Call me naive, but there’s something a little magical about a crystal clear lake in the mountains that appears as if out of nowhere. Which is exactly what’s happening on Tasmania’s Kunanyi/Mount Wellington right now.
Heavy rainfall filled Disappearing Tarn with its clear, blue-tinged waters, drawing in enthusiastic nature photographers and those who just really wanted a killer Insta shot and didn’t mind the 6 kilometre hike to get it.
Without further rainfall the Tarn will empty again, leaving barely a trace to identify its location. It’s a stunning, natural phenomenon that science kind of has a hard time explaining.
Wilderness tour guide, Cody McCracken, told the ABC “There’s not a heap of scientific literature out there that explains exactly why it occurs.” While it’s clear that high rainfall is the reason it fills up, we don’t really know why it then disappears so thoroughly.
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One thing you can count on is The Man, this time in the form of Hobart City Council, stepping in to spoil all the fun and placing most of the mountain out-of-bounds.
Oh sure, they had professionals have a look around the mountain in a helicopter to check out the fast-flowing rivulets that admittedly sound pretty unsafe. And sure the helicopter was necessary because the tracks were so covered in debris from he same rainstorm that filled Disappearing Tarn in the first place. But honestly, where is their sense of adventure?
So if you weren’t one of the lucky ones who already made it up the mountain and nabbed the elusive shot, you’ll just have to hope your next mirror selfie is on point.
