If you are into nature, bushwalking, great food and a little history, there is so much to like in this 10-day adventure through Tasmania. From capes to lakes to rivers and mountain views, this Tassie trip has it all.
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My wife Susan and I have been planning to do the famed Three Capes Walk in Tasmania for a few years.
We finally organised ourselves to do 10 days down in Tasmania in mid-December. Some of the activities and tours here are seasonal and weather-dependent, so bear that in mind when booking.
The highlights from our trip are:
· The Three Capes Walk
· The Gordon River Cruise
· Kayaking on Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain
Click each heading to jump to that section.
Click here for our driving holiday guide through Tasmania.
Three Capes Walk
When we started planning this trip, the idea was to start in Hobart, do the Three Capes Walk and then end up in Launceston where we would depart.
We also decided to luxe the walk up and went with Life’s an Adventure’s Three Capes Pack-Free Walk.
We have been to Hobart a couple of times before, so this time we spend the first afternoon just exploring the piers and Salamanca, and doing a self-guided historical walk around Battery Point.
In the late afternoon, we head to Lucinda Wine Bar. A cosy little bar where there isn’t really a menu; rather you just tell them the type of wine you like and they bring something to try. If you like it, you can have a glass. That worked for us.
The next morning — Day One of our hike — we’re up early and head to our rendezvous for the Three Capes Walk at a hotel foyer in Hobart where we meet the two guides and seven fellow adventurers. We travel by minibus across to Port Arthur, where we drop off our bags at the accommodation before heading off on our first walk.
This is a 15km walk that heads out to Cape Raoul before returning on the same path. The views along the way are quite spectacular, and after six hours of walking, with stops along the way, it has made for a big first day.
The two guides are fantastic, offering their knowledge, experience and encouragement along the way. When we get back to the accommodation, we enjoy a beer on the balcony of our lodge.
The second day of the walk is due to be an even bigger one — 19km from Waterfall Bay to Fortescue Bay. We trek through bush and rain forests to sea cliffs. Along the way, we see some echidnas as well as many native birds.
The guides again are invaluable and lead the way. After eight hours on the track, we get to Fortescue Bay, exhausted. Post-dinner, everyone is asleep early — or at least I am.
Our third day of walking is from Fortescue Bay towards Cape Hauy.
This walk will be about 12km and includes many steps along the way, both uphill and downhill. There are spectacular vistas along the cliffs and a view out over the unique rock formations of this rugged coastline. This is raw Tasmanian beauty at its best.
At the conclusion of the walk, we’re driven down to Doo Town and take the Wilderness Boat Trip where we set sail to enjoy the cliffs and bluffs from the water. We then pass by Cape Hauy and continue down towards the lighthouse on Tasman Island.
We are very fortunate to see a bait ball, a term I’ve never heard of, and which we learn is a massive grouping of albatross and other birds all circling a school of fish. In this bait ball there are numerous dolphins and seals, and to everyone’s delight a humpback whale, all enjoying a good feed.
The boat cruise is an excellent way to finish off three big days of walking along the Tasmanian coast to capes.
By the time we get down the coast to see Tasman Island in the Tasman Sea, the wind and swell have really picked up, with a drizzling rain coming in horizontally at speed. We now understand why they gave everyone these bright red waterproof jackets to wear.
On our fourth day, we drive across to Bruny Island where the weather has certainly turned chilly. Imagine it being the middle of summer, and we are in three layers and beanies.
It’s a real treat sampling fresh local oysters, cheese and chocolates on our way to the southernmost tip of Cape Bruny where we also check out the lighthouse — the second oldest in the country by the way.
It is blowing a gale, so we don’t stay too long.
On the way back to the ferry, we stop along the roadside when we come upon three old fridges. They are where the Bruny Baker sells his wood-fired bread fresh each day.
We’re surprised to find the sourdough bread is still warm, and we see that he delivers a couple of times a day as he makes them. We do like the honesty system where you pay for the bread you take with PayID or electronic fund transfer. We need some bread to go along with some of our Bruny Island cheese for dinner tonight. The bread, by the way, was excellent.
The Gordon River Cruise
We break up our five-hour drive to the west coast town of Strahan by stopping at Lawrenny Distillery for a tasting and purchases, then on to Derwent Bridge for lunch where we meet the most eccentric café owner in Queenstown – Pete, who owns Orangepete Café.
Pete was a builder by trade and struggled to get coffee for early starts or later in the day. So much so that he started his own café on the main street, with orange being the dominate colour of decoration.
Strahan is a small town and we walk along the foreshore to head out on the half-day Gordon River Cruise. The weather is brilliant. It is amazing to learn how in the 1800s, they made the narrow entrance to the harbour — ‘Hell’s Gates’ — safer with the construction by convicts of rock walls in the water.
Heading up the river checking out the trees and wildlife is not as interesting for me, but everyone else on the cruise seems quite taken by it.
What I really am enjoying is the guided historic tour of Sarah Island. We learn that it was utilised before Port Arthur was established, and was for those convicts that committed second offences. How interesting that Sarah Island became the preeminent ship building yard in Australia due to excellent timber from the forest and cheap convict labour.
Kayaking at Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain
It is raining throughout our two-hour drive north from Strahan to Cradle Mountain, which doesn’t bode well for the afternoon walk we have planned. However, that afternoon, whilst bleak, it isn’t raining so we are able to do the Dove Lake trek around the shores. The next morning, we awake to brilliant sunshine and head off to do the Dove Lake Kayak adventure.
We discover that these kayaks are hand-built using Tasmanian King Billy pine. It is really cool to be paddling on the lake, and now and then stopping for a cup of tea whilst taking in Cradle Mountain and the surrounding landscape.
When we finally get ourselves to Launceston Airport with stops at a couple of wineries along the way. We have had an excellent 10-day trip away to Tasmania. It has certainly lived up to its reputation of being a wild and ruggedly beautiful place with plenty of history.
