From Hobart: Gordon Dam and Lake Pedder Wilderness Day Tour

Gordon Dam is the star here: you walk across a 140m-high arch dam, then look down into the gorge and across to Lake Gordon. It is an unusual, slightly nerve-testing way to see Tasmania’s hydro country, and guide David adds useful detail from his own work with Hydro Tasmania.

I like the small group of up to 10 and the mix of rainforest, beaches, lookouts, and engineering. I also like that Lake Pedder is treated as more than a photo stop, with time to walk beside the water and hear about its geology, plants, and troubled past. The tradeoff is a long day, about 9.5 hours, with several hours on the road and a good number of stairs.

Key points to know before booking

• Walk across Australia’s highest arch dam: The Gordon Dam crossing gives you views into a gorge about 35 stories below.
• Explore Lake Pedder from several angles: You visit the shore at Teds Beach, stop at the lookout, and see the lake’s unusual colours and glaciated mountains.
• Hear local stories from David: His background includes university-level study of botany, geology, lakes, and rivers, plus work connected with Hydro Tasmania.
• Travel in a small air-conditioned minibus: With no more than 10 people, the day feels more personal than a large coach trip.
• Expect a full day outdoors: Bring sturdy shoes, water, sun protection, and rain gear. Sandals and flip flops are not suitable.
• Plan and pay attention to the physical demands: The tour is not suitable for children under 8 or wheelchair users, and the dam visit includes roughly 185 to 196 stairs.

Why the Gordon Dam makes this tour different

Many Tasmanian day trips focus on mountain views, wildlife, or coastal scenery. This one adds a major piece of hydro engineering to the mix. Gordon Dam curves across the Gordon River gorge, and the walk takes you onto the dam wall itself.

From the top, you can look toward the steep gorge and forest on one side, then turn toward Lake Gordon on the other. The change in view is quick and dramatic. You are not simply looking at a dam from a roadside platform. You are walking across it, with the drop below you and the water storage behind you.

The wall is about 140m high, and the base of the gorge sits roughly 35 stories below. If heights bother you, you can still enjoy the setting without forcing yourself to stare over the edge. If you like a little tension in your sightseeing, this is the moment that gives the day its strongest sense of adventure.

The visit also includes stairs. The supplied details describe 185 steps back to the road, while one booking account counts 196 steps. Either way, you should expect a substantial climb. Comfortable shoes matter, and anyone with knee, balance, or mobility concerns should think carefully before booking.

The morning drive from Hobart to the Southwest

Meet at the Tasmania Travel and Information Centre at 20 Davey Street, on the side facing Elizabeth Street, at 8am. The opening section gives you views over the Derwent Estuary, Hobart’s northern suburbs, and nearby mountains before the city gradually gives way to farmland and forest.

The first break is in historic New Norfolk. You have about 20 minutes there to pick up lunch and a hot drink at a local bakery. Since food is not included, this stop is important. You can buy what you need for the day, though you should not expect a long café visit or a full sit-down meal.

After New Norfolk, the road passes farmland and tall eucalyptus forest. The drive is part of the day rather than dead time, with scenic views and commentary from David. Still, be realistic: this is a remote wilderness trip, and the road sections take up a large share of the schedule.

The listed route includes scenic driving periods of about 35, 50, 35, and 40 minutes before the main Lake Pedder stops. Later, the return includes drives of about 75 and 80 minutes, plus shorter sections and a break at a viewpoint. If you want a tour with constant walking or frequent stops, this will feel slow. If you enjoy watching Tasmania change from settled country to remote forest, the road helps tell the story.

Creepy Crawly Walk and the temperate rainforest

The Creepy Crawly Walk is the first proper nature walk of the day. It lasts about 40 minutes and takes you into temperate rainforest, with stairs that pass over fallen logs and uneven ground.

This is an easy guided walk rather than a demanding bush hike, but you still need shoes with a firm sole. The setting gives you a close look at the forest floor and the damp, enclosed feel of Tasmania’s southwest. David provides commentary on the plants and natural features instead of leaving you to walk through without context.

I like this stop because it breaks up the driving and gives you a different scale of wilderness. The dam and mountain views are broad and exposed. Here, the interest is closer to the ground, among logs, forest growth, and the track itself.

The word easy should not be confused with fully accessible. There are stairs, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users. If rain has been part of the day, bring the rain gear listed for the trip and expect the path to feel wet.

Teds Beach and Lake Pedder’s unusual colours

Lake Pedder is where the trip begins to feel especially remote. The route moves through steep mountains covered in native button grass before reaching the lake in the Southwest wilderness.

At Teds Beach, you have about 55 minutes for lunch, a guided walk, photographs, and free time. The beach is made from white quartzite sand, which helps explain the pale shoreline and contributes to the striking colours of the lake. You may even choose to take a bare-foot dip, though the water is likely to feel brisk and you should bring a towel if that appeals to you.

This is the best place to slow down. You are not rushing from one viewpoint to another. You can eat, walk beside the water, and listen as David explains the lake’s geology, plant life, and waterways. His university-level background in botany, geology, lakes, and rivers gives the stop more substance than a quick scenic pause.

Lake Pedder also has an important story. Its natural form was altered by hydro development, and the lake remains tied to Tasmania’s long-running arguments about wilderness, dams, and conservation. The tour presents that setting through the place itself and David’s commentary. You will not need to be an expert to appreciate it, but the stop rewards anyone who likes natural scenery with a human story behind it.

