Macquarie Harbour Tasmania – fishing, sailing, trains and hiking

Nature
The wow factor for nature - does it show nature at its best? Doesn't need to be the wildebeest migration or diving with hundreds of hammerheads. Rather make you pause as you realise just how awesome the natural world can be
10
Culture
How much does this experience showcase some of the better and finer things that us humans can offer? Sure, it can be ancient ruins and renaissance churches, but it can also be festivals or soaking up some of the great modern cities of the world
8
Fun factor/activity
Very simple - was it fun? This is usually linked in with doing some kind of activity - i mean, walking along some cliffs is nice, but paragliding from them, now that is fun. Its a vastly underrated factor in a truly great experience
8
Avoid the crowds
Big tour groups and being surrounded by loud fellow tourists can sap the life out of even the greatest of travel experiences. This score is to reflect just how much you can avoid this. But. . . The score also takes into account if the crowds actually add to the experience, such as with a party town or a bustling local market
9
World famous
How world famous is the experience?
2
unique
How hard is it to have a similar experience in other places round the world?
8
Overall TE Score
The overall travel experiences score:  fun factor + avoid the crowds + (best of nature or culture) + (best of world famous or unique). Then convert into a score out of 100
87 *What the scores mean and where do they come from
RANKING
How this travel experience ranks compared to all the other experiences on this site, based on the travel experience (te) score
10th/454
Top 5%
continent
Oceania
country
Australia
Length of time
3-4 days
Typical daily price
This gives you a rough idea of the daily price based on 2 people travelling where they can split costs like accommodation. It excludes travel there and back, and factors in inflation the numbers in brackets show the price range for the full time of the experience (so not necessarily daily). It is a range to reflect different budget vs higher end
$180 (typically $110 - $250)
Time of year visited
December
Primary Tags
Click on any of the tags to see all travel experiences with the same tag
Boat trip Forests Train journey
All Tags
Beaches Hiking Islands Lakes Mountains River Experience Sunsets Swimming UNESCO world heritage site
Wow Factor
The wow factor reflects just how much you’re likely to say “wow”. As there’s a lot of experiences in the world, and a lot of wows, i’ve gone with a simple ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ to ⭐️ score, and a separate category for the truly "gash"
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Summary

Some may be a bit surprised as to why Macquarie Harbour gets into the maximum Wow-factor category of ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️, especially considering the world-class travel experiences its shares this with.  West Coast Tasmania isn’t an obvious choice, and it’s not trying to compete on postcard beauty, but when you step back and look at rarity, scale, history and access, Macquarie Harbour stands apart.  To explain, consider a few factors:

 

1. The Tasmanian Wilderness Area is the world’s #1 UNESCO World Heritage site – yes, you read that right.  Macquarie Harbour sits within the Tasmanian Wilderness Area, the isolated south west part of Tasmania that has gained UNESCO World Heritage Status.  In order to gain World Heritage status a site must meet 1 of the 10 UNESCO criteria for outstanding universal value, of which there are 6 for cultural and 4 for natural.  The Tasmania Wilderness Area meets 7 of those 10 criteria (4 cultural and 3 natural)- along with Tai Shan in China (see its travel entry here – Climbing Tai Shan for sunrise), it has the highest measurement of any site globally.

 

Macquarie Harbour in Tasmania for fishing, sailing, trains and hiking. Taking the Gordon River Cruise on the Mary Jane Boat

Visiting the islands near Macquarie Harbour in style on the Gordon River Cruise

 

2. World class ways to see the area – the Gordon River Cruise (www.gordonrivercruises.com.au) the West Coast Wilderness Railway (www.wcwr.com.au) must-dos for the area and allow you to see the harbour and hidden abandoned logging towns in style.  And they do it to a level of service quality that is a pleasant surprise considering how much in the wilderness you are.  Add to that the fishing from Hell’s Gates where the second largest harbour in the southern hemisphere empties into the ocean and the wonderful hiking nearby, and you have some incredible activities to help you see the area.

 

The Coast Wilderness Railway train to explore the hidden abandoned logging towns in style by Macquarie Harbour

Taking the Coast Wilderness Railway train to explore the interior by Macquarie Harbour

 

3. Fewer fellow tourists – whether it’s the 4 hour driving distance from the major towns of Hobart or Launceston, the worry about the infamous Tasmania weather, or just that Tasmania in general doesn’t get huge tourist numbers, you will find relatively few fellow tourists for such a big area.

 

The drive over from Hobart to Strahan sees you drive through some of the most remote parts of non-Outback Australia

The drive over from Hobart to Strahan sees you drive through some of the most remote parts of non-Outback Australia

 

4. It is a place of wonderful natural extremes – the harbour is huge (more than six times the size of Sydney Harbour), the trees are super tall (Tasmania has 5 of the top 10 tallest tree species in the world), the rainwater and river water is the purest in the world  . . . and the sun’s UV rating is often the strongest in the world (yep, wear sunscreen).

 

Macquarie Harbour and west coat Tasmania - road sign for a Tasmanian Devil

Road sign for one of those more famous extremes – the Tasmanian Devil, which has the strongest bite force per weight among all mammal carnivores.

 

5. Super colourful – the lush greens of the rainforest, the whites of the sand, the multicoloured water with its tannins giving dark browns, reds and crystal clear.  Just beautiful.

