The horses nervously and excitedly tap their feet as saddlebags and packs are thrown over their backs right before a ride to drive cattle into Tasmania's central highlands.

Driving cattle into these areas has been done for about 130 years; first by the Lee family and now the Kilby and Wadley families are continuing the tradition.

The drive starts almost smack-bang in the middle of Tasmania, on the edge of the Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park, following the Mersey River up to Lees Paddocks.

Every year, Ms Kilby, the current owner of the paddocks, gathers the family and organises the cattle drive into the highlands.

"We have a day driving them [the cattle] in," she said.

"It's probably a three-and-a-half to a four-hour drive.

"We're just keeping the tradition alive.

"There are times that it's very advantageous to take cattle up there and get them off the farm."

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