Five towns to stop by on Tasmania's West Tamar Highway

Getting in the car and heading off on a weekend away or a day trip to small and medium-sized towns down the highway can be a fulfilling experience with hidden gems and great local hospitality. Here are a few highlights down Tasmania's West Tamar Highway.

From: As the name suggests, this highway runs up the west bank of the Tamar River from Launceston in the south to Greens Beach on Tassie’s north coast.
Named after: The Tamar River that flows from Launceston to the sea. Explorer William Patterson named the river in 1804 after the River Tamar in southwest England.
Route number: A7
Length: 65km
Best bit: Near Rosevears the road climbs to Brady’s Lookout which has lovely views across the wide river. It was named after bushranger Matthew Brady who was allegedly a hit with the ladies but not so much the authorities who had him hanged for his criminal exploits.

The highway starts in the middle of Launceston, Tasmania’s second-largest city which has a charming vibe thanks to its steep streets and thriving epicurean scene. Must-visits include Cataract Gorge, a surprisingly wild and rocky area so close to town, a tour of James Boag’s Brewery, or the Queen Victoria Museum (Australia’s largest regional gallery). Find a craft beer bar or gin palace, stroll the verdant City Park, check out the waterfront marina and each Saturday the Harvest Farmers’ Market brings the best local produce into the middle of Launceston. There’s plenty to do!

Not far out of Launceston is the Tamar Island Wetlands Centre, a reserve dedicated to preserving the local estuarine environment and the boardwalk is a pleasant way to stroll about and see some birdlife.

It helps if you’re into wine because the West Tamar’s sunny slopes produce some of Tassie’s best drops including cool-to-warm climate Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Tamar Ridge winery shouldn’t be missed (as well as a tasting, try a local produce platter), but neither should the likes of Holme Oak, Iron Pot Bay and Josef Chromy wineries. In the small town of Exeter is the Tamar Valley Wine Centre which has tastings and sales of many different labels all under one roof, and it does excellent wood-fired pizzas all day as well.

Further up the road is Beaconsfield, the scene of a heroic underground rescue after its gold mine collapse of 2006. That’s in the past though: now the Mine and Heritage Centre is well worth a stop, and if you want more wineries then the town is surrounded by them too.

Beauty Point juts into the river and the town is well named for its waterfront ambience. But it’s also a surprising haven for wildlife and visitors are given front row seats at Seahorse World, a unique aquarium on the town’s pier dedicated to the study and display of these elusive sea creatures. Check out Australia’s most famous warm-blooded water baby at Platypus House, or get out into the coastal wild at Narawntapu National Park to the town’s west. A feed of fish and chips or some other local seafood delight at The River Cafe will keep you going for the day.

Follow the highway a little further north to its terminus at Greens Beach, a quiet hamlet on Bass Strait which is the entry to Narawntapu and has a lovely coastal walk along the Pebbly Beach circuit to the remote Badger Beach.

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