Strahan: River Cruises, Rainforest and History
Accommodation in Strahan
Strahan invites you to experience nature and history in different ways: on a cruise, along rainforest trails, or through a stage production based on an event from 1834. This selection helps you plan your trip around your preferred focus, rather than treating every experience as the same kind of excursion.
On the Water and in the Rainforest
Commercial cruises from Strahan provide access to Macquarie Harbour and the Gordon River. Gordon River Cruises and World Heritage Cruises take passengers through Hells Gates and into the Gordon River. For cruises associated with Strahan, Sarah Island is the final stop; it was the site of the former penal colony. The cruise thus combines a journey on the water with a stop that recalls the former penal colony.
For a different kind of nature experience, you can reach Hogarth Falls from Strahan via the cool-temperate rainforest in Peoples Park. Here, the focus is on the trail through the forest to the waterfall, rather than a river cruise. The two options therefore differ in their basic form: a journey on the water or a walk through the rainforest.
Walks, Station and Train Ride
The Strahan Historic Foreshore Walk is on The Esplanade in Strahan and runs from West Strahan Beach to Regatta Point Station. Along the way, the trail passes galleries and historic information panels. Regatta Point Station is also the designated boarding point in Strahan for a historic train ride into the rainforest on the West Coast Wilderness Railway. These two different experiences meet at the station: the walk is a route with galleries and information panels, while the railway is a train ride. Check current operating information for the train ride before your trip.
A Story on Stage
The Ship That Never Was is a classic pantomime production by the Round Earth Company in Strahan. Its historical subject is based on the 1834 escape attempt by ten convict shipwrights, who stole the Frederick. The production was created from this event. While the Foreshore Walk passes galleries and historic information panels, the pantomime tells a specific incident as a stage play.
The seasonal schedule lists daily performances at 5:30 pm from September to May at the Richard Davey Amphitheatre. Check current dates before your trip.
Compare Experiences by Type
For planning a trip together, it helps to compare the different formats: the Foreshore Walk combines a route with galleries and information panels, while the stage production tells the story of the Frederick as a pantomime. The railway takes you into the rainforest on a historic train ride, while the cruises combine waterways with a stop at Sarah Island. You can first consider whether a walk, a performance, a train ride or a cruise best suits your group’s interests.
Explore More Destinations
Explore more destinations: Southport, Beaconsfield, Hawley Beach, Smithton, Gravelly Beach, Bridgewater, West Kentish, Currie.
For the broader travel overview: Tasmania.
