Windermere: St Matthias’ Church on the Tamar River

Windermere combines church history with activities on the water. St Matthias’ Anglican Church stands in Windermere on the Tamar River; a public boat ramp is located right beside the church. A heritage-listed landmark and a practical access point to the water sit side by side. This gives you two different reasons to plan a visit: the history of the church and cemetery, or fishing and boating.

St Matthias’ Anglican Church and the cemetery

St Matthias’ Anglican Church is a heritage-listed landmark in northern Tasmania and is one of Australia’s oldest rural churches. It has been in continuous use since its founding. Its historical significance therefore goes hand in hand with its ongoing use as a church. The church is surrounded by a peaceful cemetery. Its place among Australia’s oldest rural churches gives St Matthias historical significance beyond Windermere, while its location on the Tamar River maintains its direct connection to the area.

The cemetery currently contains 54 identified burial sites and 121 additional unmarked graves. The number of identified burial sites may change.

A 20-minute smartphone audio tour of the cemetery offers insights into the lives of pioneer families. It has its own focus: the stories of people’s lives, not just the graves themselves. Check whether the tour is available before your trip if it is important to your visit. The 20 minutes refers to the audio tour, not the length of an entire visit to the church and cemetery; this makes it easy to include the tour as a separate block of time in your day’s itinerary.

The figures and the audio tour answer different questions: the figures distinguish between identified and unmarked burial sites, while the tour offers insights into family histories.

Fishing, boating and Windermere Road

The Windermere Pontoon is suitable for fishing and for getting on and off boats. The concrete ramp beside the pontoon is used to launch small to medium-sized recreational boats. The distinction is practical for planning: the pontoon is for fishing and moving between land and boat, while the ramp is for launching boats. Check the condition of the facilities before using them.

Fishing is also an activity associated with Windermere Jetty.

The scenic drive along Windermere Road is an easy detour from the East Tamar Highway. If you enjoy the drive itself as part of your travel experience, you can plan the road as a scenic leg of its own. Road conditions can change; check them before setting out.

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Discover more destinations: Taranna, Branxholm, Derwent Bridge, New Norfolk, Gladstone, Tinderbox, Grassy, Poatina

Go to the main travel overview: Tasmania.