Some of the places we saw in Tasmania were only in passing. Even if we did spend a night in some of them, it was mostly on our way to another location. Of course there is always time to do a little exploring even if they were quick one-night stopovers.

Launceston

One night in Tasmania’s second city, Launceston was never going to be enough but we did visit the Cataract Gorge. Amazingly this place sits almost in the middle of the state’s second most populace city.

The gorge walk starts at the road bridge, while the river is navigable all this way south to the road bridge. Thanks to its position on the Tamar River – the country’s longest navigable tidal estuary – it is possible to sail in and out of Launceston to/from the Bass Strait that separates Tasmania from the mainland. About 50km as the crow flies.

The city has some great places to eat. We were lucky enough to get a table at the Black Cow Bistro which was an excellent steak-house serving prime free-range beef. We also had a truly excellent Tasmanian red wine there, which I have not been able to find since…  If you are interested it was a Malbec called Obsessionist.

Way out West…

We also spent a night at Strahan on the western side of Tasmania. It sits in the McQuarrie Harbour in an area that is remote even by Tasmania’s standards. This is the end of the West Coast Wilderness Railway. The gateway to the sea. Click on the link for a post about the railway and Queenstown.

It’s a short drive from Strahan to the beach lookout. A good place to see the sunset on the west coast.

Another place we only really passed through but still quite interesting.

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