Southwest, Tasmania · Australia
Gordon River Road
B61Maydena to Strathgordon
Tasmania’s hydro road, 53 empty miles into the Southwest wilderness.
The Gordon River Road exists because of a dam: the Hydro-Electric Commission drove it into Tasmania’s roadless Southwest from 1964, and the flooding of Lake Pedder behind it became one of Australia’s defining conservation battles. What is left is a gift to drivers: 53 miles of smooth, empty sweepers from Maydena along the Sentinel Range, wilderness on both sides, ending at the 140 m concrete arc of the Gordon Dam, where a lookout stares straight down the wall. There are no services beyond the start, so fill up at Westerway; watch for ice on the high sections in winter, wildlife at dawn and dusk, and log trucks near Maydena.
Scenery
Best seasons
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Where it runs51.7 mi · point to point
Navigate to the start: Apple Maps · Google Maps
Character
Elevation
under 4%4–8%over 8%261 – 653 mThe strip below the profile is corner density: taller, warmer ticks mean tighter bends.
Points of interest3 stops
- White Spur LookoutViewpoint45 mi in
- Gordon Dam LookoutViewpoint52 mi in
- Gordon DamLandmark52 mi in
Hazards
- No fuel beyond the Westerway Roadhouse, fill up before Maydena
- Frost, ice and snow on the higher sections in winter
- Wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk
- Log trucks around Maydena on weekdays
Verified route: mapped from real road geometry and fact-checked by a human editor. How roads get checked
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