Marrawah

The big surf and winds of Marrawah

Tassie's big surf, big wave paradise is at Marrawah. A record west-coast wave was measured at 19.5 metres and the wind and surf roll in uninterrupted for almost 17,000 kilometres.

It is the venue for the National Wave Sailing Championships, a prestigious $22,000 annual five-day event in February that combines wind and wave skills to attract competitors and visitors. The West Coast Surf Classic, an amateur surf carnival that's been held for the past 30 years, follows at the March long weekend and attracts up to 1000 spectators and competitors. Many stay on to explore the Wilderness experience down the Tarkine coast, or as far as Strahan.

Apart from the surf there's cray fishing, abalone diving, cruises on the Arthur River and night tours to see Tasmanian devils on King's Run wildlife reserve.

Marrawah itself is where the last Tasmanian tiger was captured some 90 years ago. Its pub began as a Cobb & Co way station and still has no poker machines, no TAB, no Keno.