Strahan is a harbour-side village with a dark and fascinating convict past set on the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

Nestled on the shores of massive Macquarie Harbour, Strahan is the gateway to the World Heritage listed Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.

Strahan is full of stories from the days of convicts and pioneers toughing it out in Tassie‘s wild west. Nearby, in Macquarie Harbour is Sarah Island, once a notorious convict prison and now a powerful reminder of the brutal treatment of Tasmania’s convicts.

These days, Strahan is an iconic travel destination, with shops selling artisan wares and eateries serving up delicious local produce.

There are long stretches of wild ocean beach to explore, massive sand dunes to conquer and forest adventures to be had.

Departing from Strahan on Tasmania’s west coast, there is no better way to appreciate the remarkable tranquility of this UNESCO World Heritage-listed place. From exploring the Gordon River, to the views from Hell’s Gates, to the Convict settlement on Sarah Island, this is a fantastic day out on the water and a great leg rest after 3 solid days on the bike!

Hell’s Gate above, the mount of McQuarrie harbour. Then back up the harbour to Sarah Island,…Hell on Earth

After the cruise tour a group of us went to see a sold out comedy play in a small outdoor theatre, the main actor was the guide we had on the tour. It was a funny reenactment of how 10 convicts built a ship with a plan to mutiny and escape the hell of Sarah Island. They failed but in reality these 10 were eventually released.

Life is good in Strahan!