Dismal Swamp
The name doesn’t sound so good, but this swamp at the bottom of a sinkhole provides a fascinating day out. Read this description from the Tasmanian State Government website:
Explore four pathways through Dismal Swamp and open your eyes and your mind to the mystery of life at the bottom of a giant sinkhole.
You never know what you might find on the fascinating journey that unfolds as you descend 40 metres from the Visitor Centre on the sinkhole rim into a world where the spirit of nature and the creativity of Tasmanian artists come together.
Take an enchanting stroll down the walkway to the swamp floor or a gentle buggy ride to discover the delights of a fertile swamp where a decaying log provides a nursery for baby blackwood trees and tiny creatures like burrowing crayfish play a powerful role in survival of the eco-system. Or for the not so faint at heart - ride the exciting 110 metre helter-skelter that shoots you to the bottom in 5 seconds flat!
Launch the interactive map Dismal’s name belies the beauty and natural presence that saved it from the fate of nearby swamps, long ago cleared and drained for farmland. At the bottom of a closed basin, the four boardwalks on the swamp floor make it easy to get to know life in a swamp without getting your feet wet.
Find magical, surprising and moving artwork that emerged from the talents of Tasmanian artists in response to the power of the environment.
Look carefully for small signs of the gangs of men who once worked there, harvesting timber for sawlogs and barrel staves, before the blackwood forest reclaimed its home.
Enjoy Tasmanian food and wine in the café or on the deck overlooking the forest treetops, before or after your journey below. See the enormity and depth of the sinkhole and swamp from the cantilever, suspended off the sinkhole rim at the edge of the deck.
Location
On the Bass Highway, 30 minutes drive south west of Smithton in North West Tasmania.
- Dismal Swamp is open seven days a week
9.00am - 5.00pm November to March
10.00am - 4.00pm April to October.
Closed on Christmas Day - Entry is $20.00 adults, $10.00 children or $45 for a family. Please note - children must be over 8 years in age and of a height exceeding 90cm to ride the slide.
- Facilities and Swamp access are available for people with disabilities.
- The Visitor Centre seats up to 100 people and can be for hired for special occasions.
- To contact the Dismal Site Swamp Manager (David Johnson)
Phone (03) 6456 7199
Sourced from Tasmania’s North West, Your Regional Guide to 2008
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