STRAHAN
After a long and challenging five-hour drive from Mt Field through winding roads, icy patches and heavy frost, we finally arrived in the beautiful harbour town of Strahan on the shores of historic Macquarie Harbour. It was a relief to settle into our accommodation, which overlooked the harbour and provided stunning views from our room. One of the highlights of our stay was the Gordon River Cruise on the Spirit of the Wild, which I had booked well in advance. Crossing Macquarie Harbour through the infamous Hells Gates, where the harbour meets the Southern Ocean, we learnt about Tasmania's salmon and trout farming before entering the tranquil Gordon River. The Gordon River is famous for its dark, tea-coloured water, stained by natural tannins released from centuries of decaying button grass, tea tree and other native vegetation throughout the surrounding wilderness. Rather than making the water dirty, these tannins create an extraordinary natural mirror, producing almost perfect refl...