Marrawah is Tasmania's
western most settlement and the furthest settlement from Hobart.
It lies at the western end of the A2 - a tiny outpost at the
end of the sealed road servicing the surrounding rich farming
and dairy area.
A
surfer’s idea of heaven when the waves are pumping,
Marrawah is on Tasmania's remote and rugged far northwest
coast.
The Marrawah
Tavern is a pub is a bit of a shrine to the great local surf
and the people brave enough to get into it.
The walls of
the tavern may be covered with surfing photos.
The major attractions in the area include walks along the
coastline, the important Aboriginal carvings at Mt Cameron
West and Sundown Point, and cruises along the beautiful reaches
of the Arthur River.
The Arthur River
has always presented an obstacle to exploration of the area.
Up to the 1950s the only way to cross it was by hand operated
cable-drawn punt.
Hand operation
was replaced by a diesel motor and then, in 1968, a single
track bridge was built across the river.
The family owned
Arthur River Cruises on the M.V. George Robinson leave Arthur
River at 10.00 a.m., travel upstream for 70 minutes, include
lunch and a walk in the riverside rainforest, and return to
Arthur River by 3.00 p.m.
In this all-but
empty country, the last Tasmanian tiger was captured in the
wild. It happened long ago, but over the years, there have
been many intriguing reports of sightings in the same area.
At one time there
was a tram line that ran from Irishtown to Marrawah. It opened
in 1921 but closed in 1963.
Marrawah is just
as significant for its important Aboriginal historic sites.
You can see carvings and art along the coastline at Sundown
Point and Mount Cameron West. The artworks are widely recognised
as the most intricate examples of Tasmanian Aboriginal art
ever discovered.