DESCRIPTION
Come and embark on the only day tour (about 9.5 hours) that goes right into the heart of Tasmania’s world heritage listed Southwest wilderness. The journey will come into focus with your local Tasmanian tour guide, David, who is seasoned in local knowledge and can make the place come alive with stories.
8am, meet at the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre (20 Davey Street). We start with sweeping views of the Derwent Estuary, Hobart’s northern suburbs and adjacent mountains. We will make a stop in Historic New Norfolk to pick up lunch and hot drinks at a local bakery.
Then you will pass the farmlands and go through the tall eucalyptus forests into the wilderness, where the journey is as good as the destination. In the temperate rainforest at the Creepy Crawly Walk your guide takes you on an informative wilderness walk including climbing the stairs over the logs.
After beholding staggeringly steep mountains covered in native button grass, we arrive at Lake Pedder (in the tranquil heart of Tasmania’s spectacular world Heritage listed southwest wilderness). It’s time to immerse right into nature through the lake-shore walk, with David’s university level knowledge of Botany, Geology and Lakes and rivers. You might possibly have a bare feet dip in the lake.
Lunch, relax at Lake Pedder’s white quartzite Teds Beach.
Arrive at Lake Pedder lookout for a stunning birds eye view of the lake and the rugged glaciated mountain ranges of the southwest. Take a deep breath and take it all in.
Scurry across the 140m high Gordon Dam (Australia’s highest), feeling like mice in comparison, with plenty of time to take photos, take it all in or look down to the base of the gorge 35 stories below if you dare. Experience the breathtakingly steep Gordon Gorge, with untouched temperate rainforest on your left, then turn 180 degrees and on your right behold Lake Gordon Australia’s largest water storage dam. David your guide will share with you his first hand knowledge of how he helped to determine its volume when he worked for Hydro Tasmania. We climb 185 stairs back to the road. Then we gain an even higher perspective from the Nob Hill lookout, towering over the Gordon Dam where one guest exclaimed “I believe I can fly”.
About 5:30pm, we return to the Tasmanian Travel Information Centre in time for dinner, bringing home a true taste of the Southwest Tasmanian wilderness.
Please be aware that the trip time also includes travel time with scenic views and commentary.
