The North West of Tasmania is distinctive for its rich volcanic soil and rolling patchwork quilt of pasturelands. It is particularly famous for Cradle Mountain, the Stanley Nut and Boat Harbour. Increasingly it is becoming famous for the Tarkine wilderness, the world's second  largest temperate rainforest.

In between these icons there are a multitude of natural and cultural attractions. Volcanoes and glaciers of the distant past have  shaped the entire area and have given rise to a great diversity of landscapes and ecosystems. There are a host of waterfalls, lakes, mountains and rainforests, valleys, plains, sand dunes and beaches.

The seaside town of Wynyard, at the base of Table Cape, has a range of quality accommodation and restaurants making it an ideal base to explore the whole North West Coast. It is serviced by an  interstate airport and is 50 minutes from the Bass Strait Ferry. Fishing, golfing, scuba, scenic tours, dining at the jetty, antique cars, wildlife tours and seaside markets are just some of the local options
on offer.

Wynyard itself lies at the base of the long extinct volcano of Table Cape and adjoining Fossil Bluff, a 100 metre high headland with exposed fossil layers. There are abundant historical remains of both European and aboriginal settlement in the area, such as Highfield House in Stanley and the aboriginal middens of Rocky Cape National Park. There are also many artists and photographers who derive their inspiration from this rich environment, particularly in towns like Sisters Beach

Elsewhere on the coast there are galleries, cafes, vineyards, wild rides, abundant short walks, cave tours, mine tours, museums and the list goes on. The wild ride at Dismal Swamp ( a 40 metre fast slide that empties into a rainforested sinkhole) is classed as one of  the top five in the world by the Lonely Planet Guide. If it's a rejuvenating journey you are after, you will certainly be coming to the right place!

Article courtesy of Liz and Steve van Ommen, Seaward Bed and Breakfast, Wynyard http://www.takeabreak.com.au/SeawardBedandBreakfast.htm

More accommodation in the North West of Tasmania, or browse accommodation in Stanley.

For more Delightful Destinations, go to http://www.takeabreak.com.au/VisitorResources.htm