Strathgordon

Strathgordon
Old dam construction village near the Gordon Power Station
Located 366 m above sea level and 161 km from Hobart on the edge of the vast South West National Park, Strathgordon was originally built in 1969 as a construction village for workers on the HEC damming projects which drowned both Lake Pedder (one of the natural wonders of Tasmania's south west) and Lake Gordon. Between them Lake Pedder and Lake Gordon cover more than 500 sq. km and hold 27 times the volume of water in Sydney Harbour.

Today Strathgordon is a tiny settlement which is only a glimmer of the thriving town which was occupied in the 1970s by workers building the dams. The area has been developed by Hydro Tasmania as a suitable place for trout fishing (a current fishing licence is essential), picnics, barbecues, camping and bushwalking.

Things to see:

Bushwalking in the area
There is plenty of bushwalking available in the area but the rainfall (2658 mm per annum) means that great care has to be taken to protect against hypothermia.

To the south of the town lies the vast Southwest National Park, one of the few areas of genuine untouched wilderness left in Australia. It is a comment on the wildness of this area that the Lithuanian born photographer, Olegas Truchanas (whose photographs of the area have become famous - they were used extensively in the 1983 election campaign), was the first European to navigate the Serpentine and Gordon Rivers. He made the trip as recently as 1958.

All information about walking tracks and scenic viewpoints is available from the Visitor Reception and Information Centre on the decking above the Gordon Dam or from the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife website: http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=3801.

If you want a short walk ask at the Visitors Information Centre about Jack's Track. It is a 30 minute round trip through forest.

Gordon River Road
The Gordon River road is approximately 85km long. It can be accessed just west of Maydena. There is a fee for entering the South West National Park. It is possible to hire an audio tape from the Visitor Centre which provides information about places of interest along the road. There are several viewing points and two picnic areas along the road and there is a short forest walk (about 20 minutes) some kilometres along the road which runs off from Frodsham Pass.