South

The Southern Forests located south of Hobart are mainly wet eucalypt forests because of high rainfall, rich soils and periodic wildfires.

They are spread across a series of large river valleys and adjacent mountainsides. The main rivers include the Weld, the Picton, the Huon, the Arve, the Esperance and the Lune.

After visiting Hastings Caves, why not go via The Hastings Forest Drive back to Dover (*gates may be incurred at times). Here you can see more of how forests are managed and regrown. These healthy native forests and plantations will be used in the generations to come, much in the same way we are using products from the forests that our forebears left behind. Growth and regrowth: it’s a continuous cycle.

On this drive there are short walks and stops to view the forests and their logging history. Some of the tracks form the start of longer walks that access the South-West World Heritage Area National Park.

One of the highlights is the walk to Duckhole Lake, (another one of Tasmania’s Great Short Walks), a flooded sinkhole. Along the walk listen out for the lyrebirds that inhabit this area. The final stop is the Hastings Forest Drive Picnic Area on the banks of the Esperance River: a great place to relax and have a picnic.

We hope you enjoy your visit to the Southern Forests and the opportunity of viewing their sustainable management.