Afternoon Catamaran, Seasonal Run

Afternoon Gordon River Dinner Cruise runs through World Heritage Cruises. Rated 4.9 across 23 reviews. Runs 6 hours (approx.). From A$160.

Overview

World Heritage Cruises checks passengers in at its booking office on the Strahan wharf from 2.30pm, for a 15:15 departure. The catamaran is then out on the water for roughly six hours. Neither the rainforest of the South West Wilderness nor the ruins of Sarah Island can be reached except from the water, so a boat deck is the practical way to see both, with a buffet dinner of local specialties served on board along the way.

The skipper provides live commentary as the boat heads up the Gordon River, and local guides work the deck. There are two shore stops: a boardwalk through the rainforest, and a guided tour of the Sarah Island convict settlement. Upper deck seating adds afternoon tea and a beverage to the dinner that comes with every seating option, and extra drinks and snacks can be bought on board. The cruise finishes back at the wharf where it started.

Most travellers can join. Wheelchair access is on the main deck only, pushchairs are welcome, children ride along with an adult, and infants aged 0 to 2 sit on laps without their own seat. The catch is the calendar: departures run only from 27 December to 16 January, and the vessel carries up to 210 people, so this is a large seasonal operation by design.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Check in at the wharfMeet at the booking office at 18 Esplanade on the Strahan wharf, where boarding tickets are held for collection. The vessel is moored behind the office.
2. Board the catamaranSettle in as the boat cruises out from Strahan, with live commentary from the skipper and local guides on board.
3. Rainforest boardwalk stopStep ashore for a walk through the rainforest of the South West Wilderness on a boardwalk beside the Gordon River.
4. Sarah Island guided tourGo ashore again at the former convict settlement for a guided tour of the island and its ruins.
5. Dinner on boardA buffet dinner of local specialties is included with all seating options. Extra drinks and snacks can be purchased on board, and upper deck seating adds afternoon tea and a beverage.
6. Return to StrahanThe cruise ends back at the wharf behind the booking office where it began.

What To Expect From The Tour

A handful of practical details shape the day, from the check-in routine at the wharf to what the buffet is actually like.

• Check in early. Check in at the booking office at 18 Esplanade from 2.30pm, half an hour before the 15:15 departure. Boarding tickets are held at the office for collection, so allow time to pick them up. The vessel sits directly behind the office.
• Dress for weather. The cruise operates in all weather conditions and the listing advises dressing appropriately. Warm layers are the sensible preparation for a trip that starts mid afternoon and stays on the water into the evening.
• Food opinions split. Dinner is included with all seating options, and upper deck seating adds afternoon tea plus a beverage. Reviews divide on the meal: one traveller rated the dinner very good, while two others wished for a hot option or a stronger showcase of Tasmanian produce.
• A big boat. The vessel carries up to 210 travellers, so expect plenty of company on deck. Several reviewers still singled out the crew as friendly, which matters on a boat of this size.
• Guides and commentary. Live commentary comes from the skipper, with local guides on board and a presenter on Sarah Island. Reviewers pointed to the history of the Gordon River, including how the damming of it was ceased, and to the First Nations history covered on board, as parts they remembered.
• Kids and mobility. Children must come with an adult, and infants aged 0 to 2 sit on laps without an allocated seat. Wheelchair users have access on the main deck only, pushchairs can come aboard, and service animals are allowed.

Common issues. This cruise only departs between 27 December and 16 January, and there are no departures at all from 17 January to 26 December. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not offered, so travellers make their own way to 18 Esplanade on the Strahan wharf, and the vessel carries up to 210 people. The sharpest criticism in the reviews concerns the food, with two travellers wanting a hot meal option or more local produce on the buffet, though another called the dinner very good. Cancelling inside 24 hours of departure forfeits the fare, and the operator can cancel for poor weather or low numbers, in which case a different date or a full refund is offered.

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