Western Wilderness

• Summary
• Weather for Western Wilderness

In the West Coasts mountains and Wilderness World Heritage Area, youll see millions of years captured in ancient rocks and in the towns, feel the spirit of men and women who carved a boom-and-bust living from the mountains, forests and seas.

Strahan is a sleepy fishing village set on the banks of the magnificent Macquarie Harbour. Strahan has risen to become one of Tasmanias tourism hotspots. Situated 300km west of Hobart, around 4hrs drive, the town features is home to the West Coast Wilderness Railway and a variety of restaurants and bistros.

Much of the West Coast is a World Heritage Area, youll see millions of years captured in ancient rocks. In towns and villages youll feel the spirit of the convict and mining history that is so rich in this area. Cross the restless waters of Macquarie Harbour to the convict prison of Sarah Island. Then follow the dark Gordon River into the rainforest. See trees up to 2,000 years old and discover how modern piners conserve the Huon pine. Most of the forest you see has never been inhabited by man, a true wilderness experience.

The regional centre of Queenstown is 30km in from the coast and is the largest settlement in Tasmania's west. Queenstown is known for copper smelting and pollution and deforestation have been major issues in the area. Although, vegetation is slowly returning due to advances in mining technology.

In the jaunty old streets of Zeehan youll feel the west coasts rich mining heritage - deep below nearby Rosebery the drilling goes on. In Tullah the work is over and fishers and boaters enjoy the scenic hydro-storage lakes. In Waratah pioneers once mined a mountain of tin - now they bottle pure west-coast rainwater there.