Southwest National Park

Southwest National Park is Tasmania's largest national park, covering roughly 600,000 hectares — about 10 percent of the entire state — and is one of the most remote and least-visited wilderness areas in Australia. It forms part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Site, alongside Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair, Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers, Hartz Mountains, Mole Creek Karst, Mount Field and Walls of Jerusalem national parks. The park encompasses the entire southwestern corner of Tasmania, a landscape so rugged and inhospitable that it was never settled by Europeans, and its traditional custodians are the Needwonnee people.

The terrain is a dramatic mosaic of buttongrass moorland, wet eucalypt forest, glacial lakes and mountain ranges that look more like southern Canada than Australia. Lake Pedder — a vast glacial lake now also impounded by the Gordon Dam — and Port Davey, one of Australia's only two fjords, are among its most striking features. The park contains about 20 percent of Tasmania's flora, including 118 endemic species and the critically endangered King's lomatia (Lomatia tasmanica). It is also a last refuge for the orange-bellied parrot, one of the world's rarest birds.

The climate is among the most extreme in Tasmania: annual rainfall exceeds 2,000 mm, strong to cyclonic westerly winds are common, temperatures are low, frosts are frequent and cloud cover dominates. The park is best visited in the drier months of late summer and early autumn (February–April), though weather remains unpredictable at any time. Winter brings heavy rain, snow on the ranges and spectacular Southern Lights (aurora australis) viewing opportunities.

By Plane

Hobart Airport (HBA) is the nearest major airport, about 120 km by road from Maydena, the main gateway town on the park's eastern edge. For those heading to Melaleuca in the park's remote southwest, Par Avion offers charter flights and tours from Hobart Airport to the small Melaleuca airstrip — the only way to reach that part of the park without multi-day hiking. There is no scheduled commercial service to Melaleuca.

By Train

By Car / Road

The Gordon River Road (B61) runs from Maydena through the park to Strathgordon at the edge of Lake Pedder, a drive of about 80 km (roughly 1.5 hours) through spectacular scenery of dense forest and moorland. Maydena is about 100 km west of Hobart via the Huon Highway (A6) and the Styx Valley. Fuel is not available within the park — fill up before leaving Maydena or New Norfolk.

For access to the South Coast Track, Cockle Creek (off the Huon Highway near Recherche) provides the trailhead — it is the southernmost point of public road access in Australia and about 120 km from Hobart. The road to Cockle Creek is unsealed for the final section.

The park has limited road access: the Gordon River Road reaches Strathgordon, and a spur road (Scotts Peak Road, C607) leads to the Huon Campground and Red Knoll Lookout on the shores of Lake Pedder. Beyond these roads, the park is accessible only on foot or by boat. There is no public transport within the park, no fuel and no shops. A high-clearance vehicle is recommended for some of the unsealed sections. Campfires are banned except in designated campgrounds; only fuel stoves are permitted.

Lake Pedder and Red Knoll Lookout — a vast glacial lake framed by mountain ranges, with the Red Knoll Lookout (end of Scotts Peak Road) offering fjord-like views across the water. The scenery is especially dramatic in winter when the surrounding peaks are snow-capped.

Gordon Dam — a 140-metre-high concrete arch dam on the Gordon River at Strathgordon, one of the largest in Australia. Guided tours may be available; contact +61 3 6230 5111.

The Gordon River Road — the drive from Maydena to Strathgordon is an attraction in itself, passing through some of Tasmania's most pristine forest and moorland with frequent lookout points.

Melaleuca — a tiny settlement (permanent population around 5) accessible only by plane or multi-day hike, and home to the Deny King Museum, which documents the life of the miner-naturalist who lived here for decades. Melaleuca is one of the last strongholds of the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot and a key birdwatching site.

Port Davey — one of Australia's only two fjords, accessible by boat (Tasmanian Boat Charters operates tours) or on foot via the South Coast Track. The remote inlet is surrounded by untouched wilderness.

Eliza Plateau — a high moorland area with sweeping views across the park's interior.

