There are plenty of places in Tasmania that feel remote, but few have a name quite as fitting as Edge of the World.
Located at Gardiner Point near Arthur River on Tasmania’s rugged north-west coast, Edge of the World looks out across an immense stretch of Southern Ocean. With waves crashing onto rocky shores, huge pieces of driftwood scattered along the coastline and almost nothing between you and South America, it is one of Tasmania’s most memorable road-trip destinations.
Getting there is part of the adventure. Arthur River sits around 290 kilometres, or 3½ hours, from Launceston, making it a fantastic destination for travellers with a rental car who want to get beyond Tasmania’s better-known tourist routes and experience the wild landscapes of takayna / Tarkine.
Why is it called the Edge of the World?
Standing at Gardiner Point, the name suddenly makes sense.
Look west from the coastline and there is an extraordinary uninterrupted stretch of ocean before reaching land again thousands of kilometres away in South America. Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service describes the area as connected to the longest uninterrupted expanse of ocean on the planet, stretching between Tasmania and Argentina.
The famous Edge of the World plaque overlooking the ocean adds to the feeling of standing at the end of the earth, but the real attraction is the landscape itself.
This part of Tasmania is directly exposed to the Roaring Forties, powerful prevailing winds that travel across the Southern Ocean. They produce enormous swells that continually batter the coastline, shaping the rocks, dunes and beaches surrounding Arthur River.
It is wild, windswept and very different from Tasmania’s sheltered east coast.
Where is Edge of the World?
Edge of the World is located at Gardiner Point at the mouth of the Arthur River, within the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area in Tasmania’s far north-west.
Arthur River itself is approximately:
- 3 hours 30 minutes from Launceston – 290km
- 2 hours 30 minutes from Devonport – 195km
- Around an hour beyond the Smithton area, depending on your route and stops
The drive from Launceston is long enough that we recommend making it part of a north-west Tasmania road trip rather than trying to race there and back in a single day.
Stanley or Smithton make excellent bases if you want to explore the region over several days.
Driving from Launceston to Arthur River
One of the best things about visiting Edge of the World is the journey.
From Launceston, head towards Tasmania’s north-west coast, passing through or close to Devonport, Burnie and Wynyard before continuing towards Stanley and Smithton.
From Smithton, the landscape becomes increasingly remote as you travel west towards Marrawah and Arthur River.
Rather than thinking of the drive purely as a way of reaching Gardiner Point, give yourself time to explore along the way. Tasmania’s north-west is packed with beaches, historic towns, forest walks, lookouts and local food producers.
With your own Launceston rental car, you can turn what would otherwise be a long drive into one of Tasmania’s great road trips.
Exploring Gardiner Point
You don’t need to complete a lengthy bushwalk to experience Edge of the World.
The Gardiner Point day-use area provides access to the coastline and an accessible viewing platform overlooking the Southern Ocean. Barbecue and toilet facilities are also available at the site.
Take your time here.
Walk towards the lookout, watch the waves hitting the coastline and look at the enormous pieces of driftwood that have been carried ashore. Discover Tasmania specifically highlights the logs and driftwood piled along this exposed section of coast as one of Gardiner Point’s defining sights.
On a rough day, the ocean can be spectacular. On a calmer day, the isolation is perhaps even more noticeable.
Either way, this isn’t somewhere you’ll want to jump out of the car, take one photo and leave.
Experience some of the cleanest air in the world
There is another unusual reason to take a deep breath while you’re standing at Gardiner Point.
Tasmania’s north-west coast is renowned for exceptionally clean air due to the enormous stretch of ocean lying to its west. Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service highlights the area’s clean air as part of what makes the Edge of the World experience unique.
With strong winds coming straight off the Southern Ocean and little development surrounding you, it’s difficult to find many places that feel quite as removed from everyday life.
Discover Arthur River
Don’t drive all this way without spending some time around Arthur River itself.
