{"id":4950,"date":"2009-01-11T16:36:00","date_gmt":"2009-01-11T16:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/?p=4950"},"modified":"2009-01-11T16:36:00","modified_gmt":"2009-01-11T16:36:00","slug":"tasmanias-wild-north-west-beyond-the-ramparts-of-the-unknown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/2009\/01\/tasmanias-wild-north-west-beyond-the-ramparts-of-the-unknown\/","title":{"rendered":"Tasmania’s Wild North West: Beyond the Ramparts of the Unknown"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>
Photo: Tourism Tasmania\/Grant Dixon<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By Roderick Eime<\/p>\n

Flying into the tiny north-western regional hub of Wynyard, you could easily imagine you are in the middle of nowhere \u2013 and that is why so many visitors come!<\/p>\n

With a heritage that can be traced back to the early 19th Century, this far flung Van Diemen\u2019s Land outpost was referred to in King George IV\u2019s Royal Charter as \u201ca huge tract of unsettled land, beyond the ramparts of the unknown.\u201d<\/p>\n

An easy 20 kilometre coastal drive from the working town of Burnie and a further 50 kilometres to Tasmania\u2019s third largest city and Spirit of Tasmania ferry port, Devonport, Wynyard is perfectly placed to springboard nature lovers into the world-famous wilderness areas along the north and west coasts.<\/p>\n

Before heading off into the wild, swing by Burnie and see why it is shaking off the outdated industrial character that has defined it for so long. At the Lactos Cheese Tasting and Sales Centre you can sample fine cheeses, including major brands Tasmanian Heritage, Mersey Valley and Australian Gold. Premium food produce is fast becoming a Tasmanian specialty and you\u2019ll find Australia\u2019s largest single malt whisky distillery in Burnie. Hellyers Road Distillery makes fine, single malt whisky distilled from Tasmanian grown malted barley and famously pure Tasmanian rainwater. The distillery also produces the Southern Lights brand premium grain vodka. If you\u2019re visiting in winter, this stop-off is almost mandatory.<\/p>\n

For a fortifying meal of local fresh seafood, visit Fish Frenzy located on the waterfront in Burnie. Tasting Tasmania author, Graeme Phillips, describes it as a \u201cbright and spacious modern caf\u00e9 with fresh fish and seafood every which way and then some.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eventually the lure of the renowned Tasmanian wilderness will beckon you but the \u201cclarion call\u201d will come from many directions.<\/p>\n

Most will yield to the irresistible allure of the UNESCO World Heritage Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park, a mere 70 kilometres drive. From the swank Voyages Cradle Mountain Lodge to modest hiking cabins, the options are plentiful.<\/p>\n

The raw appeal of the Tasmanian mountainscape has captured the imagination of visitors for decades and none more so than pioneering outdoorsman, Austrian-born Gustav Weindorfer, who built a rough chalet next to the iconic Dove Lake in 1912.<\/p>\n

Weindorfer is revered as the \u201cfounder\u201d of Cradle Mountain wilderness recreation and is fondly remembered as an eccentric, idealistic yet jovial man who would host guests with generous lashings of his garlic and badger (wombat) stew.<\/p>\n

\u201cA mixture that would kill me in five minutes,\u201d recalled local Bill Perkins in a eulogy to the colourful Austrian in 1982. Perkins first met Weindorfer in 1930, just before his death. Today you can see an authentic replica of Weindorfer\u2019s cottage and outbuildings and get a feel for how people enjoyed the country almost one hundred years ago.<\/p>\n

If you do nothing else, be sure to complete the Dove Lake circuit, a relaxed two hour dawdle around this imposing feature that is one of Australia\u2019s most instantly recognisable vistas next to Uluru and Sydney\u2019s Harbour Bridge.<\/p>\n

If you really want to earn your \u201cWild Tasmania\u201d badge, head north west from Wynyard into the Tarkine Forest region (the largest temperate rainforest in Australia) and plot a circuit via Stanley, Smithton, Corinna, Zeehan and Strahan. Get lost in the oblivion of true wilderness, a commodity that is fast disappearing in our shrinking, globalised world.<\/p>\n

The intriguingly-named Dismal Swamp is a natural blackwood forest sinkhole, believed to be the only one of its kind in the world. Thirty minutes (40km) south west of Smithton, the visitors\u2019 centre showcases Tasmanian specialty timbers with a contemporary interior crafted from blackwood and Tasmanian oak. From there the walkway descends to the floor of the sinkhole, or if you\u2019re game take the exhilarating 110m slide from the viewing platform to the swamp floor. There\u2019s an electric buggy option too.<\/p>\n