The main practical point is lunch. Food and drinks are not included, so use the New Norfolk bakery stop or bring supplies. At $184 per person, it is fair to expect transport and guiding, but you still need to budget separately for your meal and drinks.

Lake Pedder Lookout and the glaciated mountains

The Lake Pedder Lookout gives you a wider view than the shoreline. From above, the lake spreads out beneath rugged, glaciated mountain ranges, with button grass and open country framing the water.

You only have about 10 minutes here, so be ready when the minibus arrives. This is a photograph-first stop, but it is also useful for understanding the shape of the area. At Teds Beach, you experience the lake at ground level. At the lookout, you can see how water, mountains, and valleys fit together.

The short stop means you may not have time for a long walk or a quiet picnic. That is not a flaw so much as a sign of the tour’s broad reach. In one day, you see several parts of the Southwest rather than spending most of the afternoon in one place.

The Nob Hill viewpoint and the final dam views

After Gordon Dam, the group makes a short drive to Nob Hill Lookout. It gives you a higher angle over the dam, and the elevated view helps put the structure into scale.

From here, the dam is easier to understand as part of a large mountain and water system. The stop lasts about 10 minutes, enough for photographs and a quick look before the return journey.

The viewpoint is also a useful second chance for anyone who found the dam wall too close to the edge. You can appreciate its height from a safer distance and see the surrounding forest without looking straight down.

What the small group and guide add

The minibus holds no more than 10 participants, and that matters on a day with several walks and roadside stops. A small group makes it easier to hear commentary, ask questions, and move through the short stops without the delays common on a large coach.

David is a major part of the tour’s appeal. His local Tasmanian background is paired with study in botany and geology, and he has first-hand knowledge of the Gordon hydro system from work with Hydro Tasmania. He has even helped determine the volume of the dam storage, which gives his explanation of the engineering a personal connection.

The best part of a guide like this is not a long list of facts. It is the way the facts link the scenery together. The forest, lake, dam, and mountains stop feeling like separate attractions. They become parts of one water and wilderness system.

The tour runs in English and includes a sound system in the minibus. That is helpful during the driving portions, when road noise or distance from the front could otherwise make commentary hard to follow.

Is $184 a fair price?

At $184 per person, this is not a cheap sightseeing bus ride. It is a full-day trip into a remote part of Tasmania, with transport from central Hobart, national park and World Heritage Area entry, guided walks, several viewpoints, and a small group.

The value is strongest if you do not have your own vehicle or do not want to drive long distances on unfamiliar roads. You also get a guide who can explain the dam, lake, plants, and geology. That level of interpretation is hard to reproduce with a rental car and a few signs.

The price is less attractive if you mainly want a short Gordon Dam photo stop. You pay for the long journey, the rainforest walk, Lake Pedder, and the guide’s commentary. You also pay for lunch and drinks separately, and the day runs from about 8am until 5:30pm.

For a visitor with limited time in Hobart, the tour combines several remote sights that would be difficult to arrange independently in one day. For a family seeking an easy, flexible outing, the age limit, stairs, and long drive may make the cost harder to justify.

Who will enjoy this day most?

I would choose this tour if you like:

• Remote Tasmanian scenery more than city attractions
• Small groups and direct access to a local guide
• Light nature walks rather than a full-day hike
• Dams, engineering, geology, and conservation stories
• Big views mixed with quieter shoreline and forest stops
• A full day with plenty of driving between destinations

You should think twice if you dislike minibus travel, need frequent facilities, or want a relaxed schedule with long periods at each stop. The itinerary is packed, and several visits last only 10 minutes.

Wear comfortable walking shoes, carry water, and pack sunscreen, a sun hat, and rain gear. Do not bring large bags or luggage. Smoking is not allowed in the vehicle, and alcohol and drugs are prohibited. Unaccompanied minors cannot join, and children under 8 are not accepted.

Should you book the Gordon Dam and Lake Pedder tour?

Book it if you want to reach Tasmania’s Southwest without driving yourself and you value explanation as much as scenery. The combination of Lake Pedder’s white quartzite shore, the Creepy Crawly rainforest, and the Gordon Dam walk gives the day real variety.

I would be especially keen to book this for a small group of adults who can manage the stairs and do not mind a long road day. David’s background adds depth, and the tour can still operate with a very small number of participants, as shown by a trip that went ahead with only two people.

Skip it if you want a gentle, short outing, need wheelchair access, or cannot manage the dam stairs. For everyone else, $184 is a reasonable price for a remote, guided day that reaches places far beyond Hobart’s usual sightseeing circuit.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts and returns to the Tasmania Travel and Information Centre at 20 Davey Street in Hobart. Meet on the side facing Elizabeth Street.

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about 570 minutes, or 9.5 hours. It starts at 8am and is expected to return around 5:30pm.

Is hotel pickup included?

No. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You need to meet at the Tasmania Travel and Information Centre.

Is lunch included?

No. Food and drinks are not included. The tour stops in New Norfolk so you can buy lunch and hot drinks at a local bakery.

How large is the group?

The tour is limited to 10 participants and operates in an air-conditioned minibus.

What language is the tour in?

The live guided tour is conducted in English.

Are children and wheelchair users able to join?

Children under 8 are not accepted, and the tour is not suitable for wheelchair users. The walks and Gordon Dam visit include stairs.

What should I bring?

Bring comfortable shoes, a sun hat, sunscreen, water, and rain gear. Sandals and flip flops are not allowed, and large bags or luggage should not be brought.