Western Tasmania Holiday Destinations
Queenstown
Queenstown
is the
major
town
on the
West
Coast
and
started
its
life
as a
mining
town
over
100
years
ago.
The
town
today
retains
the
atmosphere
of the
old
mining
days
when
it was
the
boom
town
of the
rugged
West
Coast,
boasting
14 hotels
of which
only
six
remain
today.
The
hills
surrounding
Queenstown
resemble
a moonscape, a result
of the
once
thick
forests
being
cut
down
to fuel
the
copper
smelter,
whose
sulphur
fumes
killed
the
remaining
vegetation
and
stained
the
slopes.
Impressive
mountain
views
may
be seen
from
the
town
centre
and
the
first
3km
of the
Lyell
Highway
as it
climbs
steeply
out
of Queenstown,
are
undoubtedly
the
most
spectacular
to be seen
from
any
highway
in Australia.
Strathan
Situated
on Macquarie
Harbour
with
its
major
industries
of tourism,
fishing,
aquaculture,
and
forestry,
Stratham
is the
only
port
on the
West
Coast.
The
pretty
little
resort
town
with
a population
of approximately
575,
is a
big
contrast
to the
boom
days
when
the
port
catered
for
the
mineral
fields
and
handled
more
cargo
than
any
port
in Tasmania. The
Union
Steamship
company
and
the
customs
house
are
the
two
of the
most
impressive
reminders
of that
era.
Six
kilometres
out
of town
is stunning
Ocean
Beach
renowned
for
its
sunsets,
is pounded
all
year
long
from
the
swells
which
may
travel
from
as far
as South
America.
River
cruises
along
the
famous
Gorden
River
start
from
Stratham
and
include
Sarah
Island,
Tasmania's
first
penal
colony,
made
famous
in Marcus
Clark's
novel
"For
the
Term
of His
Natural
Life".
Strathgordon
This
village
was
built
to house
the
construction
workers
for
the
huge
hydro-electric
schemes
in the
Gordon-Pedder
region.
Since
the
completion
of the
projects
the
town
has
developed
into
a tourist
resort
and
is a
favorite
destination
for
fishermen
with
some
of the
best
trout
fishing
in Australia,
at both
Lake
Pedder
and
Lake
Gordon.
Corinna
Corinna
is one
of the
most
fascinating
spots
in Tasmania
with
spectacular
wilderness
scenery
and
excellent
trout
fishing
in the
Pieman
River.
Located
62km
south-west
of Waratah
with
the
small
iron
ore
town
of Savage
River
halfway
between,
it was
first
settled
in 1881
and
was
once
a booming
gold-mining
town
with
a population
of 2
500.
The
township
was situated
on both
sides
of the
Pieman
River
and
connected
by a
barge
service
and
spread
over
eight
square
kilometres.
The
largest
gold
nugget
ever
found
in Tasmania
and
weighing
over
243
ounces
was
found
at nearby
Rocky
River
back in 1883. Cruises
are
available
from
Corinna
to Pieman
Heads
and
there
is good
bushwalking
in the
area.
Marrawah
Situated
on the
top
corner
of West
Coast
Marrawah
is a
small
village
surrounded
by rich
farming
land
and
scenic
coastline.
Aboriginal
carvings
at Mt
Cameron
West
show
a remarkable
similarity
to carvings
in Central
Australia.
There
are
excellent
places
to camp
at Green
Point,
and
Arthur
River,
15km
to the
south
provides
excellent
fishing
and
is a
great
place for
collectors
of driftwood.
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Western Tasmania Information |
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Photo courtesy - Tourism Tasmania
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