Gordon River Cruise Tasmania

Wander * Explore * Discover
May 13, 2022
3 min read

Updated: 14 hours ago

Gordon River Cruise Tasmania

The Gordon River Cruise in Strahan is one of Tasmania’s most iconic wilderness experiences, offering a peaceful journey deep into the heart of the Tasmanian World Heritage Area. Gliding across the dark, mirror-like waters of Macquarie Harbour and into the tranquil Gordon River, the cruise reveals untouched rainforest, ancient landscapes, and wildlife that feel a world away from modern life. With towering Huon pines, silent river reflections, and the soft sounds of the forest surrounding you, this unforgettable cruise is a beautiful way to experience Tasmania’s wild west coast and connect with its extraordinary natural beauty.

Two main operators offer Gordon River cruises from Strahan — World Heritage Cruises and Gordon River Cruises — both providing comfortable, informative journeys into Tasmania’s spectacular World Heritage wilderness.

Click here to see Gordon River Cruise options and book today!

We chose to cruise with Gordon River Cruises, and here are the highlights we enjoyed on the day.

The Gordon River Cruise departs daily at 8:30 a.m. from Strahan on the West Coast of Tasmania. During the cruise, you will cross Macquarie Harbour to Hell's Gates, silently cruise along the Gordon River and disembark at Heritage Landing and Sarah Island.

The cruise is approximately 6 hours, and lunch and commentary are included. There are toilets on board and a bar where you can purchase drinks and snacks.

Hell's Gates & Salmon Fish Farms

After departing the wharf, we cruised across Macquarie Harbour and out to the notorious Hells Gates, where the harbour and the Southern Ocean meet.

Hell's Gates is the entrance to Macquarie Harbour, one of Australia's most dangerous harbours. The channel entrance is exceptionally shallow and narrow, only 120 metres wide.

Lighthouses on both headlands overlooking the entrance warn about the dangerous conditions. The cruise then heads back across Macquarie Harbour to the Atlantic salmon farms, where we learnt about salmon farming on the west coast of Tasmania.

Gordon River

Then, we quietly cruised along the Gordon River, taking in the breathtaking scenery and enjoying the tranquillity of this beautiful World Heritage-listed wilderness.

We saw the beautiful reflections of the temperate rainforest surrounding us in the mirror- still waters of the Gordon River. We also sawAncient Huon Pines, sassafrass, leatherwood, celery-top pine, and myrtle trees.

Heritage Landing

The first stop was at Heritage Landing, where we disembarked and walked along the elevated boardwalks through the temperate rainforest. We saw lush rainforest plants, sassafras, myrtle and an ancient Huon pine tree.

After we were back on the boat, a lovely buffet lunch was served on board that included Smoked Salmon, Chicken, Ham, and condiments as well as several salads and crusty bread rolls. We enjoyed lunch as we cruised back along the Gordon River.

Sarah Island

The last stop of the day was Sarah Island, Tasmania's oldest convict settlement and one of the severest penal establishments in the history of transportation to Australia. You can join a guided tour (included in the cruise ticket) or explore the 8-hectare island yourself; there are interpretation signs around the ruins.

This is a stunning island with a shocking and fascinating history. The buildings are mostly ruined now, but the natural beauty is breathtaking.