AddressThe jewel of the West Coast, the picturesque town of Strahan is located on the sheltered waters of Macquarie harbour. The only port on the West Coast of Tasmania, the town gained early notoriety as the site of one of Australia’s most infamous penal settlements, Sarah Island. In post penal times, Strahan came into its heyday with the discovery of rich copper deposits at nearby Mt Lyell. As the magnitude of this deposit was realised, Strahan subsequently boomed – there was no road out at that time, so the port became the only method by which ore could be transported, and flourished as a result.
These days, Strahan is known primarily for two things; tourism, and fishing. As a tourist destination, Strahan is second to none, with a range of activities to suit all inclinations. Hop aboard the West Coast Wilderness Railway, a tourism rail venture that has seen the original mining-purposed Abt railway track to Queenstown restored, along with the original steam-powered locomotives that plied the route over a hundred years ago. Alternatively, board a Gordon River Cruise, and sail in style to the heart of Tasmania’s most impenetrable wilderness. And if that’s still not your speed, why not try your hand at fishing?
