06.02 Tas: Wilderness Cruise - Macquarie Harbour

An early start meant that we left before the Strahan Backpackers YHA office was open - oops! I think it just goes to show that Strahan is just too small for the amount of visitors that it attracts, or perhaps you should book your accommodation before arrive! I'm sure that we weren't the only ones without a pitch that night and making use of someone else's facilities!!


Anyway we arrived on the quay side to pick up our Wilderness Cruise on Macquarie Harbour!

The entrance to the Harbour is known as 'Hells Gate' and is only about 80 metres wide! Due to the number of grounding incidents in the 1800's a harbour wall was built. The wall also maintains the depth of the channel by reducing the amout of sand that is drawn in and out of the harbour. A railway was used on the completed sections to drop the rocks forming the wall into the harbour. The original tracks, now rusting and twisted, are still visible!

For every breath you take in Tasmania you, allegedly, live an extra 5 minutes due to the clean air! The reason for this is the next land mass to the west is Argentina, and the winds only pass over the ocean - these winds are known as the "Roaring 40's"!