Strahan is a small town on Tassie’s rugged west coast. Just a short walk from Strahan’s waterfront is Peoples Park, with its lovely wrought iron gates. Inside the borders of Peoples Park is one of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks. At the end of this walk is the final part of this proverbial Matyroshka doll: Hogarth Falls.
If you want to experience the wilds of the west coast but are limited by time or transportation, Hogarth Falls is a short, pram-friendly taster of the area. You’ll pass by tannin-stained creeks that meander through deep-green foliage. Take in the view of the rain-forest’s canopy above you and the sound of the birds. It is serene.
At the end of the track, a small but picturesque waterfall awaits you. Hogarth Falls is refreshingly unpretentious (and relatively untouched). It is surrounded by moss, ferns, and intricate rock formations. It is a lovely place to pause and revel in your surroundings. You can almost imagine the piners (timber cutters) of old and their families having a picnic on the rocks below the falls or perhaps members of the Toogee kinship group (Tasmanian Aboriginals) soaking in the raw beauty of their home. Tasmania is a wonderful place and Hogarth Falls is testament to this.
As always on the west coast, dress for rain. It rains a lot! Sturdy shoes are also a must as the track becomes muddy quite quickly. Even though the walk is relatively quick and easy (30 – 45 minutes), I recommend carrying water and basic first aid supplies. You’ll start and end of your journey in Peoples Park where there is a well-maintained amenities block.
Strahan is about four hours’ drive from Launceston or about four and a half hours’ drive from Hobart. You only have to walk for 10 – 15 minutes from Strahan’s port area to find yourself in Peoples Park. If you choose to drive, there is ample free parking onsite.
All of Tasmania’s 60 Great Short Walks are free, which is wonderful! Enjoy Tassie’s wilds but remember to do your part by taking your rubbish with you. Save your pennies for a once-in-a-lifetime experience like the Gordon River Cruise.
There are many things to do on the west coast. Read on for more ideas!
I’m not a gushy person but the Gordon River Cruise really is something special (that’s the first and last river pun, I promise!). The cruise’s title is something of a misnomer as there are many sights to be seen (Gordon River being the most spectacular though). Here are my highlights.
As you leave Strahan, stand on the deck. It’s a picturesque town that is quickly subsumed by the vast wilderness surrounding it. As the boat picks up speed, you’ll want to be on the wind (top) deck. Hold onto your hats, folks! It is a wild ride but you’ll have the best views of Macquarie Harbour and it’s actually a lot of fun leaning back into the wind for a free, albeit unpredictable, massage!
Hell’s Gates has to be seen to be believed. You’ll be awed by two convict-built rock walls (very hard labour!), making the narrow channel deep enough for the cruise boat to sail through. Then you’ll see the two lighthouses and the fisherman’s cottages on the far side of Macquarie Heads. Ocean Beach stretches out before you. Again, make sure that you’re on deck for a photo and to drink in the scenery and history.
There is a lot of controversy about salmon farms in Tasmania due to their environmental impact. I really appreciated seeing a salmon farm up close and hearing about how the farm is run. The backdrop of Macquarie Harbour is stunning. You might even see the resident salmon thieves (seals) raise their heads between the pens. It’s good to see Tasmanian business doing so well globally and hopefully we can soon find solutions to the issues currently faced.
The west coast always impresses on me just how small I am. Sailing through deep, tannin-stained waters, surround by untamed forests, mountain ranges and brooding clouds, I am passing through. Many generations of people have carved out a life in this vast, wild place, the Toogee kinship group (Tasmanian Aborigines) and piners among them. It is humbling.
To be honest, the stop at Heritage Landing was underwhelming. The boat disgorges its passengers who then shuffle around a board-walk circuit. There are some redeeming features of the stop though. For one, the plant life is stunning. Many species are endemic to the west coast of Tasmania. If you’re quick enough, you can make a second lap of the circuit on your own and really enjoy the forest’s delights. If you’d rather take things slowly, one of the crew tells a good yarn on a platform halfway around the boardwalk.
Back on board, it’s time for lunch. Yummo! We have dietary requirements and were really pleased with the selection of food available for us (you’ll need to ask the crew for specialty items like gluten free bread though). Sit back, relax and enjoy a documentary about the Gordon River piners as you cruise back up the river. If I had my time again, I would spend more time on deck and watch the documentary another time as the opportunity to see the Gordon River is a rare one.
