The Huon Valley and the coasts of Port Huon and the D'Entrecasteaux Channel are places of natural beauty, perfect for a relaxing holiday, a short break or even a day trip from Hobart. Rich in maritime and rural heritage and populated friendly creative people, the region is known as much for its gorgeous scenery as it huon pine, apple orchards and boutique wineries and gourmet specialities. By big city standards, the roads are always quiet and there is something different around every corner.
The Huon River and the nearby D'Entrecasteaux Channel are popular fishing and boating areas. The Channel is sheltered from the wrath of the Southern Ocean by the bulk of Bruny Island to the east. The drive from Huonville to D'Entrecasteaux Channel via Cygnet is particulary scenic; the still waters of the river offer spectacular photo opportunities.
The Wooden Boat Centre at Franklin sits alongside the jetty and is a great place to visit. You can watch craftsmen and trainees building wooden boats from complicated plans. To fulfil their lifetime ambition, trainees pay for the unique experience and dedicate countless hours of labour in achieving their goal.
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Geeveston Forest & Heritage Centre, which details the history of the timber industry in the area, is located in Geeveston. Outside the Centre is one of many chainsaw-crafted statues of some of the region's memorable personalities dotted around town. A sportsman who has been honoured this way is dual silver-medal winning Olympian, rower Simon Burgess.
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Hartz Mountains National Park is a window into the south-west wilderness, offering views of remote mountain ranges as far as the southern coast. As well as spectacular views of a landscape which has been shaped by glaciers during past ice ages, the park offers a variety of unique features. Waterfalls tumble off the dolerite range that runs through the centre of the park and small glacial lakes dot the plateau. The park contains a wide variety of vegetation from wet eucalypt forest and rainforest through to alpine heath on the exposed mountain tops.
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Tahune Forest AirWalk is a spectacular aerial walkway through the rainforest canopy on the banks of the Huon River. It offers breathtaking views of the forest canopy from spine-tingling swinging bridges across the Huon and Picton Rivers. With breathtaking views of the forest canopy, spine-tingling swinging bridges across the Huon and Picton Rivers, and Tasmanian food and wine in the licensed cafe, there's a full day of fun for the whole family.
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A trip out to three islands in the bay at Dover - named Faith, Hope and Charity - is recommended. Hope Island Probation Station was a colonial convict outstation of the Dover Probation Station. In 1847 there were 18 convicts on the island under an assistant superintendent; the men being primarily engaged in growing vegetables. Around 1848, shortly after abandonment of the probation station, the island was leased for private farming. By 1851 some of the buildings were already reported as falling in ruins. The Assistant Superintendent's Quarters is the most prominent of the ruins on the island.
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Hastings Caves State Reserve offers visitors a variety of from relaxing in the warm waters of a thermal springs pool, walking in the rich forests of the reserve and, of course, the unique experience of exploring Newdegate Cave on a guided tour. Both the thermal pool and the trail which leads through the surrounding forests are accessible to wheelchair users. Named after Sir Francis Newdegate, the Governor of Tasmania from 1917-1920, Newdegate Cave is the largest tourist cave in Australia which occurs in dolomite, rather than limestone. Adamson's Falls and Adamson's Peak, the Mystery Creek Caves are accessed from Hastings.
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Situated on the eastern edge of the Southwest National Park, Adamsons Falls is an attractive waterfall accessed via a 6km return trail. Aside from occasionally muddy patches the track is easily followed in its entirety and should take just over 2 hours to complete. The walk commences with an easy stroll through regrowth forests. The track is wide but littered with boggy sections. Gradually, the trail begins to climb and you weave your way through charming established rainforests.
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The Mystery Creek Cave Track (4 km / 2 hours return) near Ida Bay is mostly flat and features mining and rail relics. The well-marked trail follows the route of an old tramway to the remains of a limestone quarry and onward to the entrance of the Mystery Creek Cave (home to glowworms). It is not recommended that walkers continue past the initial cave entrance without suitable caving experience and equipment, as it is prone to flash flooding.
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In the autumn of 1792 a pair of storm-battered French ships, their crews weather beaten and tired, gratefully dropped anchor in waters off Tasmania's south-east coast. The ships were Recherche, under command of expedition leader, Rear Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux, and Esperance, under Commander Huon de Kermadec. The peaceful waterway was later named D'Entrecasteaux Channel and the kidney-shaped bay they chose for their rest and repair became known as Recherche Bay. D'Entrecasteaux's was a high profile dual-purpose expedition. His mission was to search for the lost maritime hero, La Perouse, but also to undertake top-level scientific research including astronomy and research into the Earth's geomagnetic field.
