The gateway to Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area, Western Tasmania is a land of wild rivers, rugged mountains and engaging history.Scratch beneath the surface and you’ll unearth fantastic stories of courage and perseverance in the historic mining towns and of the incredible hardships endured in the convict past of remote Sarah Island.
A drive along the Lyell Highway opens up the spectacular World Heritage area. There are short hikes and stunning views into the rugged mountain ranges of Tasmania's west.
In Queenstown, stop in at the historic Empire Hotel and check out the magnificent National Trust-listed staircase carved from locally cut blackwood, made in England and returned to Queenstown for assembly in 1904. Then grab a guide and descend 1.5 km underground to explore the workings of the Mt Lyell copper mine.
Set up base in picturesque Strahan, and spend a morning aboard the West Coast Wilderness Railway’s steam train and the afternoon cruising across Macquarie Harbour and up the Gordon River with interpreted stops at Sarah Island’s convict ruins and historically significant sites. In the evening, pull up a chair and watch Australia’s longest running play – The Ship That Never Was. The entertaining show tells the story of convict shipwrights who stole a ship and sailed it halfway around the world. If you’re up for a bit of fun, hire toboggans and slide down the sand at the spectacular Henty Dunes. Or if you’re after a lot of fun, take in a sunset ATV adventure and wrap up your day in style.
Well worth a visit is the town of Zeehan. Formerly a booming mining centre, Main St is lined with grand old buildings, including the beautifully restored theatre, still open and entertaining all. At the end of Main St. is the old railway tunnel, and if you like to fish, the nearby lake Pieman offers amazing trout fishing.
If your tour is taking you towards Cradle Mountain, the town of Rosebery boasts Tassie’s tallest waterfall. Visit Montezuma falls for a three hour hike. There’s also walking and horseback tours available in the former mining town of Tullah.