The Gordon River Cruise is the cruise that just keeps on giving. Sarah Island was unexpectedly brilliant. Naively, I was not anticipating the penal settlement to have left such an imprint. Our guide pointed out the still-visible ship yards, tannery, bakery, penitentiary and so on. The flora is also quite European as the island was initially stripped of native vegetation, leaving it so exposed in the wilds of Macquarie Harbour that a wooden wall had to be built as a windbreak! This is the place that re-offending convicts were taken to. Our guide was one of the actors from ‘The Ship that Never Was’ (a local, famous play) and provided an insightful and entertaining commentary.
Tasmania’s west coast is not a place to be fashionable. Although it didn’t rain when we were on the Gordon River Cruise, it is highly likely to as the west coast has 3 to 4 metres of rain per year. Unless you want to be cooped up inside for the entire cruise, bring waterproof pants and a rain jacket. It’s not high fashion but being able to sit on deck while you glide through the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Tasmanian wilderness is something that you shouldn’t pass up, no matter what the weather. It goes without saying that you’ll need to bring your camera. You should also be aware that, although lunch is hearty, there is no morning tea. Bring your own food or bring cash to purchase items on board.
The Gordon River Cruise departs from Strahan, an isolated town on Tasmania’s west coast. You can expect to take over four hours to drive there from Launceston and over four and half hours from Hobart. I highly recommend allowing extra time for stops at the towns on your way. You should also avoid driving between dusk and dawn due to the increased chance of hitting wildlife, which is costly.
You’ll find two companies who offer the Gordon River Cruise experience. We didn’t know this until we arrived and had already pre-booked a cruise with RACT’s Gordon River Cruises. The other (family-owned) company is World Heritage Cruises. There are slight differences in the timing of the cruises and the experiences offered so do your research and choose the cruise that suits you. Prices for a full Gordon River Cruise currently range from $115 to $160 on World Heritage Cruises and $125 to $240 on Gordon River Cruises with family discounts available from both operators. Both companies also offer “highlights” cruises (varying seasonally). Being able to see a multitude of fabulous locations in Macquarie Harbour and then cruise into a World Heritage Listed area was a priceless experience. I highly recommend saving your pennies for your own place on a Gordon River Cruise.
Read more about my adventures on Tassie’s rugged west coast.
Macquarie Heads are the headlands that meet at Hell’s gates, the narrow, shallow entrance of Macquarie Harbour. There are loud quad bikes, dirt-bikes and 4WDs everywhere, combined with a crisscross of kids and fishing rods. If you’ve seen the classic Australian film The Castle, you’ll be saying, “Ah, the serenity!” with a smile on your face. Noisy neighbours aren’t your only problem either. As we were walking back from the beach, a tiger snake (that’s a bad one, folks!) silently slithered away from the path. So… don’t go to Macquarie Heads? Well, actually, it was fantastic.
Strangely for the west coast, which has an average of 2.4 metres of rain each year, it was a fabulously sunny day. Many took the opportunity to go fishing. A few keen people went for a swim. I was content to paddle and gaze at the view of the harbour, ringed by mountains, and the lighthouses.
There are two gorgeous white lighthouses at Macquarie Heads. These have helped sailors to navigate the narrow, shallow passage into the harbour for many years. You’ll also see three fisherman’s cottages (inaccessible by road but apparently available as holiday rentals, accessed via boat). If you know where to look, you can just make out the two rock walls that were created by convicts in the 1800s in an effort to keep the channel deep enough and safe enough to sail through. It’s a photographer’s delight!
It’s the west coast so you’ll need your sunscreen, sunhat, beanie, scarf, gloves and your wet-weather gear. If you’re planning on staying for a few hours or longer, I’d recommend bringing your rod and tackle and trying your hand at catching lunch. You’ll also need to bring your own food, water and firewood (if fires are permitted at the time of year that you visit).
Macquarie Heads is about a twenty-minute drive from Strahan on Macquarie Heads Road. You’ll see clear signs from Strahan. The road is partly sealed, partly dirt and is very picturesque with more views of Macquarie Harbour as well as pine forests. Once you reach the campsite, keep driving until you reach the final car park. You can also drive your 4WD onto the beach if the conditions are right (see my post on Ocean Beach for more on beach driving). Ask locals to show you the best entry to the beach (one is extremely sandy and best avoided).
