Before we left Derwent Bridge, we walked to part of Lake St Claire which is part of Cradle Mountain National Park. The fresh air filled our lungs and the walk along the forest park and lake was a great kickstart to the day. Back in the car but close by was a stop called The Wall. It showcased the most amazing wood carving I have ever seen.

We had a rule. If we saw a brown tourist sign, we would stop. Although I did pretend to be blind to some of them, most were certainly worth the effort to stop. The Franklin River walk was one of those. It is said the wilderness is good for your sanity and I was beginning to believe that. The fast flowing waters of the Franklin framed by the flora and fauna was just the beginning of what we were going to see in the Wild West.

Next stop was the discontinued copper, silver and gold mine at Mount Lyall. Great views across the mine and over to Queenstown. We stopped for lunch in Queenstown, a frontier mining town, but apart from a great bakery we didn’t really feel the tourist vibe for this town. So we continued on to Strahan where our accommodation was at the Regatta Point Tavern. Maybe it’s the water that attracts us but Strahan is a really pretty town set around Macquarie Harbour and is the gateway to world heritage listed wilderness.

Our expedition today is a Gordon River cruise. Upon leaving the harbour, the ship took us past all the salmon farms before we hit Hells Gates. This treacherous bit of water is the entrance to the Southern Ocean and believe me it is aptly named, very rough. Then from one extreme to another, we hit the Gordon River. The calm, still, peaceful waters reflected the mirror image of the banks as we navigated deeper down the river. It was at this moment I think I really appreciated and understood the efforts of Bob Brown and his team from the Greens Party. This wilderness area is unlike anything else I have experienced.

Our cruise took us to Sarah Island. This penal settlement once housed 500 of Britain’s worst felons. Whilst the island is extremely beautiful, I can only imagine the brutality of trying to survive in this harsh climate and environment. This river cruise is a must do!

That night, we attended a play called The Ship That Never Was. It was held in a cold tin shed and we were given blankets to keep warm. It required a lot of audience participation and the cast turned all the hand sanitising Covid measures into a humorous part of the show. It was based on a true story and if half of this is true, it’s a remarkable tale. It is Australia’s longest running play and if you’re ever in Strahan…….

The following day we had a half day trip on the West Coast Wilderness Railway. This railway is a reconstruction of the Mount Lyell Mining Railway between Queenstown and Strahan. The trip takes you deep into the wilderness. Again I marvel at how all this was built without all the modern equipment and technology we have now. It’s over a rugged terrain in the harsh wilderness with some breathtaking views.