The North West of Tasmania has some of the world’s cleanest air and is scattered with many natural and man-made attractions. The North West contributes towards Tasmania’s economy through agricultural output like vegetable produce, dairy farming and cattle farming. The North West is home to the towns of Devonport, Burnie, Ulverstone, Stanley and Wynyard. The region’s geographical features are diverse: deep forest and wilderness backs onto agricultural land and mining towns.

Places of Interest

Devonport is the biggest town of the North West region and offers a range of activities including sailing, rowing and walking tours. The Bass Strait Maritime Center and the Tiagarra Aboriginal Center are notable attractions, and those who are looking for photo opportunities can take the Eastern Foreshore Heritage Walk. A trip to this area isn’t complete without a visit to the Don River Railway, a steam and railway enthusiast’s paradise.

If you are travelling on the Bass Highway from Launceston; make a point to stop at Latrobe. Latrobe features stately colonial and Victorian architecture and is famous for antique shops and arts and crafts galleries.

Burnie is an important industrial center and port city and features attractions like the Makers Workshop (where paper is made by hand) and the Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden featuring wildlife, bridges, waterways and over 20,000 plants. The Pioneer Village Museum, The Cheese Shop and Hellyers Road Distillery are other interesting places in Burnie.

The Bass Highway then leads to Stanley, with Wynyard and Boat Harbor being interesting stopovers along the way. Stanley is a small but a pretty fishing harbor and features ‘the Nut’, a distinctive volcanic plug. The Savage River National Park and the Tarkine Wilderness can be easily accessed from Stanley.