Southwest Wilderness Camp

Come with us on a journey...

Let the everyday melt away with the ultimate Tasmanian nature experience. Spend three adventure-packed days exploring the remote Southwest wilderness of Tasmania, staying at our private camp and enjoying delicious meals prepared from local produce and tasting the best wines that the region has to offer. At over 4500sq km, the Bathurst Harbour Marine Reserve is three times the size of Sydney Harbour and is the ultimate destination for nature lovers with opportunities to see the rare and endangered Orange Bellied Parrots, visit Aboriginal middens and caves and explore the remote waterways via your private boat.

Explore the magnificent Huon Pine forest on the Old River and the untouched Celery Top Islands. During our stay, we can take a walk on untouched beaches, see wildlife or even climb a mountain. All trails are graded easy to moderate.

Your unforgettable experience begins by air, in a twin-engine Islander aircraft and landing at Melaleuca, the only way to get access to this remote area. During the flight, we witness the grandeur of this lost world and see icons of Tasmania’s world-renowned wilderness such as Federation Peak, the Western Arthur Range, Precipitous Bluff and the rugged south coast.

Arriving at Melaleuca, we board our purpose-built vessel to explore the magnificent waterways of the Port Davey Marine Reserve before making our way to the exclusive SouthWest Wilderness Camp.

Our friendly and experienced guides will be your link to this spectacular wilderness area, giving an entertaining and insightful interpretation of the region. Also highly skilled in the kitchen, our guides will also look after you and prepare your delicious meals, too!

The Southwest Wilderness Camp experience gives you a fantastic opportunity to see untouched wilderness, in one of the planet’s last remaining temperate rainforests. Breathe the cleanest air in the world, while staying in eco-friendly comfortable accommodation with hot showers, enjoying quality Tasmanian food and wine.

Jump aboard

Your flight to the Southwest is just the beginning of this incredible multi-day adventure in the wilderness.

Visit with friends

Great for small groups, our boutique eco-friendly camp can house up to eight people in comfort.

Experienced guides

Our guides are passionate about the Southwest, having spent many years exploring the area and hosting groups from all over the world.

Everything included

All meals and refreshments are included - expect a hearty feast of great locally produced food and wine to keep you fueled for adventure.

Day 1

Departure from Cambridge Airport

Our tour begins with a spectacular scenic flight to the Southwest National Park. Following the coast, past Bruny Island to Cockle Creek, we’ll fly along the tough South Coast Track with its wild beaches, thick rainforests and mountain ranges. During the flight, we take in Precipitous Bluff, Mt La Perouse, Ironbound Range and remote Maatsuyker Island. We’ll also fly over the ancestral home of the Needwonnee people, who occupied Louisa Bay for thousands of years.

Arrival at Melaleuca

Landing at the abandoned tin mining settlement of Melaleuca, we’ll visit the bird observatory to see rare and endangered Orange-Bellied Parrots, which can be seen in the area typically between October and March. Then we’ve got time to explore the old tin mine and take a stroll along the Needwonee walk. We’ll then head off on the boat to our private Southwest Wilderness Camp, where we’ll spend some time settling in and have lunch.

Bathurst Harbour and Celery Top Islands

We’ll head out to Bathurst Harbour after lunch, and visit the untouched Celery Top Islands for a forest walk (depending on the tidal conditions). Cut off and preserved since the end of the last ice age, these islands are a unique time capsule of the area. We’ll then stop at Forest Lag for a walk up TV Hill and a look at Claytons’ Corner.

Relax!

After a busy day exploring the area, we’ll enjoy a fully-prepared gourmet dinner with Tasmanian wines, and spend the evening winding down.

Day 2

Bramble Cove and Mt Milner

After a hearty cooked breakfast, we’ll travel by boat through the Bathurst Narrows with its 800-metre mountains rising from the sea towards the picturesque Bramble Cove. Here we have the option of walking up Mt Milner with its beautiful views of Port Davey and the Bathurst Narrows. We’ll enjoy lunch at one of the hidden coves along the way.

Breaksea Island

Next we head out to Breaksea Island, cruising along the protected side, witnessing the array of native bird life at the mouth of Port Davey and the Caroline and Shanks Islands. We then visit an ancient aboriginal ochre cave at Schooner Cove, visit the grave site of Critchley Parker Jr. – a walker who perished exploring the “New Jerusalem” – and take a stroll along beautiful Balmoral Beach before heading back to camp for dinner and relaxation.

Day 3

Mt Beattie

We’ll enjoy a cooked breakfast and consider the option of taking a walk up Mt Beattie. This 2.5-hour return walk is graded easy to moderate and offers impressive views of the whole area. If the tide and weather permits, our other option is a visit to an ancient Huon Pine forest found on the shores of the Old River. Afterwards, we’ll head back to the camp for some lunch and pack up.

Departure from Melaleuca

We’ll return to Hobart by aircraft via Port Davey, the Bathurst Narrows and then overland to the rugged Western Arthur Range, to spectacular Federation Peak, Mt Picton, the Hartz Mountain National Park and the Huon Valley.

Arrive back in Hobart

Southwest Wilderness Camp

$2495/person

3 days, 2 nights
All food and drinks included
Boutique camp accommodation
Return flights from Hobart to Melaleuca

BOOK THIS TOUR

"I’d be happy if no one else came here as the isolation is part of the appeal. My three days here was wonderful, despite the area living up to its reputation for wild weather. But then, that’s part of the experience & you add another layer. Can’t wait to return."

"Three days and two nights based at the luxury Southwest Wilderness Camp provided us with an unforgettable experience, allowing us to explore the incredible waterways and majestic wilderness of Bathurst Harbour and Port Davey. We thoroughly enjoyed all excursions on offer in this amazing area. Thank you to our host and guide Greg, ably assisted by Dave, who provided first class meals and excellent care for all our needs which ensured a most comfortable and rewarding stay. Their vast knowledge of the area and its history enriched our experience no end, as did their company and conversation around the dinner table. We would thoroughly recommend a stay at the Southwest Wilderness Camp as a unique and WOW travel destination."

"We had three days/two nights with Greg and Pete. They took us to amazing places, including up two mountains, lunch on a pristine beach, into water systems and into Port Davey Marine Reserve. These guys love where they live and have been part of the history of the people who lived here, including Deny King - what a legend. We learned about the original indigenous people and how they lived. We ate well, enjoyed endless stories about the people and the land, laughed and were treated to experiences we never could imagine. The small planes we came and went on were expertly and professionally piloted. We felt safe and so well looked after."

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Southwest Wilderness Camp

Southwest Wilderness Camp

Come with us on a journey...

Jump aboard

Visit with friends

Experienced guides

Everything included

Sample itinerary

$2495 per person

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