Frommer's Australia from $50 a Day 13th Edition - To Parent Directory

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CHAPTER 14 . TASMANIA
size in the area, is the starting point for cruises up the Gordon River and into
the rainforest.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE Tassielink (& 1300/300 520 in Australia, or 03/6272
6611; www.tigerline.com.au) runs coaches between Strahan and Launceston,
Devonport, and Cradle Mountain every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday (and
also Fri and Sun to and from Hobart). These days tend to fluctuate so check the
website. The trip from Launceston takes over 8 hours. The drive from Hobart
to Strahan takes about 4 1 ⁄2 hours without stops. From Devonport, allow 3 1 ⁄2
hours. Although the roads are good, they twist and turn and are particularly hazardous
at night when marsupial animals come out to feed. The cheapest way to
travel between these places is via bus with a Tassie Wilderness Pass.
VISITOR INFORMATION Strahan Visitors Centre, on The Esplanade
(& 03/6471 7622; fax 03/6471 7533), is open daily from 10am to 6pm in
winter and to 8pm in spring and summer. It has good information on local
activities. A good website of the area is www.westcoasttourism.com.au.
CRUISING THE RIVERS & OTHER ADVENTURES
Gordon River Cruises (& 03/6471 7187) offers a half-day trip daily at 9am,
an afternoon cruise sailing at 2pm in the first 3 weeks of January, and a full-day
trip from October 1 to the end of May. Cruises take passengers across Macquarie
Harbour and up the Gordon River past historic Sarah Island, where convicts—
working in horrendous conditions—were once used to log valuable Huon pine.
A stop is made at Heritage Landing, where you can get a taste of the rainforest
on a half-hour walk. The full-day cruise in the high season (Oct–May) includes
lunch and a guided tour through the convict ruins on Sarah Island. Cruises
depart from the Main Wharf on The Esplanade, in the town center. The fullday
cruises cost A$55 (US$36) for an internal seat, A$75 (US$49) for a window
recliner, and A$129 (US$84) for a seat upstairs with the captain and a meal.
World Heritage Cruises (& 03/6471 7174; www.worldheritagecruises.com.
au) offers daily cruises year-round, leaving Strahan Wharf at 9am and returning at
3:30pm. The company’s MV Wanderer III stops at Sarah Island, Heritage Landing,
and the salmon and trout farm at Liberty Point. Meals and drinks are available
on board. The cruises cost A$55 (US$36) for adults, A$25 (US$16) for
children 5 to 14 (free for children under 5), and A$150 (US$98) for a family of
five. It also offers a half-day cruise between October 1 and April 31 starting at 9am
and returning at 2pm. (It doesn’t stop at Sarah Island.) This costs A$50 (US$33)
for adults, A$22 (US$14) for children, and A$130 (US$85) for a family.
West Coast Yacht Charters (& 03/6471 7422) runs fishing trips from 9am to
noon for A$40 (US$26) negotiable, with gear, bait, and morning tea included;
crayfish dinner and fishing cruises from 6 to 8:30pm for A$50 (US$33); and 2-
day, 2-night sailing cruises for A$320 (US$208) all-inclusive.
Although cruises are the main attraction in the area, you can also enjoy jetboat
rides, sightseeing in a seaplane that lands on the Gordon River, helicopter
flights, and 4WD tours.
ACCOMMODATIONS YOU CAN AFFORD
Budget options in Strahan include the Strahan Youth Hostel, 43 Harvey St.,
Strahan (& 03/6471 7255; www.yha.com.au; bookings: Box 151 Post Office,
Strahan 7468). This basic but nicely situated YHA, a short walk away from
town, has dorm beds for A$20 (US$13); twins for A$44 (US$29); doubles for