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Strahan/Macquarie Harbour: Macquarie Harbour is the second-largest natural harbour in Australia after Port Phillip Bay in Victoria. However, the real glory of Macquarie Harbour is not its size but its setting; the surrounding World Heritage listed wilderness and the Gordon River that flows through it are other-worldly, and in recent years have attracted local and international visitors to what is one of the last easily-accessible pristine wilderness areas left in the world.
Strahan is a fishing and tourist town located on the shores of Macquarie Harbour and the only coastal town on Tasmania’s West Coast. It is the gateway to the Gordon River and the South West World Heritage Wilderness Area.
Tarkine Wilderness: The Tarkine is an expansive wild area in North-West Tasmania that encompasses a broad array of diverse landscapes including the Norfolk and Meredith Ranges, the Savage, Arthur and Pieman Rivers and Hellyer Gorge. The Arthur, Pieman, Rapid, Keith, Donaldson and Savage River valleys are home to Australia's largest tract of temperate rainforest.
One of the great things about the Tarkine is that it is an accessible wild place, with great opportunities for seeing and experiencing this special place.
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Queenstown: The first reaction to Queenstown as you approach it by road from Hobart is generally one of shock - what comes into view is like a nuclear landscape, the hillsides of its famous Mt. Lyell bare and carved into geometrical forms as a result of copper mining.
These days Queenstown is experiencing a revival. Whilst many of the surrounding hills are still bare, the vegetation of the town itself is quite pretty with a friendly atmosphere with a certain kind of charm that, combined with its unique setting, makes it a refreshing stopping point for the traveller. The restored Wilderness Railway has led many in recent years to stop and check out the place, rather than drive on.
Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour: Accessible only by boat or on foot, this region must surely be one of the most magnificent landscapes on the planet. Gold-green ranges, with bony quartzite ridges, rise sharply from the southern ocean and the broad interior waterways of Port Davey. Four major rivers and numerous creeks cut through gorges and snake across open plains, draining their rust-coloured waters into the Port Davey Marine reserve.
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Southwest National Park by road: The 85 km Gordon River Road is the major man made intrusion into the World Heritage Wilderness area of Southwest National Park. It is one of Australia's most awesome road trips. This road, which travels deep into the National Park, gives travellers a rare opportunity to see one of the most pristine wilderness areas in the world at close range. The scenery, regardless of the clouds that sometimes obscure the view, is positively magnificent, with jagged, often snow-covered mountains ahead and to either side for much of the journey.
Federation Peak and Lake Geeves, Arthur Ranges: Nestled deep in the heart of the South-West Tasmania World Heritage Area, Federation Peak is probably Australia's most recognisable and distinctive mountain. With sheer cliffs of solid quartzite dropping an impressive 600 metres (the biggest cliff in Australia) into the coffee coloured waters of Lake Geeves, 'Federation' is the major goal of many serious bushwalkers around Australia and the world.
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| Visiting The Region: The Facts |
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How To Get There: by car, from Melbourne - Spirit of Tasmania car and passenger ferry overnight from Melbourne to Devonport. A supplementary day travel services operates during summer months. Website.
From Devonport, follow Bass Highway west. At Somerset, take Murchison Highway. This highway approaches the region from the north.
From Hobart, take Brooker Highway almost to BGridgewater. At Granton, take Lyell Highway and approach the region from the south via New Norfolk Ouse and Derwent Bridge.
By coach, Tassielink Coaches services all major centres throughout Tasmania. A bus service operates to and from Strahan from most major Tasmanian centres, flights can also be charted as an all weather airstrip is located only 2 km from the town centre.
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The Best Time To Visit: One of the best times to visit the region is from April to June when the days are fine and still. This is possibly the best time of the year to see the magnificent mirror image reflections of the Gordon River, also at this time many activities and accommodation places offer special standby rates.
Most of the activities in places like Strahan operate for the whole year although, there are more in summer. Peak season is from November to late April and during this time it is essential to book everything ahead as for the majority of this time all accommodation, cruises etc are fully booked for weeks in advance.
Summer time in Strahan sees mild to warm days with an average of 22 degrees, in winter the days are cold with snow often restricting travel throughout Tasmania during July and August.
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