Ancient forests and rolling heathlands make up the majority of West Coast Tasmania’s rugged landscape, which is interspersed by mining towns and fishing villages. These industrial outposts are rich with history and, with a backdrop of mountains and pristine waters, are perfect for basing your exploration of the surrounding wilderness. Famed for the bitter conflict between the mining and forestry industries and environmentalists, West Coast Tasmania is a landscape of stark contrast. See the rugged beauty of tranquil lakes and powerful rivers, uncover some of the state’s grim convict history amid penal ruins and ride a historic railway through the mountainous terrain.
The coastal town of Strahan was an important colonial anchorage within the vast natural port of Macquarie Harbour. Learn about this remote town’s fascinating heritage and embark on an adventure from its charming port shores. Join a boat cruise or kayak along the breathtaking Gordon River, taking in the sights of the riverside rainforests. Fly overhead and marvel at the lay of the land from a seaplane. Strahan lies on the edge of the magnificent Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, where protected tracts of fern glades and mossy myrtle trees have stood untouched for centuries. Offshore, Sarah Island is testament to the state’s harsh penal colony heritage.
Explore wide sweeps of ocean beaches and climb to the top of enormous sand dunes along the coast to the west of Strahan. Board the West Coast Wilderness Railway and ride the 19th-century route to Queenstown. See the strange Mars-like landscapes of this former mining boomtown, its landscape irreversibly affected by centuries of industry. Queenstown’s stripped hillsides and crumbling red rock peaks are now a drawcard for photographers and artists.
West Coast Tasmania is best explored by car, leaving plenty of time for side trips and wilderness adventures. The best way to explore this rugged region is along the winding highway between Derwent Bridge and Lake Burbury. Make stops at roadside lookouts and take short walks into the quiet forest to reach cascading waterfalls or riverside lookouts. Donaghy’s Lookout, Nelson Falls and the Franklin River Nature Trail are popular options.
