Middle of the West coast, at the end of Lyall Highway, 260 km from Hobart. The only town on the west coast of the island, this remote spot predictably began life as a settlement for the more dedicated class of criminal. Now it’s become one for a similar class of tourist. The town itself is situated on a fine natural harbour. Nearby is 30-km-long Ocean Beach, the longest on the island, and famous for its sunsets and its whale skeletons. (Whales are still occasionally washed up here as they migrate north from Antarctica.)

But the big attraction is the nearby Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.  On the Esplanade and elsewhere in town you’ll find outfits offering a range of organized tours through the park – on foot, on mountain bike, in 4WD. The best way to see the park, if you can afford it, is by air. For this, try Wilderness Air at Strahan Wharf.