Proclaimed by Bass and Flinders in 1798, historic Stanley is a delightfully sleepy hamlet distinguished by its characteristic, 150m high \u201cnut\u201d, a long extinct volcanic plug that forms an imposing natural citadel overlooking the town. Take the chairlift or walk to the top for panoramic views of Bass Strait.<\/p>\n

The nearby Highfield Historic Site epitomises the optimistic early settlement and is the site of land granted to the Van Diemens Land Company (VDL) in 1824. The homestead is a rare example of the elegant Regency period. Edward Curr, the chief agent of the VDL, started construction in 1832, and later additions were made by John Lee Archer, the colony’s first important architect. The harsh life reaped a toll on the residents, particularly the convict labourers and there are many stories of ghosts still wandering the dark corridors including that of Curr\u2019s infant daughter killed in an accident. She has been known to tug on the skirts of women visiting the property. If you dare, take the popular night-time ghost tour.<\/p>\n

From Smithton, it\u2019s a two hour drive to the remote village of Corinna, a former gold mining town settled in 1881. Today the entire village is a self-catering, eco-wilderness experience with authentic miner\u2019s cottage accommodation, a totally refurbished hotel and river cruises aboard Arcadia II, a magnificent Huon pine river vessel. Kayaking, walking, fishing, bird watching and nature experiences are some of the activities available to guests.<\/p>\n

A further 100 kilometres via Zeehan is Strahan, a once thriving lumber town, now a picturesque bayside site overlooking gorgeous Macquarie Harbour. Before Strahan, there was Sarah Island located within the harbour and reputably the worst penal colony in the land. The ruins are still there and “is remembered only as a place of degradation, depravity and woe.” (Rev. John West, anti-transportation activist and publisher, 1842). Local historian and author, Richard Davey, conducts semi-theatrical lamplight tours of the island and he almost channels the spirits of the long-dead convicts as you survey the scattered brickwork that once served as shelter for the wretched men. He\u2019ll tell you glee the tale of the men who escaped from the island and turned cannibal and those who seized a boat they built themselves and were eventually arrested in South America.<\/p>\n

Complete your experience with a day cruise on the harbour and into the now legendary Gordon River or take the historic steam train to Queenstown, one of the most significant such journeys in the country.<\/p>\n

Where to Stay:<\/span><\/p>\n

Luxury: Voyages Cradle Mountain Lodge
\u201cshowcases the best Cradle Mountain has to offer\u201d
http:\/\/www.cradlemountainlodge.com.au\/<\/a> 1300 134 044<\/p>\n

Motel: Best Western Murchison Lodge, Burnie
\u201cYour base for a North Western experience\u201d
http:\/\/murchison.bestwestern.com.au\/<\/a> 03 6435 1106<\/p>\n

Wilderness: Corinna Cottages
\u201can oasis in the heart of the Tarkine\u201d
http:\/\/www.corinna.com.au<\/a> 03 6446 1170<\/p>\n

B&B: Sealers Cove Restaurant and Accommodation
\u201cwell-appointed, comfortable and homely\u201d
http:\/\/www.stanley.com.au\/<\/a> 03 6458 1414<\/p>\n

Must-do, Must-see Checklist:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Lactos Cheese Factory, Burnie
http:\/\/www.lactos.com.au<\/a>
\u2022 Dismal Swamp, near Smithton
http:\/\/www.dismalswamp.com.au\/<\/a>
\u2022 Corinna Wilderness Experiences
www.corinna.com.au<\/a>
\u2022 Strahan Experiences
www.strahan.com.au<\/a>
\u2022 Highfield Historic Site, Stanley
http:\/\/www.historic-highfield.com.au\/<\/a>
\u2022 Hellyers Road Distillery, Burnie
http:\/\/www.hellyersroaddistillery.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Food and Wine:
Visit Graeme Phillips\u2019s comprehensive and authoritive website:
www.tastingtasmania.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Getting There
Regional Express flies six times each day from Burnie to Melbourne
www.rex.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n

For more details on all Tasmania has to offer, visit the official site:
www.discovertasmania.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Photo: Tourism Tasmania\/Grant Dixon By Roderick Eime Flying into the tiny north-western regional hub of Wynyard, you could easily imagine you are in the middle of nowhere \u2013 and that is why so many visitors come! With a heritage that can be traced back to the early 19th Century, this far flung Van Diemen\u2019s Land […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[378],"class_list":["post-4950","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-roderick-eime"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4950","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4950"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4950\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4950"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4950"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/traveloscopy.com\/travel-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4950"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}