Whale Lookout (Fishers Point Track, Recherche) — a coastal lookout with a whale statue and views over the bay. In winter (June–August), the surrounding mountains are often covered in snow and ice.

South-East Mutton Bird Islet — part of the Mutton Bird Islands Group and the Port Davey Islands Important Bird Area, identified by BirdLife International for its breeding seabirds including short-tailed shearwater, fairy prion and black-faced cormorant.

• South Coast Track — an 85-kilometre multi-day bushwalk traversing Tasmania's remote south coast between Cockle Creek and Melaleuca, usually taking 6–8 days. One of Australia's great wilderness walks, passing through rainforest, buttongrass moorland and along wild beaches. Advanced booking is required.
• Port Davey Track — a challenging multi-day walk (4–5 days) from the Scotts Peak Road area to Port Davey, through pristine buttongrass plains and rainforest. Remote and exposed to weather.
• Lake Pedder wilderness experience — scenic driving, short walks and photography around Lake Pedder and the Gordon Dam area, accessible to all fitness levels.
• Birdwatching — the park is a critical habitat for the orange-bellied parrot at Melaleuca (best seen November–March), as well as other rare and endemic species across the moorland and forest.
• Aurora viewing — Southwest National Park's extreme southern location and lack of light pollution make it one of the best places in Tasmania to see the Southern Lights, particularly in winter months.
• Boat tours — Tasmanian Boat Charters operates tours of Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour, offering access to the fjord and its surrounding wilderness.

Dining options within the park are extremely limited. The Lake Pedder Lodge (Gordon River Road, Strathgordon) offers meals for lodge guests and visitors — it is the only food service in the park. Outside of the lodge, there are no restaurants, cafés or shops. All hikers and campers must carry their own food. Campfires are banned except in designated campgrounds; only fuel stoves are permitted.

There are no bars, cafés or dedicated drinking establishments in the park. The Lake Pedder Lodge serves beverages to guests. Tap water is not available — carry all drinking water with you or treat water from streams (boiling or filtration recommended). The park's remote streams are generally clean but should be treated as a precaution.

• Budget: Huon Campground (Port Davey Track, near Scotts Peak Dam; phone +61 1300 827 727) — 10 sheltered campsites with toilets, fireplaces; caravans permitted. Free. Teds Beach Campground (near Strathgordon) has toilets and electric barbecues. Free. Camping is also available at designated spots along the South Coast Track and Port Davey Track.
• Mid-range: Lake Pedder Lodge (Gordon River Road, Strathgordon; phone +61 3 6280 1166; [email protected]) — the only lodge in the park, offering comfortable rooms and meals in a wilderness setting. > TODO: Current nightly rates not confirmed in source; contact directly.
• Upscale / heritage: There is no upscale accommodation within the park. The nearest luxury options are in Hobart or the Huon Valley. Multi-day guided walking tours (such as those offered by Tasmanian Expeditions) include camping as part of the experience and provide a premium wilderness experience.

There are almost no shops or commercial outlets within the park. All supplies — food, fuel, camping equipment, maps — must be purchased before entering the park, ideally in Hobart or Maydena. The Deny King Museum at Melaleuca may have basic informational materials, but there are no general retail facilities.

• Maydena (at the park boundary, 80 km from Strathgordon) — a small town that serves as the main gateway to the park, with basic supplies and the Maydena Bike Park mountain biking trails.
• Mount Field National Park (about 45 km east of Maydena, 1 hour drive) — Tasmania's oldest national park, with the spectacular Russell Falls, tall eucalypt rainforest and alpine tarns at higher elevations.
• New Norfolk (about 60 km east of Maydena) — a historic Derwent Valley town with antique shops, the Agrarian Kitchen cooking school and Willow Court historic site.
• Hobart (about 120 km east, 2 hours drive from Maydena) — Tasmania's capital, with MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), Salamanca Market (Saturday), Mount Wellington and a vibrant food and wine scene.
• Hartz Mountains National Park (about 70 km southeast of Maydena via Geeveston) — another Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage park, with short walks to glacial lakes and alpine tarns with views toward the southern ranges.