North West

The rugged interior of Tasmania and a coastline lashed by the Southern Ocean meets nature of a gentler kind, at the northern end of the World Heritage Area. From the jagged mountains and wild beaches of the west coast to the iconic Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, and rolling northwest pastures that make it one of Australia’s prime dairying areas, this region is full of surprises. Seaside towns give way to two cities, Burnie and Devonport (port of the Spirit of Tasmania ships that connect Tasmania to Melbourne and Sydney). Highlights include ancient rainforests, wild rivers, wildlife, world-class cheeses, and the planet's cleanest air - measured officially at the Cape Grim baseline station.