Macquarie Harbour and Gordon River Cruise

Our primary purpose in visiting Strahan was to enjoy the Gordon River Cruise aboard the Spirit of the Wild, which we pre-booked in June 2024. When we boarded, our seat allocation was in the front recliners, which allowed us to look forward and sideways. I would like to know if booking so far in advance secured these seat options for us.

We hope the weather on Wednesday, February 26th, will be favourable and that we will avoid the rain and strong winds typical for this region. The forecast for Wednesday predicts a high of 26 degrees Celsius, partly cloudy skies, light winds, and a chance of showers later in the day. The weather gods might be on our side!

The Spirit of the Wild is owned by the NRMA. We received a $105 discount on our $700 booking fee by presenting our membership card. This price includes access to the Premier Upper Deck, a chef-prepared lunch featuring Tasmanian produce, complimentary Tasmanian red, white, and sparkling wines, and beer. We will enjoy premium leather recliners with full-length windows and a private viewing deck and lounge area. Additionally, the package includes morning and afternoon tea, along with Tasmanian cheese platters. I also forgot to mention a light breakfast will be provided when we board!

The tour lasts six hours, and the ship activates its electric motors when entering the Gordon River to minimize the wake produced by the boat. We will travel over one hundred and twenty kilometres during this trip.

The cruise begins by crossing Macquarie Harbour to Hells Gates, where the harbour meets the Great Southern Ocean.

We passed by the salmon and trout farming nets in Macquarie Harbour on our way towards the Gordon River.

It then continues across the harbour and into the Gordon River, reaching as far as Heritage Landing, where we will walk through a UNESCO World Heritage rainforest and see ancient Huon Pine.

The dark tea colour of the Gordon River is caused by the natural tannins that seep into the river by buttongrass plains growing within the catchment area.

Afterwards, we took a guided tour of Sarah Island, called 'Hell on Earth', Australia’s first convict settlement between 1822 and 1833. The worst convicts and those who reoffended, or escaped from other settlements were sent here.