page_title: South West Wilderness
section_title: Access
hierarchical_section_title: South West Wilderness / Access
context_page_description: The South West Wilderness of Tasmania, Australia is a remote and inaccessible region of South West Tasmania containing unspoilt scenery, rugged peaks, wild rivers, unique flora and fauna, and a long and rugged coastline. Parts of the wilderness are more than 50 km from the nearest road, so the only access to the area is by foot, air or sea.
  It has been known by a variety of names over the last century, and the label has been affected by a number of threats to the region. For some the term The Southwest has been the usual term, while recent maps and tourism promotion material have identified it variously including the Southwest Wilderness and South-West Wilderness.
context_section_description: The South West Wilderness is one of the most remote and inaccessible areas in Australia. No vehicular roads penetrate beyond the edges of the wilderness, so the only access to the south-west of the area is by foot, air or sea.
  There are two formal locations for overnight lodgings located on Lake Pedder. The Ted's Beach campground is located 10 km from Strathgordon on the East bank of the lake. The facilities there include electric barbecues supplied by the National Park Service as well as showers and toilets. The Lake Pedder Chalet is located on the west bank of the lake in Strathgordon and offers full hotel amenities with a restaurant and bar which are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Both of these areas have free boat ramps and both are situated conveniently near the start of the Port Davey Track.
  Two walking tracks (for very experienced walkers only) cross the wilderness. The 54 km Port Davey Track runs from Lake Pedder to Melaleuca and typically takes four to five days to walk. Lake Pedder itself is 75 km from Hobart via the Gordon River Road.
  From Melaleuca the 66 km South Coast Track runs along the southern coast of Tasmania back to Cockle Creek. This section of the walk typically takes between five and nine days. From Cockle Creek at the end of the Huon Highway, the southernmost road in Australia, it is an approximately two-hour drive back to Hobart. There are also some shorter walks that enter the edges of the wilderness from the road access points.
  Alternatively an aircraft drop-off and/or pick-up at Melaleuca can be arranged, although air travel into the area is highly dependent upon the rapidly changeable weather. Light aircraft fly on regular tourist flights from Cambridge Aerodrome near Hobart and offer a way to view the South West Wilderness. Flights take about 45 minutes each way.
  The only other possible access to the wilderness is by boat. There are no regular tourist operations to the area by sea, though a water trip can be coordinated through the tourist flight operator, as well as it offering overnight accommodation in a standing camp. At least one sea kayak touring outfitter leads extended wilderness tours of Bathurst Harbour, using folding kayaks and departing from Melaleuca.
  The area is subject to snow, ice, strong winds, heavy fog and cloud cover at any time of year, but especially in the mid-year months, which means any trip into the wilderness should be taken with caution. Rainfall can be up to 3,000 millimetres (120 in) per year, and the superb views are regularly obscured by low level cloud. This variable and potentially dangerous weather occurs because the wilderness fronts the wild Southern Ocean, where the next landfall is Antarctica to the south and South America to the west.
caption: A tourist aircraft prepares for take-off from the Melaleuca airstrip
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