Hobart Great Lake and Central Plateau Tour

The only one day (9.5 hour) driving tour to the Great Lake and Central Plateau, including wilderness, highland lakes and a veteran hydro power station. Your local guide David, learned relevant scientific disciplines at the University of Tasmania and worked for the organization that manages the lakes. Tour a 1916 Hydro power station, capture its stories and charm. Drive to the massive Great Lake to see the Miena dams, Reynolds Island and absorb the birds eye view at the Great Lake Lookout. Then stroll among rare pencil pines to behold pristine Pine lake. We then take in the alpine rainforest, dramatic escarpment and views of Northern Tasmania at the Liffy Forest Lookout. In addition, enjoy the great highland scenery as we drive to and from Hobart.

Meeting Point

Hobart

Hobart TAS 7000, Australia

corner of Elizebath street and Davey street, in front of the Tasmanian Travel and Information Centre

What to expect:

Duration: 9 hours, 30 minutes

Bothwell

Bothwell, Tasmania

Drive through Hobart and Southern Midlands farming district to the historic highland town of Bothwell. Here we see heritage buildings including the local post office which is a mid-1800s two-Storey Colonial Georgian building. You will be able to pick up hot drinks during this stop.

1 hour, 30 minutes

Waddamana Power Station Heritage Site

Main Road, , Waddamana, 7030, Tasmania

We drive through farmland and forest to the small settlement of Waddamana. Here you will visit Hydro Tasmania's first power station which was the centre-piece of the Great Lake Power Scheme. Your local guide will share with you the story of its rise and dramatic fall. You will also see antique power generation equipments that is more than a hundred years old and hear stories of some of the local pioneers.

1 hour, 15 minutes

Arthurs Lake

Arthurs Lake TAS 7030, Australia

Drive up onto the central plateau and pass the historic hydroelectric lake which is called Penstock Lagoon.
Entering through the fishing village of Flintstone, guests will experience an expansive view of Tasmania's fourth largest lake and its islands. Guests will also see the historic pumping station that pumps water up to the great lake.
Then we will stop at the Arthurs Lake Road house for a warm lunch purchased by guests.

1 hour, 5 minutes

Great Lake

Great Lake, Central Plateau TAS 7304, Australia

At the Miena Dam travelers will see the large rock fill dam and the historic 1922 parly submerged concrete arch dam and see sweeping views o the Great Lake Tasmania's third largest lake. We take a schenic drive along the shore of this giant lake telling its stories and pointing out places of interest. We make a stop at Reynolds Neck and embark on an investigative walk to determine if Reynolds Island the lakes largest is actually an island. We continue our scenic drive past Breona and learn how the pioneers delivered the cement and built the 1922 Miena Dam without trucks or rail access.

1 hour, 15 minutes

Great lakes lookout

Central Plateau TAS 7304, Australia

We receive a birds eye view of thre Great Lake, its islands and surounding moorlands, forests and mountains. A great moment to get your camera out.

25 minutes

Pine Lake

Pine Lake, Central Plateau TAS 7304, Australia

We will have a short walk to the pristine Pine Lake through a forest of rare pencil pines which only grow in Tasmania. Your locak guide will bring this into focus with his Tasmania University studies in botany, geology, rivers, and lakes.

20 minutes

Liffey Forest Lookout

Highland Lakes Rd, Liffey TAS 7301, Australia

We will arrive at the Lookout to witness the steep rocky Escarpment and smell the leafy rainforest, where the central Pateau high country dramatically drops away towards the north

5 minutes

Kempton

Kempton, Tasmania

We will have a short stop at this histoic midlands town and admire its heritage building

10 minutes

Central Plateau

Central Plateau TAS 7304, Australia

We will pass through the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Central Plateau Conservation area section. Here we will stop at Pine Lake and the Liffey Forest Lookout mentioned as attractions, but beyond these we will see as we drive:
Alpine boulder fields
Rats castle mountain
Alpine rainforest
Rare Tasmanian Pencil Pines
Snow gum forests
Tasmainian apine plants

Pass by without stopping