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Bottoms Green Campsite is the starting point for walks to South East Cape and South West Cape walks, and the South Coast Track. The remote South Coast Track is a challenging walk for experienced, well-prepared hikers only (85 km / 7 days). The track runs between Melaleuca and Cockle Creek, so walkers must either fly, sail or walk in and out. Along the way, spend some time enjoying the remote beaches. At Melaleuca, the Needwonnee Walk (1.2 km) weaves through the moorland, forest, and edge of the lagoon. This living, changing experience features sculptural installations interpreting some of the stories of the Needwonnee people.
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The southernmost point of Australia
The rugged South Cape Bay Track (15 km / 4 hours return) departs from Cockle Creek. The track is the eastern end of the bucket-list South Coast Track to Port Davey, and offers a captivating look at the unspoiled southern coastline. Majestic Lion Rock is a highlight, as well as the wild, windswept bay itself with its impressive cliffs and powerful ocean swells.
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Port Davey
The magnificent Southwest National Park encompasses over six hundred thousand hectares of wild, inspiring country and forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The park, the largest in Tasmania, epitomises the granduer and spirit of wilderness in its truest sense. Much of the park is remote and far removed from the hustle and bustle of the modern world. From Cockle Creek, the magnificent south coast is able to be reached along a walking track. From the coast, the South Coast Track continues to Melaleuca, a 7 day walk along some of the wildest coastline in Australia. Melaleuca itself is accessible by air or boat only. Here, in the far southwest of Tasmania, lies the spectacular Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour.
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Huonville is a centre for the Huon District which services the local timber, paper mill and fruit growing industries as well as tourism. Huonville grew around the bridge crossing the Huon River and hotels at the bridge. Today the Huon Valley is best known as one of Tasmania's primary apple growing areas. Once enormous in its extent, the significance of the industry has declined steadily since the 1950s and today cherries and fish farming are the rising commercial stars of the district. Tourism is an important part of Huonville and the surrounding Huon Valley. The area is renowned for its scenic beauty and history as one of Australia s biggest apple producers. The main town on the eastern shores of Port Huon, Cygnet is a centre for a prosperous fruit growing district (apples; grapes; strawberries; blueberries; cherries) which has numerous orchards and vineyards. The local area also supports a farming population and there are many second homes, sometimes known as shacks in Tasmania. About a mile south of the town centre is Port Cygnet (home of the Port Cygnet Yacht Club), a safe anchorage for pleasure craft with easy road and walking access to Cygnet. Cygnet and surrounding suburbs have access to the beautiful D'Entrecasteau Channel on one side and the Huon River on the other.
The drive south from Cygnet around the tip of the peninsula is particularly pretty as the Huon River widens into D'Entrecasteaux Channel. Verona Sands and Randalls Bay are two popular swimming beaches. Being at the foot of the peninsula, where the Huon Estuary meets the D'entrecasteaux Channel, Verona Sands has expensive views south down the channel and across to Port Esperance and Bruny Island, on opposite shores. The settlement surrounds Lasts Lagoon that occasionally opens to the beach. Eggs and Bacon Bay is purely residential in nature and is located in an attractive setting, with access to beaches and picturesque coastal views. Eggs and Bacon Bay is located on the western side of Cray point. It has a curving 400 metre long west-facing beach located along its eastern shore. Eggs and Bacon Bay beach and beaches on Garden Island Sands, Barretts and Surveyors Bay are the only sandy beaches located towards the southern entrance to the estuary. How Eggs and Bacon Bay got its name is one of those mysteries that will probably never be solved.
Garden Island is a small stony island that is part of the Partridge Island Group, sheltered by Garden Island Bay near the entrance to the Huon Estuary. Garden Island was first named "Gardners Island" by the Rev R. Knopwood in 1804, and had that name in maps in 1832. At that time, a "Garden Island" or "Smooth Island" appeared on maps at the entrance of Norfolk Bay. Much of the island is covered with eucalypt forest. Echo Sugarloaf is an elevated area overlooking Randall Bay which is protected as a nature reserve. Its 122 hectares and was donated to the state by local farmers, Max and Bev Thomas, for the protection of endangered species. There are walks through the reserve, the main 2.5 km long walk starts in Williams Road, Randalls Bay, and follows a track to the top where a trig point. Passing through varying habitats, walkers may encounter a wide range of birds, including threatened species like the swift parrot and wedge-tailed Eagle, pademelons, bettongs and other marsupials.