 

One of the sunsets from Strahan across part of Macquarie Harbour

One of the sunsets from Strahan across part of Macquarie Harbour

 

3 days basing yourself in Strahan – a truly wonderful experience at the edge of the world and crushes the Wow-factor.

 

Top tip – go in summer!  So much of the enjoyment was based on the bright blue skies

10 Highlights of a Trip to Macquarie Harbour in summer

Macquarie Harbour - #1 Heading off for a tour of Macquarie Harbour and its surrounding islands in style on the premier upper deck with Gordon River Cruises

#1 Heading off for a tour of Macquarie Harbour and its surrounding islands in style on the premier upper deck with Gordon River Cruises

Macquarie Harbour - #2 Taking the steam train on the West Coast Wilderness Railway to explore some of the abandoned old logging stations and villages hidden away in the rainforest

#2 Taking the steam train on the West Coast Wilderness Railway to explore some of the abandoned old logging stations and villages hidden away in the rainforest

Macquarie Harbour #3 Heading into the rainforest to see some of famous Huon Pines, some of the tallest trees in the world and the trees the British Royal Navy used for their tallest ship's masts

#3 Heading into the rainforest to see some of famous Huon Pines, some of the tallest trees in the world and the trees the British Royal Navy used for their tallest ship's masts

Macquarie Harbour - #4 Seeing, and swimming in, the gorgeously coloured tannin-infused waters that come rushing into the harbour from the many rivers of the area. If not to your taste, don't worry, its crystal clear in many places as well

#4 Seeing, and swimming in, the gorgeously coloured tannin-infused waters that come rushing into the harbour from the many rivers of the area. If not to your taste, don't worry, its crystal clear in many places as well

Macquarie Harbour - #5 Fishing off the Hell's Gates - the tiny 200m / 650ft fast flowing entrance that is the entry route to the giant Macquarie Harbour

#5 Fishing off the Hell's Gates - the tiny 200m / 650ft fast flowing entrance that is the entry route to the giant Macquarie Harbour

Macquarie Harbour - #6 Hiking some of the nearby mountains with their stunning settings

#6 Hiking some of the nearby mountains with their stunning settings

Macquarie Harbour - #7 Staying in the very cute and friendly village of Strahan, which is the place to base yourself for all adventure around the harbour

#7 Staying in the very cute and friendly village of Strahan, which is the place to base yourself for all adventure around the harbour

Macquarie Harbour - #8 The world-class beaches and their magnificent west-facing sunsets

#8 The world-class beaches and their magnificent west-facing sunsets

Macquarie Harbour - #9 The wildlife - Tasmanian Devils, Echidnas, Duck-billed Platypus and . . . in this case . . . Blue Tongued Lizards

#9 The wildlife - Tasmanian Devils, Echidnas, Duck-billed Platypus and . . . in this case . . . Blue Tongued Lizards

Macquarie Harbour #10 Visiting The Whale's Graveyard just near the entrance to Macquarie Harbour and seeing the sheer scale of these giants

#10 Visiting The Whale's Graveyard just near the entrance to Macquarie Harbour and seeing the sheer scale of these giants

Travel tips

Getting there takes time – Macquarie Harbour sits on Tasmania’s relatively remote west coast, and reaching it involves a wonderful, but long 4 hour drive through the mountainous centre.

Try to base yourself in Strahan – Strahan is the main town sitting on the sheltered northern point of Macquarie Harbour where you’ll find accommodation, tours and access to most activities.  Its also just super pretty and a nice place to be. That being said, there are plenty of B&Bs just outside the town which will work considering you’ll almost certainly have a car for getting here.

Book key activities in advance – the Gordon River cruises and the West Coast Wilderness Railway are the main organised experiences and can fill up, especially in peak season.

Allow at least 1–2 nights – this isn’t a quick stop and should form one of 3 core places for a Tasmania visit along with Hobart and the east coast beaches.

Weather can change quickly – the west coast is known for being a bit variable on weather and also wet even in summer.  Be aware.

Combine with a Tasmania loop – Tasmania is one of the great places for a roadtrip loop.  See the Tasmania one week roadtrip itinerary for what to prioritise and tips for the route.

Experiences Nearby

The below map shows experiences nearby with a colour that reflect the Overall Score of those experiences

Other Wilderness Experiences

Campervanning through Yellowstone National Park
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3 days in Torres del Paine National Park
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Hiking the 4 day / 3 night Inca Trail
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4WDing around Fraser Island
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Hiking Zhangjiajie National Park
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Hiking near the hot springs of Altyn Arashan near Karakol
⭐⭐⭐

Safari in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sampling whiskies and hiking around Speyside
⭐⭐⭐

Three days by Lake Baikal’s Olkhon Island in October
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Camping in otherworldly Karijini National Park
⭐⭐⭐⭐

A trip to the end of the earth, 4 days in the Tierra del Fuego
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Score Detail

The scores above are the real point of this site.

Over 20+ years and 100+ countries, I’ve tried to rank the world’s best travel experiences — from genuinely mind-blowing ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to the properly gash.

Every one of the 500+ places on this site has both a Wow Factor rating and a more analytical Travel Experience (TE) score based on the things that actually make travel memorable.

If you're curious about the thinking behind it, head to the About page.

Otherwise, explore the map above or on the Home page and see which places truly deliver maximum wow.

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