The small settlement sits beside its namesake river, surrounded by forest, coastal heath and the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area. River cruises operate in the area and provide another way to experience the wilderness away from the exposed coastline.
Arthur River is also a good place to stop for lunch, stretch your legs or simply enjoy the contrast between the relatively peaceful river and the pounding Southern Ocean a short distance away.
The Parks and Wildlife Service notes that the surrounding grasslands and forests provide habitat for wallabies, pademelons, wombats, Tasmanian devils and numerous bird species, so keep an eye out as you explore.
Make Edge of the World part of the Tarkine Drive
If you have the time, Edge of the World fits perfectly into a takayna / Tarkine road trip.
The official Tarkine Drive follows around 125 kilometres of road through rainforest and coastal wilderness, with Edge of the World one of its major stops. The main Tarkine Drive route is sealed and includes numerous short walks, picnic areas and lookouts.
Some worthwhile stops include Sumac Lookout, overlooking the Arthur River and surrounding forest, and Julius River Forest Reserve, where short rainforest walks take around 30–40 minutes.
Trowutta Arch is another highlight. A short rainforest walk leads to an unusual natural limestone arch and sinkhole surrounded by thick vegetation.
Put them together and you have the ingredients for an outstanding day of driving through one of Tasmania’s least-developed regions.
Do you need a 4WD?
You do not need a 4WD simply to visit Edge of the World using the main roads.
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service confirms that conventional two-wheel-drive vehicles can use the main arterial roads through the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area without a recreational driver pass.
However, this region also contains dedicated recreational and off-road tracks. These are very different from the main tourist routes and may require a suitable 4WD and recreational driver pass.
If you’re travelling in a rental car, stick to roads permitted under your rental agreement and don’t assume that because a road or track appears on a map your vehicle is allowed to use it.
The Western Explorer south of Arthur River, for example, includes unsealed sections, so check your planned route and rental conditions before continuing beyond the main sealed road network.
Take care around the coastline
The dramatic ocean is one of the biggest attractions at Edge of the World, but it deserves plenty of respect.
Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service warns that sea conditions around the Arthur-Pieman Conservation Area can be wild and unpredictable.
Stay well back from breaking waves and avoid climbing onto exposed rocks simply to get a better photograph. Conditions can change quickly, particularly when the Southern Ocean swell is running.
The weather can change just as quickly. Even during summer, bring a jacket and something waterproof. This is one Tasmanian attraction where a bit of wind arguably makes the experience even better.
When is the best time to visit Edge of the World?
Edge of the World can be visited throughout the year.
Summer provides longer daylight hours, which are particularly useful if you’re combining Gardiner Point with other attractions along the Tarkine Drive.
Autumn and winter can deliver moodier weather and spectacular ocean conditions, although you should allow additional driving time when the roads are wet.
Whatever the season, aim to arrive with plenty of daylight remaining. Wildlife is also more active around dawn and dusk, so take extra care when driving through rural and forested areas.
Make it a north-west Tasmania road trip
Edge of the World becomes even better when you build a few days around it.
A great itinerary could include Stanley, where you can explore the historic seaside village and The Nut, before staying overnight around Stanley or Smithton.
The following day, continue to Arthur River and Edge of the World, then explore some of the Tarkine Drive before returning to your accommodation.
With another day available, visit Trowutta Arch, rainforest walks and lookouts throughout takayna / Tarkine.
It is a part of Tasmania that rewards travellers who aren’t in a hurry.
Explore the Edge of the World with a Tasmania rental car
There’s something pretty special about following the road west until you eventually run out of Tasmania.
Edge of the World at Gardiner Point isn’t about major attractions, shops or elaborate tourist infrastructure. It’s about standing beside a wild ocean, feeling the Roaring Forties coming off the water and realising just how remote Tasmania’s north-west coast really is.
And because getting there involves travelling through some of the best scenery in northern Tasmania, the drive is every bit as memorable as the destination.
Pick up your Redspot rental car, point it towards Tasmania’s north-west and take the road all the way to the Edge of the World.