Explore the region
North West & West Coast Tasmania
Devonport, Burnie, Stanley, Cradle Mountain, the Tarkine and Tasmania’s West Coast.
Use the collections below to move from an overview of the region to detailed guides for its towns, landscapes, history and routes.
01
Places to explore
Towns, neighbourhoods and landscapes across the region.
Image credit: Tirin, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestArthur River, Tasmania
Plan Arthur River with supplies, weather, reserve access and respect for Aboriginal cultural landscapes.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestBlythe River, Tasmania
Understand the Blythe River through its estuary, gorge country, angling access, mining history and present catchment management.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestBoat Harbour Beach
Visit Boat Harbour Beach with current facility, patrol, parking, walking and day-use information.
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Image credit: Seeboundy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestCorinna, Tasmania
Plan a Corinna visit around the Pieman River barge, remote roads, short walks, weather and limited services.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestDevonport
A guide to Devonport’s river, waterfront, maritime role, Aboriginal heritage and practical place as a base for north-west Tasmania.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestDoctors Rocks
Visit Doctors Rocks carefully, with current coastal-path access, wildlife etiquette and sea conditions in mind.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestDon, Tasmania
Explore Don through its river, heritage railway, coastal headland and walking connections to Devonport.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPlace · North West & WestFern Glade Reserve
Walk Fern Glade Reserve for riverbank forest and patient platypus viewing, with current access, dog and facility advice.
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Things to do
Walks, attractions, parks and practical local guides.
Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsAttraction · North West & WestBurnie Park
Visit Burnie Park for an easy urban green-space stop, checking paths, facilities and waterfall conditions after rain.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsAttraction · North West & WestBurnie’s Beaches and Shore
Explore Burnie’s shore as a working urban coast, with beach conditions, penguin habitat and port boundaries in mind.
Read the guide →Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsAttraction · North West & WestCentral Coast Beaches
Choose Central Coast beaches by access, conditions and current dog zones across Penguin, Ulverstone, Turners Beach and Leith.
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Image credit: Thennicke, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsOutdoors · North West & WestCradle Mountain
Plan a Cradle Mountain visit with current shuttle, parks-pass and weather advice, plus realistic choices for Dove Lake and alpine walks.
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Image credit: Seeboundy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsOutdoors · North West & WestDismal Swamp: Current Access and Redevelopment
Check the current status of Dismal Swamp before travelling and understand what remains from the former Tarkine Forest Adventures attraction.
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Image credit: Joshua Tagicakibau, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsOutdoors · North West & WestLake Mackintosh
Plan boating, fishing or camping at Lake Mackintosh with current access, weather and hydro-operation checks.
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Image credit: Steven Penton from Bakers Beach, Tasmania Australia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsWalk · North West & WestLeven Canyon
Plan the Leven Canyon circuit with its steep connecting stairs, cliff hazards and current track conditions understood.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsOutdoors · North West & WestRomaine Reserve
Use Romaine Reserve’s paths and open space while understanding its wetland habitat, facilities and links to Burnie’s reserve network.
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History and heritage
Stories that explain the region’s communities and built landscape.
Image credit: Taspictures, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North West & WestA history of Stanley
The history of Stanley through Aboriginal Country, the Van Diemen’s Land Company, its port, farming district and changing coastal community.
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Image credit: Avi1111 dr. avishai teicher, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHeritage · North West & WestBalfour, Tasmania
Understand Balfour’s mining remains, the demanding Balfour Track and the permits, weather and heritage care needed before a remote visit.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North West & WestBurnie railway history
Trace how rail connected Burnie’s port with mines, farms and industry, and understand what remains today.
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Image credit: Aussie~mobs, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North West & WestBurnie: Birth of a City
Trace Burnie’s first streets, port and transport connections without reducing the city’s growth to a list of street-name anecdotes.
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Image credit: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North West & WestBurnie: history and heritage
A history of pataway / Burnie from Aboriginal Country and company settlement through mining transport, pulp and paper, and modern reinvention.
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Image credit: MorrisWinston at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North West & WestCrotty Dam and Lake Burbury
Understand the King River Power Scheme and plan safe recreation around Lake Burbury and Crotty Dam.
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Image credit: Synyan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHistory · North West & WestDevonport History and Heritage
Trace Devonport from Aboriginal Country and the settlements of Formby and Torquay through port, rail and city development.
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Image credit: Steven Penton, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsHeritage · North West & West CoastDon to Melrose Railway
Trace the Don line from horse tramway and limestone railway to today’s heritage trains and preservation workshops.
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Road trips and day drives
Routes that connect nearby places with manageable travel days.
Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · North West & WestBass Highway Road Trip
Plan the Bass Highway as a working intercity road with separate coastal stops rather than a continuous scenic lookout drive.
Read the guide →Image credit: NAPARAZZI, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · North West & WestBeyond Central Burnie
Build a practical half-day or full-day circuit through Fern Glade, Guide Falls, Upper Natone and the coastal districts around Burnie.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · North West & WestCastra Road Drive
Drive Castra Road through North Motton, Sprent and Upper Castra with narrow-road care and a separate plan for Leven Canyon.
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Image credit: Synyan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · North West & WestCreated from Chaos Coastal Trail
Follow the Created from Chaos geotrail through north-west coast rocks, lava, glacial deposits and safe roadside stops.
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Image credit: Gary Houston, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsRoad trip · North West & WestWaratah and Hellyer Gorge Drive
Plan the inland drive from Burnie through Hellyer Gorge to Waratah with road, weather and stop-by-stop advice.
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More from this region
Browse more published guides and reference articles from across the region.
North West & West Coast Tasmania
- A history of Stanley→
- Arthur River, Tasmania→
- Balfour, Tasmania→
- Bass Highway Road Trip→
- Beyond Central Burnie→
- Blythe River, Tasmania→
- Boat Harbour Beach→
- Burnie Park→
- Burnie railway history→
- Burnie: Birth of a City→
- Burnie: history and heritage→
- Burnie’s Beaches and Shore→
- Castra Road Drive→
- Central Coast Beaches→
- Corinna, Tasmania→
- Cradle Mountain→
- Created from Chaos Coastal Trail→
- Crotty Dam and Lake Burbury→
- Devonport→
- Devonport History and Heritage→
- Dismal Swamp: Current Access and Redevelopment→
- Doctors Rocks→
- Don to Melrose Railway→
- Don, Tasmania→
- Dundas, Tasmania→
- Fern Glade Reserve→
- Gawler, Tasmania→
- Granville Harbour→
- Gunns Plains→
- Hampshire, Tasmania→
- James Monaghan Dooley: Surveyor and Parliamentarian→
- Kimberley, Tasmania→
- Kindred, Tasmania→
- Lake Cethana→
- Lake Mackintosh→
- Latrobe, Tasmania→