Wright would be right. Snaps from stalwart Beardy McBeard’s coverage of the event serve to show just how stunning the Australian alpine can look with a smattering of snow paired with the fatigued grimace of gravel racers game enough to tackle the iconic ascent of Jacob’s Ladder up to the Resort.

If, like us, you’re intrigued as to how rapidly this brutal ascent might be tackled by a pro rider, the 2024 installment saw none other than Richie Porte take on the route. At nearly two-and-a-half minutes ahead of his nearest competitor, Porte smashed out the 17km attempt in just 50 minutes and 42 seconds. For a degree of perspective, this year’s Open Male winner, Oliver Sims, took the King of the Mountain win in 54 minutes and 9 seconds, while our Queen of the Mountain, Izzy Flint, came in at 1 hour 11 seconds.

On tour among the tor of Ben Lomond

If you’re suitably intrigued, and keen to see this stunning place by bike, Ben Lomond Alpine Resort works hand in hand with Ian Ferrier of Mountain Bike Tasmania. Ferrier has run guided tours of the mountain for many years, which take around half a day and begin at the recently constructed Base Cafe, where bike rental and refreshments will get you ready for a day on the mountain.

“We’ve been in operation since 2006, long before the Mountain Biking boom in Tasmania,” Ferrier tells Flow.

Catering largely to beginner and novice riders, but just as suited to curious MTB veterans, the tour riding begins high up on the alpine.

“It’s certainly about the scenery at the top,” he says.

The route then takes riders down the iconic Jacob’s Ladder, with a support vehicle on point to ensure rider safety, and a guide among the group ensuring it stays well clear of the exposed edges.

“The surface of the road is pretty much like marbles on the way down, so we teach proper braking control (for the new riders) and encourage riders to be very cautious on this part of the descent,” he continues.

Riders are met with ever-changing terrain, from the heady alpine, through the Ladder’s winding turns and into the dense forest canopy below, with some old forestry singletrack thrown in for good measure for those seeking a little more off the beaten track action. If partaking in the morning tour, riders will end their adventure at the Base Cafe, ready for excited chats over lunch.

With nearly two decades in the business, Mountain Bike Tasmania also runs multi-day trips to Derby and St Helen’s among Tassie destinations, and support gravel rides throughout the state.

The resort also rents Trek Dual Sport+ e-Bikes from the Base Cafe if you’ve come to Tassie without your own bike and are keen to cruise around

Beyond Riding At Ben Lomond | Adventures off the bike

For those who prefer entirely human-powered adventures, there are a number of hikes designed to take in the breathtaking alpine vistas on offer. A short 30-minute jaunt up the Summit Track will give you spectacular views as far as Flinders Island from Tasmania’s second-highest peak, Legges Tor. Extend this hike to 5km one way and traverse across Ben Lomond’s alpine plateau by starting at Carr Villa. Fancy something more challenging? Explore the 9.5km out-and-back trail with 710m elevation to stunning Stacks Bluff.’

For challengers of the altogether more vertical type, Ferrier and his team have also carved out a niche, running trips for international and interstate rock climbers, all keen to tackle some of the routes offered by Ben Lomond’s outstanding geology.

And if you’re keen for the mountain experience with a hint of good living and festive cheer, the Resort will host its second Christmas in July extravaganza in 2025. Frolick accordingly in snow, sip on mulled wine, and enjoy a merry ol’ feast!

Looking to the Future | Pushing for mountain bike trails at Ben Lomond

Wright tells Flow that although in the very early stages, there are hopes that purpose-built mountain bike trails could be built in the area, with plenty of potential to solidify it as a stop on the already packed mountain biking roster offered by Tassie.

Given the national park certainly doesn’t lack elevation, possible trail opportunities are near endless. We’ll update readers in due course when we hear more on this.

How do you get to Ben Lomond?

Road trips are in Tassie’s DNA, and you can’t go wrong cruising the backroads and rolling hills of the state, particularly if you’re bound for Ben Lomond Alpine Resort. It’s also very easy to get to!

Ben Lomond National Park is located about an hour south-east of Launceston and about three hours north of Hobart.

For more information, check out the Ben Lomond Alpine Resort website.

Photos: Beardy McBeard, Simon McLaine / Ben Lomond Resort