THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Cross Australia’s highest arch dam and stroll the pale sands of Lake Pedder on a full-day trip from Hobart. This guided tour combines temperate rainforest walks, dramatic lookouts and a clear-eyed history of Tasmania’s hydroelectric reshaping.
Cross Australia’s highest arch dam and stroll the pale sands of Lake Pedder on a full-day trip from Hobart. This guided tour combines temperate rainforest walks, dramatic lookouts and a clear-eyed history of Tasmania’s hydroelectric reshaping.
You step off the coach and the air changes: cooler, sharp with eucalyptus and tannin, and the road narrows as the trees close in. The day begins with a highway run past historic towns, then the forest opens, revealing the broad, strangely colored surface of Lake Pedder and the skeletal profile of quartzite ranges rising like raw cliffs.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Island of Tasmania Tours · Strathgordon, Tasmania
You step off the coach and the air changes: cooler, sharp with eucalyptus and tannin, and the road narrows as the trees close in. The day begins with a highway run past historic towns, then the forest opens, revealing the broad, strangely colored surface of Lake Pedder and the skeletal profile of quartzite ranges rising like raw cliffs.
This one-day excursion threads together hydroelectric history, glaciated geology and temperate rainforest. The Gordon Dam — Australia’s highest arch dam — dominates the gorge; its 140m face drops away and forces a new shoreline where the original Lake Pedder once lay. The area’s quartzite peaks were sculpted by ancient ice and weather, and button grass plains and tall eucalypt stand guard on the approach.
Your guide will explain both the engineering that created Lake Gordon and the contentious flooding of the original Lake Pedder, then lead easy, interpretive walks through rainforest where myrtle and sassafras give shade and stories. At Ted’s Beach, the lake’s pale quartzite sand contrasts with tannin-stained water — an ideal spot for lunch and a possible barefoot paddle.
Practically: expect a long day on paved and short walking tracks, a set of 185 steps at the dam, and weather that shifts quickly. Pack waterproof layers, sturdy shoes, sun protection and a refillable water bottle. Photography opportunities are plentiful from lookouts; give yourself time at the dam to look down if you dare. The tour is transport-heavy but rewarding — a concentrated window into Tasmania’s raw, engineered and wild intersections.
moderate.
9–10 hours.
Suitable for people who can handle several short walks, a flight of stairs and a full day on and off a coach; basic mobility required.
The tour is about 9½ hours and includes stops at Maydena, the Creepy Crawly rainforest walk, Ted’s Beach at Lake Pedder, several lookouts and the Gordon Dam.
The paved dam deck is accessible but there are 185 stairs nearby; people with limited mobility should check with the operator beforehand and may still enjoy the lookouts.
Entry to the Southwest National Park and World Heritage Area is included as part of the tour inclusions listed by the operator.
Wear layered clothing, sturdy walking shoes, bring a waterproof, sun protection, a refillable water bottle and a camera for lookouts.
The Gordon Dam and Lake Gordon were created as part of Tasmania’s 20th‑century hydroelectric program; the flooding of the original Lake Pedder sparked one of Australia’s earliest environmental campaigns.
Southwest National Park is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area; visitors are encouraged to minimize footprint by staying on tracks and taking all rubbish out.
Island of Tasmania Tours operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step off the coach and the air changes: cooler, sharp with eucalyptus and tannin, and the road narrows as the trees close in. The day begins with a highway run past historic towns, then the forest opens, revealing the broad, strangely colored surface of Lake Pedder and the skeletal profile of quartzite ranges rising like raw cliffs.
You step off the coach and the air changes: cooler, sharp with eucalyptus and tannin, and the road narrows as the trees close in. The day begins with a highway run past historic towns, then the forest opens, revealing the broad, strangely colored surface of Lake Pedder and the skeletal profile of quartzite ranges rising like raw cliffs.
This one-day excursion threads together hydroelectric history, glaciated geology and temperate rainforest. The Gordon Dam — Australia’s highest arch dam — dominates the gorge; its 140m face drops away and forces a new shoreline where the original Lake Pedder once lay. The area’s quartzite peaks were sculpted by ancient ice and weather, and button grass plains and tall eucalypt stand guard on the approach.
Your guide will explain both the engineering that created Lake Gordon and the contentious flooding of the original Lake Pedder, then lead easy, interpretive walks through rainforest where myrtle and sassafras give shade and stories. At Ted’s Beach, the lake’s pale quartzite sand contrasts with tannin-stained water — an ideal spot for lunch and a possible barefoot paddle.
Practically: expect a long day on paved and short walking tracks, a set of 185 steps at the dam, and weather that shifts quickly. Pack waterproof layers, sturdy shoes, sun protection and a refillable water bottle. Photography opportunities are plentiful from lookouts; give yourself time at the dam to look down if you dare. The tour is transport-heavy but rewarding — a concentrated window into Tasmania’s raw, engineered and wild intersections.