Departs Strahan, 40 minutes away
The Gordon River Cruise
The Gordon River cruise is the single biggest reason people come to this coast, and it is the reason an early breakfast matters more here than almost anywhere else.
- DepartsStrahan
- From the hotel40 minutes
Photograph: Kim Dunstan
The cruise runs from Strahan out across Macquarie Harbour and up the Gordon River, into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Part of the trip is done under electric power, so the boat moves through the reflections without the engine noise, which is the part people remember.
It is a full day rather than an outing. Add the 40 minute drive each way from Zeehan and it is the whole of your day, which is worth knowing when you are planning the rest of the trip.
This is also the stretch of river at the centre of the campaign that stopped the Franklin being dammed in the 1980s. If you only have one day on the West Coast, most people spend it here.
Breakfast opens at 5am, every day
A morning departure from Strahan means leaving Zeehan early. Being able to eat properly at 5am rather than skipping breakfast is the practical difference.
Practical
Planning it from Zeehan
- Book the cruise directly with the operator, well ahead in summer.
- Allow 40 minutes for the drive to Strahan, plus time to park and check in.
- Breakfast at the hotel opens at 5am, so an early departure is straightforward.
- Coming back, the bistro is open for dinner, which saves cooking after a long day.
Stay the night at the Heemskirk
Sleep 40 minutes from the wharf, eat before dawn, and come back to a bistro that is still open.
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