From Hobart: Gordon Dam and Lake Pedder Wilderness Day Tour
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Lunch
Itinerary
We depart Hobart heading west then following the Lyell Highway. We will make a short stop at this historic town dating back to 1807, to pick up lunch and hot drinks at a local bakery
We then will drive through the tall eucalyptus forest on the Gordon River Road. You will then arrive in the temperate rainforest at the Creepy Crawly Walk where your guide takes you on a 40 minute informative wilderness walk including climbing the stairs over the logs
As we pass the incredibly steep mountains and sweeping views of Lake Pedder, we will arrive at the Lake's Teds Beach, time to immerse right into nature through the lake shore walk, with David's university level knowledge of botany, geology and lakes and rivers. You might possibly have a bare feet dip in the lake. Lunch, relax at Lake Pedder's white quartzite Teds Beach
After a short drive, we will arrive at the lookout for a stunning birds eye view of the lake and the rugged glaciated mountain ranges of the southwest. Take a deep breath and take it all in.
After another short drive, we will scurry across the 140m high Gordon Dam, feeling like mice in comparison, with plenty of time to take photos, take it all in or look down to the base of the gorge 35 stories below if you you dare. Experience in the breathtaking steep Gordon Gorge, with untouched temperate rainforest on your left, then turn 180 degrees and on your right behold Lake Gordon Australia's largest water storage dam. David your guide will share with you his first hand knowledge of how he helped to dtermine its volume when he worked for Hydro Tasmania. We climb 185 stairs back to the road.
Another short drive, we then gain an even higher perspective from the Nob Hill lookout and Gordon Dam lookout where one guest exclaimed Ï believe I can fly".
Pass by: South West National Park is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. Travelers will see incredibly steep and rugged quartzite mountains, button grass plains, Tall Eucalypt forest and rainforest. They will also see sweeping views of lake pedder.
Drive through the Southwest National Park, we will then make a short stop at the town of Maydena with historic timber houses surrounded by forest plantations eucalypt forest and mountain bike trails. We stop here briefly both on the way to and from Lake Pedder and can get views of the abrupt sometimes snow covered dolerite peaks of the Mount Field National Park. We will then head back to Hobart with along the scenic Derwent Valley.
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- Travel Time is included in Tour duration.
Traveler reviews
Interresting journey,...
Interresting journey, another face of Tasmania island, many mountains and lakes. The lake pedder is beautiful. The guide now well the nature and informe you about the variety present in Tasmania. I recommanded if you want discover more of this beautiful island.
An enjoyable and informative experience
Some amazing scenery! It is a long drive, but guide David filled in the time with lots of information about the history, flora and fauna of the area. While I could have driven myself, paying for someone else to do the driving was well worth it. I could relax and enjoy the serenity of the area as well as learn about it.
'Private' Educational Tour Out!!
As we had only 2 of us, we had a private closeup explanations of the tour, short hike in the rainforest and beach and of course Gordan Dam..with the rainy weather, it was quite wet though David had prepared extra windbreakers for us. Note: The creepy crawly walk might need you to bend up and down the pathway.
Lakes Pedder and Gordon
David is a geologist, and passionate about wild life, plants, ecology and the Tasmanian wilderness. He talked almost non-stop about what we were seeing and gave the background to all the discussions leading to the the flooding of Lake Pedder and the creation of the Gordon dam. He was apolitical and receptive to all questions. A long day but well worthwhile. Rod H
Empty quarter of Tasmania full of sights
The southwest of Tasmania is a different world from the rest of the island and indeed the rest of the nation. When we boarded, our guide, David, warned us it would be wetter and colder than we might expect. In fact rain all day did not dampen his enthusiasm or patter, and we all loved the views and learned a lot. Gordon dam is an amazing feat of engineering.