Discovering the Charms of Strahan: Tasmania's Gateway to the Wilderness
Nestled on the shores of the inky calm Macquarie Harbour, Strahan is a town frozen in time. Steeped in history and surrounded by breathtaking Unesco World Heritage natural beauty. Explore the quaint streets lined with heritage buildings, sample fresh seafood straight of the boats, or embark on an adventure up the Gordon River or into the wilds on the Steam Train, where you'll encounter ancient rainforests, towering cliffs, and cascading waterfalls. With its rugged charm and lost world vibe, Strahan is the destination for exploring the very best of Tasmania's pristine wilderness.
For those looking to craft a getaway steeped in solitude, natural and historic beauty and rich in true adventure, we’ve crafted a guide of the best local experiences after the last 8 years curating trips for our guests here at Captain’s Rest.
Guided Experiences.
Firstly, let’s chat the best guided experiences available.
Gordon River Cruises. Spend a day exploring the natural and historic world of Hell’s Gates and the Gordon River. We highly recommend a ticket for the Upper Deck if it’s in the travel budget. The chef prepared eats and drinks, as well as the service and chats with the Captain are well worth it! It’s truly a breathtaking experience everyone we have sent on has absolutely loved!
West Coast Wilderness Railway: So much more than a tour, it’s a true immersion into the history and the natural beauty of the area. The original steam trains have been restored and the adventure is full of local stories, lore and honestly a journey through the last 200 years of time. Captain’s Rest was once a stop on the original steam train, to let off passengers who were coming to holiday in Lettes Bay.
Wilderness Adventures.
One of the best parts of Strahan and its West Coast Surrounds is the endless horizons, beaches, waterways and forests to explore mostly in solitude.
Hells Gates: Aptly named by the convicts arriving to the Penal Settlement, Sarah Island - Hell’s Gates is notoriously shallow and rocky, and is home to many famous shipwrecks. It’s also one of the most beautiful, accessible natural areas you can visit, picnic, hike, camp and explore. We encourage our guests to pack a picnic and head out of Strahan along the gravel road to ‘the heads’ as it’s fondly called by the locals. On the way there’s many spots to stop and explore where you’ll be mostly alone.
Ocean Beach: There really isnt a more magnificent beach with such might as this 37 kilometre vast stretch of coastline. Completely unspoilt and vast - with nothing between you and South America, pack a warm jacket and a thermos and go for a long walk at truly the edge of the world.
Local Eat’s
The Coffee Shack Strahan: The best, and only place to caffeinate and snack in Strahan, in fact you’ll find their coffee and treats loaded into your fridge at Captain’s Rest.
Strahan IGA: Great local supermarket, with all the basics as well as picnic snacks. Open 7 days a week and also great for any local advice if you need it.
Westerly Seafoods: Freshly caught and cooked fish and chips, as well as local crays. Opening hours are seasonal so check before you have your heart set on it! They also deliver local crays by hand to Captain’s Rest, so get in touch and they will sort out your local salty delights straight to your door.
Mollys Cafe: Think minimum chips loaded with chicken salt, everything burgers and a big box of dim sims and potato cakes for a long drive ahead, Mollys is your go-to for take out or hot treats for road trips on a rainy day.
Hike
We cannot reccomend the AllTrails app more when travelling around Tasmania to get outdoors and take in all the beauty and wonder. You can find a short list of local hikes online here as well.
A hike along Ocean Beach is our favorite on a lovely day - you can go out and back depending on how far you’d like to walk.
Lastly, for future guests checking into Captain’s Rest, get in touch - we have a top ten guide of our secret spots we share with just you. See you soon!