Macquarie Heads is free to visit for the day. You’ll find the best smelling bench-seat dunny (toilet) and glorious views. To camp, you’ll pay a small fee but have the benefits of grassed sites, a caretaker, a boat ramp and those views. Next time you’re in Strahan, take the time to see a very historic, very picturesque part of Macquarie Harbour.
Read more about my adventures on Tasmania’s wild west coast.
I’m not a golfer. I do have a hit from time to time, usually when I’m 100% certain that no one is watching! If you want to know about the golf course’s features (which include Scottish-sand bunkers) or tricks for conquering challenging holes, my apologies. However, if you are interested in Tasmania’s heritage and the splendid setting of Quamby Estate Golf Course or are thinking of perhaps visiting the course for the first time, read on!
I have been to a handful of Tasmania’s golf courses. I’ve toured glorified paddocks (which was a lot of fun!) and gorgeous courses that left me (internally) screaming “get me out of here!” due to the faux-genteel clientele. Quamby Estate Golf Course is quite different. For one, the people are friendly. The main drawcard for me, however, is the quiet stateliness of the course.
Quamby Estate Golf Course has views of rolling fields, the Great Western Tiers and Ben Lomond. On the property, the original Georgian estate house and outbuildings have been well maintained. You can stay in the estate house, making the golf course attractive for stay-and-play visitors. The original avenues of trees have been put to good use, regally lining the fairways. You’ll particularly enjoy the second hole, hidden behind a stand of trees, which includes teeing off over a lake! I didn’t mind being a non-playing partner in such a beautiful setting.
Quamby Estate is an integral part of Tasmania’s history. Once, it was the home of the family of Sir Richard Dry, Tasmania’s first locally born premier. You won’t find interpretive placards anywhere but I can promise you that you’ll enjoy strolling through what once was the family gardens.
It goes without saying that you’ll need to wear weather-appropriate clothing, from the feet up. The wrong shoes will see you slipping over or sliding when you’re teeing off. I was just walking the course so wore sports shoes. Mr. Traversing Tasmania’s shoes are pictured above – he recommends golf shoes for grip and warm, dry feet. You’ll find that the pro-shop staff are very friendly and will kindly welcome you onto the golf course no matter what you’re wearing (jeans for me, oops!). If you’d like to look the part, wear collared polo shirts and cotton trousers/shorts/skirts (or similar).
You’ll find Quamby Estate Golf Course about 5 minutes’ drive from the rural town of Hagley. From Launceston, drive north on the Bass Highway for approximately 25 minutes. Turn left when you see signs for Hagley, then turn right onto Hagley Station Lane (and right again onto Meander Valley Road B54). From here, follow signs for Quamby Estate (the golf course is on the estate). If you’re travelling south from Devonport, follow signs for Hagley. Turn left onto B54, following signs for Quamby Estate.
You’ll pay $20 for 9 holes or $25 for 18 holes (twice around the course) which is very reasonable. There is a pro-shop onsite (housed in a shipping container!) from which you can hire clubs. You can buy a Quamby Estate Golf Course membership for $465 (full members) – a social membership is $395. For current prices, see Quamby Estate’s website. Enjoy a classy day of golf!
Just a hop, skip and a jump from mainland Tasmania lies Goat Island. This two-peaked wonderland can be walked to at low tide across a rocky shelf. It is a geologist’s, photographer’s and inner-child’s paradise! You can see east to Ulverstone or west to the Three Sisters as well as discovering wonderful views beneath your feet. I ran around on the rock shelf like a happy kid (no pun intended!) for quite some time before reaching Goat Island proper.
While I’m not sure where the island got its name, Mr. Traversing Tasmania is a bit of a mountain goat, so he demonstrated one possibility by scampering up the steep, rocky slopes. I stayed down a little lower on “safer” ground but somehow managed to slip anyway! Small tracks will lead you around Goat Island, to the peaks, a cove and a very special cave.
I’ll get to the cave. First, you must explore the rocky cove with wonderful views of Bass Strait. I found two fascinating rock pools, perhaps the best I’ve ever seen, on top of a rocky ledge. The patterns and textures of Goat Island are incredible. Jagged edges, fiery lichen, unusual seaweed, muscles… the island has it all. To the rear of the cove is a stand of trees covered in vines. It’s a surreal place.
