Evening Departure, Dinner Included

From Strahan: Evening Dinner Cruise on the Gordon River runs through NRMA Tasmania (Gordon River Cruises). Rated 4.5 across 12 reviews. Runs 6 hours (approx.). From A$160.

Overview

Check-in takes place at the Gordon River Cruises terminal on Strahan's main wharf, with the grey Spirit of the Wild pushing off at 3:30 PM for roughly six hours on the water. The vessel runs on a whisper-quiet electric motor. Onboard guides narrate the route with character-based interpretation, working figures such as Captain James Kelly and Lady Jane Franklin into the story, and a chef-prepared buffet dinner is served along the way.

The route runs out through Hells Gates, where Macquarie Harbour meets the Southern Ocean, then across the harbour past the fish farms for the story of salmon and trout farming on the west coast. From there the boat heads up the Gordon River into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage area. Two shore stops break up the sailing: elevated boardwalks at Heritage Landing among sassafras, myrtle and an ancient Huon pine, then the ruins of Sarah Island, the once dreaded penal colony.

It suits travellers happy to spend a long evening on the water with dinner and two guided walks built in. There is no hotel pickup, so everyone makes their own way to the wharf. Seating is allocated by ticket: a main deck option beside the window, or a premier upper deck with leather recliners, a private viewing deck and a complimentary drinks service. Either way, passengers can move around the boat and use the open-air decks between stops.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Depart StrahanThe cruise leaves from the wharf in Strahan on Tasmania's west coast, with onboard guides and character-based interpretation introducing the history of the harbour and the river.
2. Pass Hells GatesThe boat glides through the notorious entrance where Macquarie Harbour meets the Southern Ocean.
3. See the fish farmsCrossing the harbour, the cruise passes the fish farms, where the crew tell the story of salmon and trout farming on the west coast, with a taste of the produce.
4. Cruise the Gordon RiverThe boat heads up the Gordon River into the World Heritage-listed wilderness, with a chance of the river's famous reflections.
5. Walk at Heritage LandingElevated boardwalks thread between the rainforest species, taking in sassafras, myrtle and an ancient Huon pine, with commentary on the local flora and fauna.
6. Explore Sarah IslandGuides lead visitors through the ruins of the once dreaded penal colony, telling convict tales from the island's past.
7. Dinner on boardA chef-prepared buffet dinner is served during the cruise, with drinks and snacks available from the main deck cash bar.
8. Return to StrahanThe boat returns to the original meeting point in Strahan at the end of the cruise.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points are worth sorting before booking, from the afternoon check-in to how the food, drinks and seating tiers actually work.

• Getting to the wharf. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off, so travellers make their own way to Strahan's main wharf. Check in inside the Gordon River Cruises terminal by 3:00 PM for the 3:30 PM departure, or collect a boarding pass the day before. The grey Spirit of the Wild docks behind the terminal.
• Dinner and drinks. The chef-prepared buffet dinner is included. Reviews split on the meal: one traveller called it delicious, others found it average for the price, and one expected a hot meal. Drinks from the main deck cash bar cost extra, while premier upper deck tickets include complimentary Tasmanian wines, beers, juices, tea and espresso coffee, plus canapés.
• Pace of the day. The cruise runs about six hours with two guided walking stops ashore. Seating is ticketed and allocated, but passengers are free to move around the vessel and use the open-air decks while the boat is underway.
• What to wear. Flat shoes help for the two shore walks, which follow elevated boardwalks at Heritage Landing and the paths around the Sarah Island ruins.
• Choosing a deck. Two travellers who paid for the premier upper deck questioned whether the upgrade was worth the outlay, though one praised the staff and boat while the other called the drinks great and plentiful. The premier upper deck adds leather recliners, full-length windows, a private viewing deck and lounge area, and a complimentary open bar. The main deck still places allocated seats beside the window.
• River reflections. The listing presents the Gordon River reflections as a chance rather than a guarantee. Sitting near a window, or making use of the open-air decks, keeps the river in view.

Common issues. The buffet divides opinion more than anything else: one traveller called dinner delicious, others called it average for the price or light on quantity, and one expected a hot meal. Two travellers who paid for the premier upper deck said the boat and service were excellent but doubted the upgrade was worth the extra outlay. One reviewer found Hells Gates unremarkable, just the harbour entrance, and noted that little remains of the Sarah Island ruins, though the storytelling there carried the visit. Access also has limits: wheelchairs work on the main deck only, motor scooters are not permitted, one reviewer found the restrooms down a flight of stairs, and drinks on the main deck cost extra.

Choosing Your Cruise