Southwest Tasmania Wilderness Camp

The Southwest National Park is over 4500sq kms, and the Port Davey/Bathurst Harbour Marine Reserve is three times the size of Sydney Harbour. You will be able to take a walk in this world heritage listed area, without the usual hardship that is associated with visiting such a remote wilderness area.

Access to the Southwest Wilderness Camp is by a magnificent flight, in a twin engine Islander aircraft landing at Melaleuca. During your flight you will witness the grandeur of this lost world and see some of the icons of Tasmania’s world renowned wilderness such as Federation Peak, the Western Arthur Range, Precipitous Bluff and Tasmania’s rugged south coast.

Upon at arrival at Melaleuca, you will board a vessel to access the camp and to explore the magnificent waterways of the Port Davey Marine Reserve, with its 800 metre mountains rising from the sea. Your experienced guides will look after you, prepare your meals and give you a thorough interpretation of this spectacular wilderness area.

There will be opportunities to see the rare and endangered Orange Bellied Parrots, visit Aboriginal middens and caves, explore the remote waterways via your private boat including Huon Pine forest on the Old River and the untouched Celery Top Islands, walk on untouched beaches, see wildlife or even climb a mountain if you want to. All walks are graded easy to moderate.

This ultimate experience gives you an opportunity to see untouched wilderness, in one of the worlds last remaining temperate rainforests. You will breathe the cleanest air in the world, while staying in eco-friendly comfortable accommodation with hot showers, enjoying quality Tasmanian food and wine.

Day One

0900 departure, Cambridge Airport. Your tour begins with a spectacular scenic flight to the Southwest National Park, a World Heritage listed wilderness of over 4500 sq Kms. The flight follows the coast, past Bruny Island to Cockle creek, and then following the tough South Coast track with its wild beaches, thick rain forests, mountain ranges and moorlands. During the flight you will have the opportunity to see Precipitous Bluff, Mt La Perouse, the Ironbound Range and remote Maatsuyker Island. We also overfly the ancestral home of the Needwonnee people, who occupied Louisa Bay for thousands of years.

1000 arrival at Melaleuca. At this now abandoned tin mining settlement, we will take to the bird observatory to see the rare and endangered Orange Bellied Parrots. Visit the old tin mine and take a stroll along the Needwonee walk, which tells you part of the story of the original inhabitants of this sometimes harsh wilderness area. After some morning tea we head by boat to our fully set up camp located in the rainforest on the shores of Bathurst Harbour.

After lunch, we will head out to Bathurst Harbour and visit the untouched Celery top Islands for a forest walk and stroll around these remarkable islands. These Islands have been cut off and preserved since the end of the last ice age, making them a unique time capsule of the area. Afterwards, if time permits, we will stop at Claytons in Forest Lag for a walk up TV hill and a look at Clyde & Win Claytons’ house. We then head back to camp and settle in for the evening.

Day Two

After breakfast we will take you by boat through the Bathurst Narrows with its 800 metre mountains rising from the sea, our destination is Bramble cove. We have the option of walking up Mt Milner (2 hours return), which is graded easy to moderate. This walk offers wonderful views of Port Davey and the Bathurst Narrows.

After lunch we head out to the Breaksea Island, cruising along the protected side, where we see the bird life and the mouth of Port Davey and the Caroline and Shanks Islands. On the return journey to the camp, we will show you an ancient aboriginal ochre cave at Schooner cove, visit the grave site of Critchley Parker junior and take a stroll along beautiful Balmoral beach.

Day Three

After breakfast there is the option of taking a walk up Mt Beattie (2.5 hours return). This walk is graded easy to moderate and offers amazing views of the whole area. Another option, if the tide and weather permits, is a visit to an ancient Huon Pine forest found on the shores of the Old River. It’s then back to the camp for some lunch and pack up. We will have another opportunity to see the Orange Bellied Parrots at Melaleuca before your flight home to civilisation.

1600 departure from Melaleuca. Your return flight takes you via Port Davey, the Bathurst Narrows and then overland to the rugged Western Arthur Range, to spectacular Federation Peak, Mt Picton, the Hartz Mountain National Park and the Huon Valley back to Hobart.

More extensive walking options are available for clients who request this