Liawenee, to the north of Miena, is known for its great fishing at nearby Great Lake and hosts several fishing events bringing people from all over Tasmania. Built near Great Lake and the River Ouse, the ex-Hydro village is now a residence for Inland Fisheries Services (IFS) and a Tasmania Police station. It is known for its exceptional fishing at nearby Great Lake and hosts several trout fishing events. Liawenee has a reputation of being the coldest town in Tamania.

Where is it? Liawenee is located on the Central Plateau, on Lake highway. Miena is about 13 km south. The section of the highway to Miena was sealed during 2015.

It was founded in June 1920 as a camp for the workers at the nearby hydro-electric undertaking as well as some other towns such as Miena. In its humble beginnings, the population consisted entirely of the workers at the hydroelectric plant and their families; the houses were wood and canvas. In this time, the camp boasted three cottages where married couples lived, and a so-called hospital that was only twice the size of a house, making it more of a first-aid clinic. The original layout included blacksmiths, bakeries and a chaff store which made up the requirements for a workforce making it a work camp rather than a village. During the Second World War the town became much larger, but settlers consisted mainly of men who were paid for their work yet could find no place to spend the money, nor a place to deliver mail.



Liawenee set among the Tasmanian Central Highlands. The mountains surrounding Liawenee include Split Rock, Willow Run Hill, Headlam Hill and McDowall Hill, with the latter being the tallest. It is known as the twelfth-highest locality in Tasmania and the nearest ocean beach is 100 kilometres (62 miles) west-south-west from Liawenee's centre. The rough terrain suits bush-walking and mountain biking, except during winter, and the nearest populated area is Miena, about 13 km south.


Pine Lake

Close to the nearby settlement of Breona, Pine Lake Walk provides an excellent introduction to the alpine wilderness. Pencil pine trees, wedge tail eagles and rare alpine insects and wildflowers are there for the viewing. Beyond Breona, Highland Lakes Road reaches its highest point (1210 metres above sea level) before making its descent to the coastal plain, passing Liffey and Quamby Bluff Forest Reserves on its way.

Great Lake

Great Lake, which is 22km long, has the distinction of being the highest lake in Australia and, until the HEC drowned Lake Pedder, it was also the largest freshwater lake in the country. It is a mecca for anglers, the trout fishing in Great Lake itself is excellent (as it is in most of the waters in this central highlands region) it is renowned for its summer 'hatches' of Highland Dun mayflies and the fat, speckled brown trout that dine greedily upon them. Miena, the region's major town, which stands on its shores, is often covered in a blanket of snow in winter. Nearby towns Liaweenee and Miena are popular holiday shack destinations for local tourists, despite the area s reputation as being one of the coldest in the generally mild-weathered state.



During the winter months when the weather is hardly conducive to camping, the population of these two small towns drops to two or three hundred. The Lake Highway runs along the west side of the lake. The Lake s original size was much smaller; it has been dammed at its southern outflow for hydro-electricity production. It is Australia s second largest freshwater lake (Lake Pedder is considered to be the largest), 1,030 metres above sea level. The lake has an area of 114 km2.

Arthurs Lake

Arthurs Lake is on the edge of the Central Plateau, east of Great Lake. It is a popular angling location and has good facilities for boat launching and camping. Weather in the highlands can change fast, making boating conditions dangerous. Please carry all required safety equipment and check local weather forecasts before you launch.

Bronte and Dee Lagoons, Bradys Lake and Lake Echo are members of a group of lakes on the southern rim of the plateau offering fine trout fishing opportunities and boat launching facilities. Accommodation is available nearby at Bronte Park and Tarraleah.