Tassie'S Wilderness Icons (6 Days)

At the mouth of the River Derwent, Australia’s southernmost city embraces its history, but has one eye firmly planted on the future. You only need to visit Salamanca Place to see how forward-thinking purveyors and curators have transformed heritage spaces into restaurants, cafés and galleries. Step back in time once again at Battery Point, settled as a defensive outpost in the 19th century, and Constitution Dock – this is where yachts finish when competing in the annual Sydney to Hobart race. Put your destination into perspective from the summit of Mt. Nelson, offering a dreamy outlook over the capital. Touring Tasmania never looked so good.

Not many people live in the West of Tasmania – even less visit. This is not for want of appeal. Mount Field National Park dials up the drama from the moment you arrive, delivering World Heritage-listed wilderness in the form of soaring eucalypts (some of the tallest on Earth) and thundering waterfalls. Russell Falls will take your breath away in more ways than one. And just when you think nature couldn’t get any more humbling, you arrive at Lake St. Clair, the deepest freshwater lake in Australia. It’s one of numerous waterways breaking your path to Strahan, gateway to World Heritage-listed Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.

The inky waters of the Gordon River – given its colour by amber button-grass tannins – are as eery as they are beautiful, the mirror-like surface only broken by your Gordon River cruise chariot as you cruise through Hells Gates, the treacherous entrance to the harbour before returning to Sarah Island. It’s hard to reconcile the beauty of this part of the state with its grim history as a penal colony; a place where convicts would fell Huon pines for boat building. Disembark at Heritage Landing to view one of these 500 year old majestic trees. Cradle Mountain awaits to the north. If you’re content by the fire with a glass of wine – stay there. Otherwise, follow your guide into the night to spot wombats, wallabies and pademelons. Or choose to visit Tassie devils after dark at a local sanctuary.