Australia’s smallest state is big on incredible sights and experiences. So big, that we’ve had to concentrate on just one part of the island – its rugged and remote western side. This is a wilderness-lover’s delight, with ancient rainforests, untamed rivers, 1,000-year-old Huon pines, beautiful harbours, magnificent national parks, jagged peaks and Australia’s deepest freshwater lake.
There are so many things to do in this beautiful part of the world, but here are seven to get you started:
It’s one of Tasmania’s greatest natural treasures and the star of probably the most famous case in the history of conservation in Australia. The Franklin River threads its way through the Gordon Franklin Wild Rivers National Park and World Heritage area, and should be on the list of any visitor to Tasmania. If you’ve got the time, the energy and the guts, take a rafting trip (generally lasting between five and 10 days) and experience the exhilaration of drifting on tranquil waters one minute and battling rapids the next.
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Read more: Outdoor adventures you can only have in Tasmania
At the foot of Cradle Mountain you’ll find the picture-perfect Dove Lake. It’s an ideal spot for lovers of photography and walking, thanks to the six-kilometre track that fringes the lake and offers one of the best walks in the state (much of it on boardwalk, making it very do-able).
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It’s a bit harder to get to than Cradle Mountain, but the distinctive Barn Bluff – also located in the world-famous and completely beautiful Cradle Mountain/Lake St Clair National Park – is a beacon along the Overland Track, the hiking track that runs from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair.
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All aboard the West Coast Wilderness Railway for a brilliant day trip. A reconstruction of a 19th-century mining railway that used to link Queenstown with Strahan, the journey will take you through rainforest, gorges and river valleys, stopping at stations along the way so you can take a rainforest walk, pan for gold, watch the train being turned on a manual turntable or just sigh in wonder at the extraordinary scenery.
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Read more: The truth behind Tasmania’s newest tourist attraction
Located near the town of Rosebery, Montezuma Falls are – at 104 metres – the tallest single-drop falls in the Apple Isle. The walk to the base of the falls is along a level track so it’s relatively easy, but will take about three hours (return). Take photos of the falls from the suspension bridge and your shots will be epic!
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It’s all about the reflections on this river, where the water is so still that the surface looks like a mirror. Located on the southern border of the Tarkine Forest Reserve, expect a gloriously peaceful day out on the Pieman River – named after a pastry cook who was transported to Van Diemen’s Land in 1816 and sent to the Macquarie Harbour Penal Station in 1822, escaped and was then recaptured near the mouth of the river which now bears his nickname.
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The curved concrete creation that is the Gordon Dam is 11 metres taller than the Sydney Harbour Bridge and holds back more water than the volume of the Harbour – 30 times as much! It might seem jarring to see a manmade structure such as this in a part of the world where nature is king, but it is pretty impressive. Even more impressive will be your holiday stories if you return home having abseiled down the dam. Yep, in one continuous drop you can descend 140 metres. Definitely not recommended for anyone who’s scared of heights!
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