Stacks Bluff, Mountain summit in northeast Tasmania, Australia

Stacks Bluff is a 1,527-metre peak on the Ben Lomond plateau in northeast Tasmania, the ninth highest mountain in the state. Its southern face is a promontory cliff-line of exposed dolerite columns, the stacks that gave the bluff its name. The summit block rises above Lake Youl, about 2 km to the north.

Aboriginal groups including the Ben Lomond nation with clans like the Plangermaireener and Plindermairhemener lived in the region, using campsites near lakes and river valleys. Tin and tungsten mining began in the late 1800s, which brought European settlement to the area.

Local artists sketched the area in the 1830s, capturing its dramatic rocky formations in their work. Mining operations that followed brought workers and settlement to the surrounding valleys.

The hike to the summit is around 9.5 kilometers return with roughly 700 meters of elevation gain, and boulder fields require careful footing. Come prepared for changing weather and bring proper hiking boots for safety on rocky terrain.

During cold periods, graupel forms on the mountain, a rare Australian phenomenon where water droplets freeze onto snow crystals. This creates an unusual icy coating that transforms the appearance of the rocky terrain.