Gordon River Cruises - Strahan Tasmania
 

Enjoy a comfortable cruise across Macquarie Harbour on the beautifully appointed Lady Jane Franklin II then journey up the mighty Gordon River, with its ancient Huon pines and perfect reflections. Explore a World Heritage rainforest with trees thousands of years old and the convict settlement of Sarah Island.

After cruising across Macquarie Harbour you'll glide past waterfalls and the magnificent mirrored reflections of the Gordon River before stepping ashore at Heritage Landing. Here you can walk into the green silence of the rainforest to see trees 2000 years old. However, there's a lot more on your cruise route than World Heritage wilderness.

You'll see Hells Gate where the harbour opens to the ocean, Tasmania's world-renowned salmon farms, and you'll visit notorious Sarah Island. Walk among the ruins and hear your guide bring the past alive with astonishing stories of when convicts built amazing ships from precious Huon pine.

Lady Jane Franklin II

The Lady Jane Franklin II is a fast, quiet, spacious and environmentally designed cruise ship for the Gordon River. The hull and engine design ensure minimal impact to the pristine wilderness, whilst the interior features create the best possible experience for passengers.
We've designed everything for your pleasure and comfort - there's a play area for children, interpretive facilities including maps, photographs and guidebooks and plenty of deck space to enjoy the freshest air in the world.
With allocated seating there's no need to queue. Relax and enjoy the comfort of our dockside terminal before your cruise. You are also able to move freely about the Lady Jane, take in some of the cleanest air in the world from the open decks and return to your seat any time.
You can select from four seating styles - bow atrium, window recliner and club lounge. All are forward facing spacious and comfortable.
The premium option is the Captain's Premier Upper Deck, with seating for a maximum of 24 people. This is your luxury sightseeing experience - it includes fine food and all beverages, exclusive deck space and a dedicated nature guide. A courtesy transfer is available for Captain's Premier Upper Deck passengers to and from Strahan Village accommodation houses.
Wherever you sit, Lady Jane's floor - to- ceiling windows give you superb views of rainforest and river, mountains and harbour.
Because she's so fast, Lady Jane cruises across the harbour and back to post at around 2:00pm, so you have plenty of time to explore Strahan or experience the range of other activities.

Hells Gate

Huge tidal surges and a sandbar have claimed many vessels over the years at Hells Gate, the narrow entrance to the vast Macquarie Harbour.

At only 120 metres wide, the hazardous Hells Gate has been a challenge for sailors since it was discovered in 1815.

 

The entrance is believed to have been named by convicts in reference to the hellish conditions on the Sarah Island penal colony in the harbour.



 

Sarah Island

The convict settlement at Sarah Island was once Australia's most productive shipyard, turning out almost 100 vessels.

The six hectare island, located in Macquarie Harbour, was a feared penal colony from 1822-33 and ruins of the settlement are still visible today. Convicts built boats from the highly prized native timber, Huon Pine.

Almost 2000 prisoners, officials and military passed through the island before the settlement closed.

World Heritage Walk

Enter the eternal silence of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area on a rainforest walk at Heritage Landing, beside the ancient Gordon River.

Stroll through some of the world's last remaining temperate rainforest, featuring myrtles, leatherwood trees and species of native pines found only in Tasmania.

A raised timber walkway leads through the damp forest to a fallen giant - a 2000-year-old Huon Pine that has fallen to the ground but continues to support new life in the form of saplings.