Walking east around the rocks from the cove, you’ll find the cave. This cave is very unusual because you can crawl through it, there’s a rock pool inside it and it is heart-shaped. Before you get all swoony, the very non-romantic feature of the cave is its fly population. They are in plague proportions. Yuck! Mr. Traversing Tasmania crawled through the cave anyway. Be aware that you will need to climb down the heart-shaped side – don’t rush away from the flies too fast!
The tide will come in, as it always does. You can find updates about the tides here (note that the page shows information for nearby Picnic Point Beach). You want to visit Goad Island when the tide is at a low point (or shortly before this). Do not lose track of time on the island. This is dangerously easy to do but will see you stranded there. While I have no doubt that this would be an adventure in and of itself (and would make for great photos), you’ll miss out on the many other beautiful sights in nearby Ulverstone and Penguin.
You’ll need sturdy shoes. The rocks are sharp and you won’t make it over the rock shelf to the island (or around the island to the cave) without them. I always take a back-pack with first aid necessities and I take weather-appropriate gear too. Leave your bathers in the car because this island is for exploring, not relaxing or swimming! Make sure that you bring your camera every part of the island is ridiculously photogenic.
You’ll find Goat Island on Penguin Road, which is the old highway between Ulverstone and Penguin along the coast. Follow Queen Street out of Ulverstone, driving for about five minutes, or Main Road out of Penguin, driving for about ten minutes. Look for signs to Goat Island. There is a small car park across the railway lines but take care as trains do use the railway. Your visit will be restricted by the tide but, if you time it right, you’ll have a lovely experience.
Tasmania really is a fabulous place and much of it can be explored for free. Goat Island is no exception. Perhaps you could respect this privilege by taking any litter you find with you. Have a grand adventure on a very unusual island!
Staying in the area for a while? There’s more to see in Tasmania’s north west, north and west coast.
The Penitentiary in Hobart is a time capsule. At one point during the tour, I found myself thinking, “Where am I?” The guide’s descriptions and the beautifully preserved location took me to another place, another time. If you haven’t visited The Penitentiary, put it on your list of things to do. It’s fantastic!
Hobart’s landscape once looked very different. In the early 1800s, shiploads of convicts arrived in the town and required sorting. The Penitentiary, affectionately known as The Tench, was built for this purpose. Later, it was used as a gaol, with a public chapel and gallows. You won’t find much of it left but what does remain will amaze you.
On arriving at The Penitentiary, you’ll see the lovely clock tower. We even heard it chime – it was about a minute out but that’s pretty good for a clock that’s nearly 200 years old! You’ll also see the red brick of one of the original curved walls. It’s a lovely architectural feature but it’s even more fascinating when you run your hands over the broad arrows and thumbprints left by the convicts who made the bricks.
Inside the gates, you’ll see the shadowy outlines of the doors into the solitary confinement cells. Inside the building, stand inside a cell with the door shut. Our guide was very kind and kept it shut only for a few moments. You’ll then see the remains of the original chapel, which was converted to courtrooms when The Penitentiary became a prison.
You’ll journey to the courtrooms like a prisoner, through underground tunnels. What an experience! Popping up inside the historic dock really threw me! It felt like I could have been in England or perhaps back in the courtroom’s heyday. Your tour ends with a sobering visit to the gallows (and some grisly tales from your guide). The Penitentiary is not a pleasant place but it is strangely beautiful and exceedingly fascinating.
Bring your camera but leave everything else in the car or the museum office. Some of the tour is outside, so you’ll need to wear appropriate clothing for the season. I imagine that the guides whisk you inside the building quickly if the weather is too extreme.
You’ll find The Penitentiary on the corner of Campbell and Brisbane Streets in Hobart. It’s a short drive or walk from the CBD. Make use of the limited visitor parking in a small carpark behind the building on Brisbane Street. If you miss out on this, you’ll have to pay for street parking (there are two-hour spots in Brisbane Street).
There is no cost to view the two museum rooms, the tour waiting room and the gift shop. You’ll learn a lot about The Penitentiary but you can’t see the historic site properly unless you do a guided tour. Tours cost $20 per adult, $15 concession, $12 per child or $40 for families. Make sure that you arrive in time to book a tour. Tours depart at 1pm and 2:30pm everyday and also at 10am and 11:30am on weekdays (it is closed on public holidays). Your tour will last for approximately 90 minutes but can go longer (we had booked tickets at the State Cinema and missed the last few minutes of our tour). Thank you to the National Trust for making yet another historic site come alive!
If you’re in the area for a while, there are many other fantastic places to visit in Tasmania’s south.
