Gordon River Cruises, Tours and Activities in Strahan
Strahan Tasmania is a picturesque Tasmanian waterfront village located on the Macquarie Harbour on Tamania's West Coast. Strahan is the gateway to a spectacular World Heritage wilderness nature as well as abundant historical features from our pioneering days.
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| Live WebCam overlooking Harbour in Strahan TAS |
Driftwood Strahan Villas is the perfect base for exploring Tasmania's wilderness, with Gordon River Cruises and the West Coast Wilderness Railway right at your doorstep.
Macquarie Harbour is one of Australia's great harbors with more than 110 square miles, about 6 times larger than Sydney Harbour. This natural, protected waterway is fed by the mighty Gordon River and opens to the wild southern ocean through the narrow and turbulent Hell's Gates.
Strahan has a rough and tumble history as a town built by Tasmanian 'piners', fishermen, miners and railwaymen. Sarah Island in the middle of Macquarie Harbour was a feared penal colony where many of the great ships were built. Strahan was a busy port where ore trains delivered copper from the mines in Queenstown. The precious Huon Pine (timber that never rots) was harvested from the banks of the Gordon River and floated down to Strahan where it was milled. Huon Pines are now protected, but there is still an active mill processing timbers reclaimed naturally.
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Strahan Tours and Activities
Four Wheel Motorbike Tours offer four wheel motorbike and buggy tours, near Strahan. We can take you on a guided tour on the Henty Sand Dunes, the most magnificent sand dunes in Tasmania, or take you on a tour which will take you on a train journey, and through an ancient rainforest (Teepookana Rainforest). Our new three seater buggy now means we can take children. The buggy tour is the same as the four wheel motorbike Henty Sand Dunes, but Mum or Dad can now take up to 2 children along per tour. Some age and height restrictions apply.
The Ship That Never Was is a live professional theatre production, performing in Strahan since 1993, written by Richard Davey and produced by The Round Earth Company. The play tells the dramatic and hilarious true story of the Great Escape from Sarah Island! Delightful family entertainment not to be missed!
Explore the world of Piners and Miners with an intimate guided day tour for up to eight guests from Strahan Village. Take your seat aboard the Land Rover Defender Hi-Rail (a four-wheel drive converted into a rail car) as you leave Strahan Village on the West Coast Wilderness Railway track to Lynchford, near Queenstown. Enjoy a delicious breakfast hamper while you take in the natural beauty of the rainforest through the vehicle's glassed in roof.
The West Coast Wilderness Railway forms a gateway for visitors to explore Tasmania's unique rail heritage, discovering the inspiring story of the pioneers who built the railway more than 100 years ago.
Take a trip back in time to where men laboured through mud, rain and treacherous landscapes to forge a railway link between the mining town of Queenstown and the port of Strahan.
How could any visit to Tasmania be complete without a cruise on the world-famous Gordon River?
Cruises take you to the wild Hell's Gate where the Macquarie Harbour meets the Great Southern Ocean, thru Tasmania's world-renowned salmon farms, and past the notorious Sarah Island - Australia's most feared penal colony. With guided tours of Sarah Island you can walk among the ruins and hear astonishing stories of how convicts built amazing ships from precious Huon pine. As you venture up the Gordon River, you'll pass thru the ancient, mirror like waters as the river meanders down from Tasmania's Central Highlands, through breathtaking temperate rain forests and mountain crags.
Gordon River is an area of unique beauty. To protect this World Heritage listed area, specially designed tour boats that offer you maximum comfort while they protect the pristine nature of this magnificent area.
Enjoy the unique insights into the Gordon River's special character and its place in Tasmania’s World Heritage Wilderness aboard. “The Eagle” the most advanced vessel to cruise the Gordon River.
Hogarth Falls is a pleasant little waterfall nestled in the People's Park in the quaint coastal township of Strahan. The waterfall's main section falls probably between 5-10m but it has a cascading tier further below the viewing area that's not really photographable. So I reckon its total height is probably 10-15m. The easy and mostly flat walk to the falls is quite popular and there are interpretive signs to keep you occupied. It takes roughly 50 minutes return to walk the entire 2.5km round trip.
Fishing Charters - The West Coast of Tasmania offers fantastic saltwater fishing off Cape Sorell, a popular home for crayfish, trumpeter, shark and mackerel.
If the open sea is not your ideal choice, but you would still like a west coast fishing experience, we have just the spot for you. Ideally suited for the family, there are some calm, pristine fishing spots right in the wilderness of Maquarie Harbour. We provide all equipment necessary to make the most of your day on the water.
Gordon River Paddle - This full-day signature experience on Tasmania’s West Coast combines a cruise on Lady Jane Franklin II with a sea kayak trip on the iconic Gordon River in the heart of Tasmania’s Franklin Lower Gordon World Heritage Area National Park.
With its superlative natural beauty, pristine rainforests, unique wildlife and rich human history, this region is unlike anywhere else in the world – one of only two places on Earth that meet seven out of the ten World Heritage Area criteria for natural and cultural values.
King River Experience
Join the WILD RIVERS JET for an exhilarating 50 minute trip from Strahan to the West Coast's incredible King River. Departing the picturesque fishing port of Strahan, the Jet Boat travels across 5 kilometres of the majestic Macquarie Harbour.
Passengers enjoy panoramic views of surrounding rugged mountain ranges as they cross to the entrance to the King River. This entrance is an amazing spectacle! The legacy of 100 years of unchecked mining waste is a vast 400 hectare delta; the river banks devastated to the high water mark. The damage has been the focus for much remedial work in recent years, with studies providing invaluable information that will prevent similar mistakes in the future. Rehabilitation work is being undertaken, and vegetation trials (some successful, some not), can be seen.
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Perhaps the simple pleasures are the best. There's nothing like getting out on the water with the kids and paddling kayaks. Being a protected bay, you'll find it safe to paddle around the harbour. Regular bikes and electric bikes can be hired for touring the village.
Scenic Flights
Take a Seaplane at Strahan, climb high above Macquarie Harbour and fly across the dense rain forests of the Tasmanian World Heritage Wilderness Area, where you'll see wild rivers and rugged peaks. Get an eagle's view of the sheer crags of Frenchmans Cap and look down on the famous Franklin River.
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Strahan and Tasmania's West Coast is a popular tourist destination. Popular Tours and Activities may be booked out in advance. We recommend you to contact us before you arrive to take advantage of our Free Tour Booking Services. We are 'Locals' and can give you advice to arrange the best tours and activities for your Strahan Holiday.
Book Your Tours in Advance |
34 Harvey Street - Strahan, TAS 7468 Australia
Ph: 03 6471 7618 | Fax: 03 6471 7619 | Toll free 1800 448 189
Map of Strahan TAS