Prior to 1840 the area around Copper Alley Bay had been mainly settled by Irish settlers, who cleared the heavy timber and transported it to Hobart by boat. The land was turned into farmlets growing potatoes and other vegetables. By 1843 it had a thriving community. In 1845 Probation Stations for convicts were established at Port Cygnet, Lymington and Nicholls Rivulet and Huon Island. The clearing of land and building of huts continued. There were 333 convicts stationed in the district and a hospital was being built at Lymington where the staff were based. t was at Petcheys Bay in 1838 Matthew Fitzpatrick came from Ireland with his wife and sisters and settled. He planted the first orchard in the area, giving birth to one of Australia's most productive fruit growing area. In 1935 the district reached its record-breaking peak, producing 21,170 bushels of pears, 5,470 lbs of gooseberries, 644 800 bushels of apples, 31,890 lbs of blackcurrants, 100,750 lbs of raspberries and 160,880 lbs of strawberries. Because of the easy access to the Huon River Petcheys Bay was used as a pick-up point for ferries shipping their cargo to Hobart. Like Petcheys Bay, Glaziers Bay was once an important port for the shipping of produce to Hobart but eventually, road transport took over. In its heyday as a port, as many as 32 vessels a month passed through the area. There were in fact jetties at Crooked Tree, Deep Bay, Coal Jetty, Herlihys Bay, Petcheys Bay, Wattle Grove, Lymington, Glaziers Bay, and Randalls Bay - apart from Port Cygnet. All produce had to be carted by dray to these points.
The former Methodist church at Nicholls Rivulet is one of only two surviving structures with direct associations with the Tasmanian Aboriginals (the other being Dolly Dalrymple’s cottage at Sherwood, near Latrobe). The building has very strong associations with its principal benefactor, Fanny Cochrane Smith. Early Methodist services in the district of Nicholls Rivulet (formerly Irish Town) were held in the home of William and Fanny Smith. Fanny Cochrane Smith (1834-1905) was recognised by the Tasmanian government as ‘the last survivor’ of the Tasmanian Aboriginal race, and was granted 305 acres of land at Nicholls Rivulet in 1889.
Gardners Bay, to the south east of Cygnet, is both a rural area and a small inlet on Kanagaroo Bay on the Huon River. If you are looking to take one of those iconic photos of the amazingly tranquil, reflective waters of the Huon, Gardners Bay is a great place to start your search. Be there on a still day and chances are you'll get what you are looking for here, or at nearby Glaziers Bay. Close by are two award-winning wineries - Panorama Vineyard at Cradoc, and Hartzview Vineyard (photo), high in the mountains above Gardners Bay. As its name suggests, Hartzview affords panoramic views across the Huon Valley to the Hartz Mountains.
The Lower Huon and the coasts of Port Huon and the D'Entrecasteaux Channel are places of natural beauty, perfect for a relaxing holiday, a short break or even a day trip from Hobart. Rich in maritime and rural heritage and populated friendly creative people, the region is known as much for its gorgeous scenery as it huon pine, apple orchards and boutique wineries and gourmet specialities. By big city standards, the roads are always quiet and there is something different around every corner. The following locations can be found on the Lower Huon Trail.
The towns of Franklin and Cradoc lay on opposite banks of the Huon River. In between these two centres, situated midstream, are the North and South Egg Islands. During early European settlement, the Egg Islands - located a stone's throw from the township of Franklin - were utilised for stock grazing, fruit and vegetable growing, timber harvesting, duck hunting and greyhound training, with some sources even reporting a football oval to have once existed on one of the islands. Little evidence of this use remains today and the islands are now an untouched wilderness hideaway and conservation sanctuary.
A sleepy timber milling town on the eastern shores of the Huon River. It supports orchards and dairy farming. Franklin South has become well known for the Craft and Apple Houses at the southern end of the village. Ye Olde Franklin Tavern is a pleasant historic pub beside the road which proudly announces that it was established in 1853 and the jetty beside the river which was once used as a major point for shipping timber and fruit from the area. In the river at Franklin is the long narrow strip of land known as Egg Island.
Just a few kilometres north of Geeveston where the Kermandie River enters Hospital Bay is Port Huon, which was once the most important port in the district. Shipwrights Point and Whale Point on opposite sides of Hospital Bay, give an indication of some of the industries that were once based here. Port Huon became a busy trading port and the destination for international apple boats that transported and exported the region's famous apples to the world. The development of containerised shipping and the reduction in timber exports has resulted in its decline.
A small timber milling and apple growing town, Geeveston is the gateway to the rugged Hartz Mountains National Park. Some of the tallest hardwood trees in the world (up to 95 m high) grow here. Geeveston is also the stepping off point for the Tahune AirWalk and cruises on Port Huon. The town's most overt symbol (it is impossible to miss as you drive through town on the Huon Highway) is the huge trunk of a Swamp Gum (eucalyptus regnans) logged in Arve Valley on 10 December 1971. Kermandie is a southern area of Geeveston that runs along the side of the Kermandie River. The name preserves the name of Huon Kermandec, second in command of the expedition in 1792 by the French Admiral Bruni D'Entrecasteaux.
