North West

Tasmania’s North West forests contain a wide range of easily accessible environments.

Within a few hours drive there are towering eucalypt forests, open plains of buttongrass and heathland, magnificent rainforests and mysterious blackwood swamps.

 

A large part of the north-west is State Forest, managed by Forestry Tasmania, primarily for timber and multiple use. Most of the timber that comes from the north-west is hardwood from the eucalypt forests, but the area is also renowned for its ‘special species timbers’. Timber from trees such as Blackwood, Myrtle, Celery Top Pine and Sassafras is valued for furniture making, craftwood, panelling and veneer wood.

These forests are also managed for a wide range of values besides timber production including water quality, landscape, wildlife, recreation and honey production. Each year, the North West Forests beehive sites produce about 140 tonnes of the unique Leatherwood honey, about a quarter of Tasmania’s total production. If you visit in summer, look for the white flowers of the Leatherwood tree.

The recreation opportunities in this corner of the state are many. If you feel like getting active in State Forest, why not ride a horse, trail bike, canoe, raft or even walk your dog? Should you feel like relaxing, there are sites where you can have a picnic or barbecue, take a short walk or even try your luck at catching a fish.

Most of the roads in the area are unsealed but easily manageable by cars at all times of the year. Please watch out for the wildlife and be aware of logging traffic.