“Hi, I'm Shannon, during the summer of 2011 as a bursary student with Forestry Tasmania, I took the challenge to visit Forestry Tamania's 52 visitor sites.
Keen to conquer some more of these 52 places, I got some friends together and piled into the car one Saturday morning. The weather was looking great and the forecast suggested sunshine all weekend.
We headed up through New Norfolk, along the Lyell Highway, passing through some quaint country towns like Westerway and Maydena. If you love summer fruits, there are plenty of stalls and orchards along this drive to stop off at. I must say I can’t go past fresh raspberries and cherries, and the locals are lovely, showing a great community vibe.
Maydena is located just 75 minutes north west of Hobart, and is the last point of service for everything. Maydena Adventure Hub offers great hospitality, coffee and is the last place to refuel before heading out into the south-west Wilderness. They also have toilets, and now would be a great time for a toilet stop.
From Maydena it’s about a 20 minute drive to the Mt Wedge Nature Trail. The drive is lovely, and from the group of motorbikes outside Maydena Adventure Hub, I am guessing that it is a fantastic ride on a motorbike. It’s very scenic with many rock formations and mountain ranges in view including; The Needles, Tim Shea, Mt Anne, Mt Wedge and the Coronets.
Mt Wedge was our destination, and to get there you follow the Gordon River Road from Maydena until you reach a small pull-off car park with a forestry sign that says ‘Mt Wedge Walk and Nature Trail’. You have to keep your eyes out because it doesn’t exactly jump out at you. If you are unsure, there is an information sign before it, this is just a sign which has a basic map of the road and shows where the different attractions are located along it.
Mt Wedge Walk and Nature Trail, begins in the car park and the nature trail is only about a 15 minute loop walk. It takes you through the wet eucalypt forest, and has informative signs indicating the main species of native flora located in this area. Some of these species include sassafras, stringy-bark, hard waterfern and myrtle. The track is established, but narrow and in some spots you have to climb over fallen logs, it’s not difficult but if you are not up for this I wouldn’t recommend it.
The path is indicated by a series of markers, and if you stick to the track it’s easy to navigate.
Part way through the walk the path comes to a junction, for those who have plenty of time and are well equipped why not take the Mt Wedge walk which takes you up to the top of Mt Wedge. It is a 5 hour return hike, and is not for the faint hearted; but apparently it gives you a fantastic view over south-west Tasmania with all the mountain ranges.
The walk was lovely, and nice and refreshing in the cool temperate rainforest. Gordon River Road continues out onto Lake Pedder and Strathgordon and is a lovely drive if you have the time. However, Strathgordon is the last place on this road, and to get back home you have to head back through Maydena and Westerway as it comes to a dead end.
For more places to visit (click here)
Always check our road and track closure information before setting off on your journey (click here)
52 Places to Visit
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