A small fishing port with quaint cottages and English trees, Dover was once a convict station. Today it is an important centre for both apple orchards and the salmon, abalone and cray fishing industries. Dover lies beside the waters of Esperance Bay and the D'Entrecasteaux Channel, with the imposing figure of Adamson's Peak in the background. The region enjoys a moderate climate, sheltered from the prevailing cold winds by Bruny Island, and is frequented by tourists keen to experience the idyllic coastal scenery or those eager to explore the deep wilderness further south.
A sleepy coastal village off the main road. In the early 1800?s Southport was a convict station, bustling mill town and international port. Being Tasmania s second largest town at that time, it was proposed as the capital of the colony. Today, it is just a nice quiet spot to relax, go swimming, sail the calm waters of Southport Bay, walk on the beach or a little fishing. There is a monument on Southport Bluff (40 minute walk from the road) to the convict ship George III which was wrecked off the coast in 1835 with the loss of 94 passengers. It is said that the guards on the ship, fearful that the convicts would panic if the ship went down, shot indiscriminately into the ship's hold. This is supported by the peculiar death toll which saw 81 convicts lose their lives while only 13 passengers and crew were drowned.
Recherche Bay is in every way the end of the road - a quiet, idyllic bay in the far south of Tasmania beyond the Huon Valley. There are three small settlements on Recherche Bay - Catamaran, Recherche Bay and Cockle Creek. These are the most southern communities in Australia. A signpost at Cockle Creek marks the most southerly point in Australia accessible by motor vehicle. The southern tip of Tasmania, Australia's southern extremity, which marks the beginning of the South West Walk, is just an hour's walk away. The bay was the first landing place of French explorer Bruny D'Entrecasteaux who came ashore here for water and stayed for a number of weeks in 1792 to rest his crew and complete maintenance on his ships.
Cross over Catamaran River and Cockle Creek Road continues through the tiny settlement of Cataman to Cockle Creek. After passing Bruni D'Entrecasteaux's watering place historic site the road crosses Cockle Creek, then loops around a small bay and stops at Bottoms Green Campsite. This is the set-off point for the South Coast Walking Track and the southern tip of Australia. A sign announces that you have reached "The End of The Road" - you are now standing in Australia's most southern street and there is no further point south of here in Australia that can be reached by road. Visitors to Cockle Creek must return to Hobart by the way they came - along Cockle Creek Road and Huon Hwy via Geeveston and Huonville.
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An extremely scenic part of Tasmania that is dominated by rolling pastures and heavily timbered hills and surrounded by dramatic coastline of sheer cliffs, towering rocky outcrops, sheltered bays and sea caves. Walking tracks and kayaks give access to the area's more isolated corners. And if that isn't enough to entice you to jump on a plane to Tassie and go see it for yourself, there's the added bonus of the peninsula being steeped in Australia's convict history; it contains some of the country's most important convict heritage sites, the jewel in the crown being the Port Athur settlement.
Port Arthur houses the remnants of one of the most isolated and infamous penal establishments in the world, which operated between 1830 and 1877. Known for its harsh conditions, dark history and stark beauty, in 1996 Port Arthur was the scene of the worst mass murder event in Australian history. A small town that is a mix of restored buildings and stabilised ruins, Port Arthur is one of Australia's most significant heritage areas. The open air museum is today Tasmania's top tourist attraction.
Port Arthur is not the only convict related relic on Tasman Peninsula. Convict-built outstations, from which convicts were hired out to local farmers, still stand at Koonya, Premaydena and Taranna. At Saltwater River is the remains of another large convict station and a coal mine, with numerous buildings an a few mine shafts still intact. Interpretive signage details the story of the site, which is about a 25 minute drive from Port Arthur.
Tasman National Park protects diverse forest and spectacular coastline from Cape Surville to Waterfall Bay and Fortescue Bay; and from Cape Hauy to Cape Pillar and Cape Raoul. The park incorporates several off-shore islands, including Fossil Island, Hippolyte Rocks and Tasman Island. It is an area of great beauty and natural diversity, including some of the most stunning coastal scenery anywhere in Australia. Not suprisingly, the park offers some of the best coastal walks in the country. Many interesting rock formations can be found along the coastline, while the southern end of the park has some of the highest and most spectacular sea cliffs in Australia. The park is also home to a wide range of land and marine animals, and several species of rare plant.
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