Introduction to Strahan

Pure Tasmania is offering accommodation and holiday package deals for Strahan, to suit every type of travel experience. Strahan has long been one of Tasmanias most popular holiday destinations, now with Pure Tasmania we have created some excellent experiences to make your holiday at Strahan a memorable one.

Strahan History

From its beginnings as the location for bushmen seeking precious Huon pine, Strahan became the railway port for a rich copper mine inland. Deep in Macquarie Harbour south of Strahan, a notorious convict settlement was established on Sarah Island. Further south, the Gordon River flows through ancient Tasmanian rainforests into the harbour.

Unlike other holiday destinations like, Freycinet's sunny coastlines and Cradle Mountain's rugged alpine peaks. Strahan's landscapes are wild and elemental - waves, weather and World Heritage Wilderness are the keynotes for this unique holiday destination.

Take a train ride into history on the West Coast Wilderness Railway - follow the tracks of miners and piners hiking trail - experience mirror-perfect reflections on the Gordon River with Gordon River Cruises - taste fresh local Tasmanian seafood - feel the power of Southern Ocean swells as you stroll along Ocean Beach.

Strahan Village is your West Coast base for exploration and accommodation - offering warm welcomes after each day of wilderness discovery and holiday adventure.

Set on a quiet bay of Macquarie Harbour, Strahan is a picturesque Tasmanian waterfront holiday town with an abundance of character and a variety of stories to tell of the West Coast's pioneering days.

Strahan Village offers 141 deluxe accommodation style rooms designed to complement the seaside atmosphere, including the luxuriously appointed Waterfront Executive Suites, spacious Harbour View Suites set on the hilltop, Waterfront holiday Cottages and Terraces designed to echo the history of the region, with outlooks over the waterfront or rainforest.

Room facilities include doonas, TV, STD/ISD telephone with internet access, tea and coffee making faclilities, fridge, iron, ironing board, hairdryer, television, clock radio, electric blankets and heaters.

There are many accommodation options available, our Pure Tasmania Holiday Planner make it easy for you to plan your ultimate Strahan holiday.

Food & Wine

Strahan has always been a working fishing port - today, the town's lobster boats and long-liners still tie up at the wharf to unload their catch, not far from Lady Jane Franklin II, the sleek Gordon River cruise boat.

Fresh, sweet and succulent, a West Coast lobster (Tasmanian crayfish to the locals) is a rare treat.

In quiet corners of Macquarie Harbour, the floating rings of marine farms dot the surface - Tasmanian Atlantic salmon and ocean trout thrive in the chilly waters. Strahan restaurants offer the freshest salmon and trout you'll ever taste - direct from net to plate.

To accompany the West Coast's unforgettable seafood, a Tasmanian chardonnay, riesling or sauvignon blanc is the perfect choice.

Nature & Wildlife

Like Freycinet in the east and Cradle Mountain to the north, the harbourside village on the edge of the wilderness is the perfect accommodation for your holiday explorations of the natural world beyond.

On a Gordon River Cruise from Strahan you'll glide past riverside rainforest with ancient trees that took root 2000 years ago - time disappears on the walk into the forest from World Heritage Landing.

Near the fearsome entrance to Macquarie Harbour, tiny Bonnet Island is home to colonies of penguins and shearwaters - on summer evenings, watch them return to their burrows after a long day at sea.

Cape Sorell's windswept landscapes look west from Tasmania to the vast Southern Ocean - the remote beaches are criss-crossed by the tracks of seabirds and foraging animals.

Deep within the harbour, heaths and moorland around Kelly Basin shelter one of the rarest bird species on Earth, the endangered orange-bellied parrot.

On the West Coast Wilderness Railway, experience the Tasmanian rainforest close-up and marvel at steep-sided river gorges. All of these natural wonders await you on your perfect Strahan holiday.

Strahan Village

This was a wild, tough, rollicking little town - the harbourside home of Tasmanian piners, fishermen, miners and railwaymen. Now one of the most awe inspiring holiday destinations in Tasmania, Strahan Village offers the best in Strahan holiday accommodation.

From Strahan wharf, the fishing boats chugged out to meet the dangers of the Southern Ocean - they still do today. From Railway Point in Strahan, the ore train made its return journey to the copper mines in Queenstown - today, the same trains follow the same track as the West Coast Wilderness Railway climbs through gorges in the rainforest.

On the banks of the mighty Gordon River, bushmen felled Huon pines, seeking the fragrant golden boat-building timber that never rots. Flushed out into the harbour by winter floods, the precious logs were gathered together and floated to Strahan, where sawmills were busy. In the port of Strahan, a working sawmill still processes Huon pine, using fallen logs collected from the beaches of the harbour. But in the Tasmanian forests today, the axes are silent as the Lady Jane Franklin II glides past ancient Huon pines still growing on the banks.

How to get here

From the south, the drive from Hobart to Strahan takes about five hours, allowing for a short break at Lake St Clair. Leave Hobart on Brooker Avenue through the northern suburbs. At Granton, follow the Lyell Highway (A10) through New Norfolk, Hamilton and Ouse. Pause at Lake St Clair then take your time on winding mountainous sections of the road.

From the north, it's a comfortable 1.5 hour drive from Cradle Mountain, taking the A10 through Tullah, Rosebery and Zeehan.

While at Strahan

Where to dine on your holiday

• While staying in Strahan accommodation take time out to enjoy Macquarie Restaurant, set on the hilltop overlooking Macquarie Harbour, sampling the freshest seafood straight from the harbour's icy waters. Enjoy Tasmania's finest cool climate wines and beers as you watch the sun set over the harbour.
• Or head down to the village to Hamers Hotel and hear tales of the past from locals whose families have lived in the area for more than 100 years. With sumptuous bistro dining and a great selection of Tasmania's wines and beers, immerse yourself in the Strahan lifestyle.

Guest and Accommodation facilities at Strahan Village include:

• Ensuite facilities
• Some fully equipped kitchens
• Daily room service
• Visitor Information Centre
• Live theatre
• Gift shop
• Iron, ironing board and hairdryer in every room.

Strahan Village Accommodation

Pure Tasmania features a selection of Strahan Accommodation. Our Holiday Planner includes accommodation options suitable for most budgets.

Strahan Village Waterfront Cottage Holiday Accommodation: There's your choice of individual spa cottages, executive spa suites and terrace accommodation. Set right on the esplanade these superb 4 to 4 1/2 star waterfront cottages are all stylish and tastefully decorated.

If your are unsure about your holiday accommodation requirements for Strahan you may like to take a look at our Special Offers, with great discounts on available accommodation and holiday experiences.

View Special Offers and Accommodation for Strahan